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Fabrication

Board packages support ordering, assembly, and inspection for WILD hardware revisions.

For day-to-day bench work after PCBA delivery, use the detailed WILD soldering and rework SOP. It covers microscope assembly, double-sided fixturing, hot-air rework, STM32 QFN replacement, Intan BGA reballing, and Omnetics connector hand soldering.

Fabrication Files

Board Files
Datalogger Gerbers, drill files, assembly files
Opto module Gerbers, drill files, assembly files
Camera unit Gerbers, drill files, assembly files
USB-GPIO board Gerber package, BOM, and Eagle source files

USB-GPIO Board Package

The USB-GPIO board fabrication package is stored in PCB/USBboard. It includes the dated Gerber package, BOM files, and Eagle board/schematic source files.

File Purpose
WILD_USB_2026-06-18.zip Gerber package for PCB fabrication.
WILD_USB.xlsx BOM workbook for assembly review.
WILD_USB.csv BOM export for manufacturer upload or quick inspection.
WILD_USB.brd and WILD_USB.sch Eagle board and schematic source files.

PCB Fabrication

Use the zipped Gerber and drill files for the target WILD board revision. Upload the package to a PCB manufacturer that supports fine-pitch multilayer boards; NextPCB is one option used for ordering.

Recommended fabrication parameters for the current WILD datalogger board:

Parameter Value
Board thickness 1.0 mm
Layer count 4 layers
Minimum drill hole 0.15 mm
Trace width 3.5 mil
Blind vias Rank 1 blind vias
Surface finish Engineering gold, 1 uin

Before submitting the order, confirm that the fabrication house can accept the drill files, blind-via definition, board outline, and stackup used by the selected WILD revision.

Assembly Order

  1. Upload the board package again for PCBA quotation, including the Assembly folder supplied with the selected WILD board revision.
  2. Upload the BOM and placement files supplied for the same WILD board revision.
  3. Review unavailable or special-order parts before approving assembly.
  4. Confirm with the manufacturer which parts will be machine assembled and which parts will be left for hand soldering.
  5. Finish hand soldering, connector inspection, and continuity checks before first power-up.

Special Components

Some WILD components may need advance ordering or manual handling:

Component Manufacturing note
BMX160 IMU This part is obsolete. BMI270 is a possible 6-axis replacement candidate, but the public WILD driver path is not developed yet. Do not substitute it unless the release image explicitly supports the replacement.
HJ580 BLE module Confirm availability directly with HJ-SIP. The HJ-580XP-UART model can also be ordered directly from DigiKey: HJ-580XP-UART. Validated builds should use the HJ580 module firmware version documented for WILD, currently firmware version 20220507.
Omnetics A79025 This high-density Omnetics probe connector has a high failure rate during standard reflow. Prefer manual soldering with an alignment fixture, then inspect alignment, solder bridges, and continuity under magnification. The detailed connector workflow is documented in the WILD soldering and rework SOP.

Post-Assembly Bring-Up

Prepare a bench cable before applying power to a newly assembled WILD device.

  1. Solder the WILD 4-pin JST-SH 1.0 mm cable according to the connector illustration in Hardware Setup.
  2. Pre-crimped JST-SH 1.0 mm wire leads or equivalent qualified leads can be used for cable preparation after verifying polarity and pin order.
  3. Build a 4-pin USB power/programming cable by soldering the JST-SH lead to a USB-A connector breakout or equivalent bench-supply adapter. Keep the cable labeled and reuse it only after continuity checks.
  4. Place a USB power meter between the PC or USB supply and the 4-pin cable.
  5. Connect the WILD device for the first time and check the current before programming. Current below 10 mA is the expected first-pass check for no obvious short circuit; disconnect immediately if the current is higher than expected or unstable.
  6. Momentarily short the DFU mode-select pin to VCC with metal tweezers while connecting USB, using the connector schematic to avoid shorting the wrong pins.
  7. Confirm that the PC detects an STM32-DFU device. If the driver is missing, install the ST DFU driver package from STSW-STM32080.
  8. Open WILD Console, go to the Advanced tab, and use the packed DFU update pipeline to select the latest validated .hex release image.
  9. After the first DFU installation succeeds, use the documented microSD release-image update path for later upgrades when the release notes support it.

Inspection Checks

  • Confirm top and bottom orientation against the board files.
  • Inspect the microSD socket, battery connector, BLE UART pins, sensor connectors, stimulation output path, and probe connector before power-up.
  • Check for solder bridges around fine-pitch parts and high-density connectors.
  • Keep the PCB revision, manufacturer, assembly date, special part substitutions, and release-image filename with the experiment metadata.
  • Match each board revision to a compatible release image before recording.