SW-COMPUTER-EVOLUTION!!

[Gandolf]

If Systema can have a 'Revolution', I get to have an 'Evolution'!! 

The SW-COMPUTER has been out for three months now.  Seems like forever!!    There are about 140 computers out there now.  The results are:

90% work just fine   
5% had wiring, user, software issues that were happily resolved.
5% have had trouble with the breaking FET burning up....     Many worked out, but this is a definite hardware weakness 

I never expected to run into 320 amp peak current guns!  ROFs in the 40's.  LiPO 'infinite' current batteries...  Running the mechbox without the piston attached...  Popping out three round bursts like a jack rabbit on extacy!...  In a way, the SW-COMPUTER was like a 'Martian Probe' to explore what you were all doing out there!    An internal voltage clamp stack up error was also found.  Hard to say if that actually ended up causing a final problem though.

Two hardware issues need to be resolved...

For 'low power' guns, the battery droops low in voltage upon firing starving the computer's brain for power.  In all cases so far, the computer can deal with it.  However it is an issue and pretty easy to fix.   

The poor little braking FET...  It was so small and cute and still powerful...  Made the SW-COMPUTER 'super small'    But is just does not have the power 5% of the time    We are just going to have to drop in a 'gear shattering' BIG FET there like the 'BFF' IRL5602PBF...  100+ amps of peak breaking current.  It does NOT care at all about 'heat'    In a dual power main 'pregnant' FET configuration, It should be all able to 'beat up' Lars' gun too  with 500+ amps of drive

The good ol' SW-COMPUTER will still be around forever too    It will be a little modified to the new standards where applicable to take most of the load.  But for those 'EXTREME' guns, The new SW-COMPUTER-EVOLUTION will handle the big powers and currents.

I have been working on the board layout:



I'll try to trim the fat, but it will be fatter...  Probably longer by a little too...  The two D2PAK FETs are mirrored on the board now front to back.  The breaking FET will probably be the IRL5602SPbF.  I am going to jump to the 1N5819 diodes in the SOT-123 package.

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=1N5819HW-FDICT-ND

That is one of those parts that never lets you down 

So it gets evolved... 

If you have any issues you want to add, this is that "golden time' to get you fix requests in!!

The cost will go up by a fraction too.  I am thinking $75 now...  Others might be able to jump in for less though 

All software is "just the same" for the present and this future version.

Gandolf

[Rob]

Awesome... um, eh... yeah that's the right word... Awesome. 

[eel one]

With Lars' gun I expect you mean ringsted's gun?! I might very well be in for an evolution board, I like to stay on top of the development in airsoft parts. When will you release it?

[JCW8]

This is ~exactly~ what I"ve been waiting to hear for my DMR!!

I have a question: How difficult would it be to make the amount of active breaking applied be a user settable percentage? That way people with speed guns or lighter setups can lower the setting until it doesn't work enough, then bump it up 5%, which would probably ease the stress on motors and gears and such, using just the right amount of AB for each application as it were...

[wolfdragon]

by using a FET that is a DPAK or TO220 package thats been converted to surface mount (HUGE), the heat dissipation values you get from even a moderately built FET are so high that you would NEVER have the breaking FET issue that was evident with the SOIC-8 footprint FET that is in the SW-COMPUTER

[Gandolf]

Hi,

When will you release it?

Parts will all be here Friday.  So a limited release Monday the 21st if all goes well.

I have a question: How difficult would it be to make the amount of active breaking applied be a user settable percentage?

Technically it is not hard.  But if they turned the breaking down too far the burst timing and all will be messed up.  So it would not be an independent adjustment.  If they messed with the breaking the burst time would change and visa-versa.  It should not be necessary really to change the breaking.

The PC Board looks like this:

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30.gif

It is 2.2 inches long, 0.65 inches wide. and 0.45 thick.  I hope that still fits.

I'll get the other stuff updated soon, but the boards had to be done first to get them turned in 5 days.

Gandolf

[Rob]

Hmmm...

I put the fet under my upper in my ak last aeg that I'm running a li-po in (again) plenty of room.
I like the idea of these fets for my outdoor gear and the li-po's.


Noticed this on rsov, super cheap...
http://www.rsov.com/product/0/1656/p_ACM-Li-Polymer-battery-cells-voltage-monitor-and-alarm-buzzer.html
A.C.M.  Li-Polymer battery cells voltage monitor and alarm buzzer for 3-cells Polymer battery equipped with reverse-polarity protection.
- The green LED indicate the battery cell condition is good (3.8-4.2v).
- The red LED indicate the battery cell need to be charged to maintain the performance (3.5-3.8v).
- The red LED will turn on and alarm buzzer will sound when the battery cell is either under or over voltage ( <3.5v or >4.2v ).
The PCB is protected by heat-shrink insulation sleeve so you can stick the indicator to the Polymer battery on your AEG or RC plane for easy battery monitoring.


It looks so simple, maybe Gandolf can make these next?

[wolfdragon]

I already have...

http://projectwolfdragon.com/Products/Products.htm
http://projectwolfdragon.com/Products/LiPO-PCB.htm
http://projectwolfdragon.com/Products/Conventional-PCB.htm

Although mine has a LOT more smarts and can either drive the IO for the SW-COMPUTER or function in stand alone with pretty much any MOSFET Trigger by supplying the voltage that goes thru the trigger contact to the FET itself

[Gandolf]

Wolfdragon is the LiPO guy and battery techno that knows everything guy    I have my hands full with the switching stuff. 

Gandolf

[eel one]

Well, as long as the products you guys make, can work together, the rest of us are happy.

[wolfdragon]

oh they do, my P90 was the proto testbed for getting the code in the SW-COMPUTER just right.

My AUG got the trigger mod working so that my PCBs can be used with any other MOSFET Trigger. My MOSFET is a cross between Gandolf's AB Long and Psypher's AB MOSFET, added in a little robustness and it can now accommodate pretty much any MOSFET Trigger now.

[Gandolf]

Hi,

I had to scramble to get the boards and parts ordered this Monday morning (before noon, my normal 'wakeup' time    I was never a morning guy...) so they would all be here by Friday!  A new product and major design turn in 5 days.  Mostly waiting for the parts to be shipped    I hope I did not screw it all up!     Could have been done in 4 days if I paid not too much more really...

So here is where it's at...

This is the new board art work.  I "think" is it right    But it might change in 'seconds' as needed...

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30-ART.jpg

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30.gif

The raw art file is here for Express PCB:

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30.pcb

The schematic is here:

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30-Schem.jpg

The raw file is here:

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30.sch

The parts list is here:

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-30.jpg

Looks like a $75 thing.  I basically go by 3 X "my" cost.  Works well really and covers the R&D and beer    If 'you' can do this stuff cheaper, "Make my day!"      Note that I buy it all significant quantities now...

The new 3.10 software seems to be good to go so far...

http://extreme-fire.com/SW-COMPUTER/SW-COMPUTER-3.0/SW-COMPUTER-310.c

The hardware changes obviously adds the giant breaking FET now to prevent those obnoxious "fires"      

The power supply to the computer adds the TVS and active spike handling (Its back!, the new FET brings 'new magic'  ).  You can even PWM the break if you are nuts!  But there is now a real droop capable power supply past the old 21mS thing.  I now add 150mS to that!  If you drop the battery voltage to like zero for 1/8 of a second,  The game is over...  But it is no longer "my" problem there    Like dude,  'recharge' the battery!!  Or buy a new one from OnlyBatteryPacks.com!  One of those places that I super like!!!  They don't let folks down.  Like that darn Extreme-Fire that orders "way too much" from them Saturday night 

The strange breaking FET circuit is now all just like the fabulous SW-AB-LONG that simply never fails anymore    It is actually a bit better with the super powerful 1N5819 Schottky diode.  That will be back fitted to the SW-AB-LONG now.

So it is all cool, but like 12 hours new out of the box this moment.  But that IS the 'speed limit' for such things    There is "bleeding" edge technology, but there is "speeding edge" too...   

Terry

[FiveseveN]

My only question is if this will be able to handle all of the numerous add-on boards that will surely come out..

[JCW8]

Next question: When are you going to be taking orders for these?

[wolfdragon]

My only question is if this will be able to handle all of the numerous add-on boards that will surely come out..

Both "versions" of the SW-COMPUTER run the SAME software, therefore the answer is YES

Next question: When are you going to be taking orders for these?

Hi,
Parts will all be here Friday.  So a limited release Monday the 21st if all goes well.