LED Matrix Earrings Show Off SMD Skills
In mitxela’s latest project, he pushes the boundaries of miniature electronics with LED stud earrings. These earrings combine elements from two of his previous projects: the LED industrial piercing and the tiny volumetric persistence-of-vision display. The LED matrix at the center of the earrings measures only 9 mm in diameter and features 52 0201 LEDs arranged on a 1 mm pitch.
To overcome the challenges of creating a high-density PCB, mitxela cleverly designed two separate boards—one for the LEDs and one for the remaining circuitry. These boards were soldered together and populated with components, including the CH32V003 microcontroller. Notably, mitxela utilized a pick-and-place machine for precise placement of the components due to their minuscule size.
One particularly ingenious hack in the project is mitxela’s creation of a micro-soldering iron to repair a missing LED in the array. He fashioned the iron by wrapping solid copper wire around the tip of a standard soldering iron and shaping it into a tiny chisel point. Despite the project’s extreme scale, it showcases innovative solutions and techniques that could inspire future endeavors in miniature electronics.
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