Hardware Prototyping & Build Log
Electronics projects are 10% inspiration and 90% debugging. This build log is your 'paper trail' for moving from a messy breadboard to a finished enclosure. Use it to document pinout decisions, power consumption, and the inevitable 'rev 1.1' fixes.
Project Batching #
How many units are in this production run? Even if it's just one prototype, tracking the count helps calculate total component cost and assembly time.
Design Intent #
What is the core function? Define your 'Success State' now so you don't get stuck in feature creep.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Power: [e.g., < 200µA Deep Sleep]
- Connectivity: [e.g., Stable MQTT over WiFi]
- Form Factor: [e.g., Must fit inside a 50mm Hammond box]
Pro Tip: If you're using an ESP32 or similar high-current MCU, measure your peak current during WiFi handshakes. Cheap LDOs will brown out here and cause 'random' resets.
Build Journal #
Note any modifications made during assembly (e.g., 'added a bodge wire for missing GND track').