MXP Breakout Boards

[baumgartensam]

So as many of you have seen, more information was released about the new MXP breakout port on the roboRIO. The way I can see this port being used most often will be purely as a way to access the additional ports provided by it. In order to do this, you would most likely need some sort of breakout board. As many of you may know, getting 1 breakout board manufactured would be either very time consuming (if you did it yourself) or expensive (if you pay for a manufacturer to do it). I wanted to know if any teams would potentially be interested in obtaining breakout boards for the roboRIO (breaking out the PWM pins and the other pins available in such a way they can be used easily). If enough teams are interested, I might order them in bulk and sell them to teams (as to minimize the costs because it's much cheaper to order 100 than 1). Any interest in this?

[phurley67]

I suspect that something like this (http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/211702) will work fine with the roboRIO (same spec as the myRIO).

[baumgartensam]

I was actually thinking something more along the lines of breaking it out into headers for PWM cables so that it's super easy to add in more motors let's say, with PWM. Their protoboard-ish breakout would definitely work! However, it take's a bit more work and there is more room for issues to come up. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Am I trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist?

[Monochron]

You might be competing with one-off manufacturers like Osh Park (https://oshpark.com/). Do you know if you would be able to get your prices lower than that by buying in bulk?

[Daniel_LaFleur]

I suspect that something like this (http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/211702) will work fine with the roboRIO (same spec as the myRIO).

My concern with that board is its orientation. It will see significant torque during 'vigorous robot-to-robot interaction'.



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[FrankJ]

Considerable discussion of the MPX breakout here (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130628). I agree what ever the solution you use needs to depend on something other than the electrical plug to keep it place. NI has a developer guide here (https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-39578) along with really cool, expensive (but free for Firsters) tools for developing boards.

Or you could take a flat ribbon cable & mount your board somewhere else. AKA like the digital side car.

[SteveGarward]

Since we started beta testing, one of our students has been working on a design for an MXP breakout board. We've been through a few iterations of the design, and were about to send one out when FIRST released their blog post with preliminary definitions and rules. We're unsure if this now classes the board as active or passive.

As a result, we have created a stripped-down version to be purely passive - same board, sans some components. We are still pursuing the original board with FIRST.

We will have a blog post up about it later today, along with EAGLE files. We're just doing a final review of the board. We will post a link when it's live.

[baumgartensam]

You might be competing with one-off manufacturers like Osh Park (https://oshpark.com/). Do you know if you would be able to get your prices lower than that by buying in bulk?

It still is quite a bit cheaper to do bulk boards. Most likely, there won't be demand for boards to goto a conventional board house (where it would be very cheap if we ordered enough). Osh Park also has bulk pricing where in:
No Minimums: $5 per square inch
150 sq in minimum: $1 per square inch

If we were able to get enough people on board (pun intended) to do a 150 sq in order, it would be considerably cheaper.

[baumgartensam]

Since we started beta testing, one of our students has been working on a design for an MXP breakout board. We've been through a few iterations of the design, and were about to send one out when FIRST released their blog post with preliminary definitions and rules. We're unsure if this now classes the board as active or passive.

As a result, we have created a stripped-down version to be purely passive - same board, sans some components. We are still pursuing the original board with FIRST.

We will have a blog post up about it later today, along with EAGLE files. We're just doing a final review of the board. We will post a link when it's live.

I can't wait to see what you guys have come up with!

[dyanoshak]

Now that FIRST has released clarification on the MXP legality and the discussions happening here on CD, it is fitting and I am proud to announce a new company called REV Robotics.

We will be offering a few products specifically for FIRST teams for the 2015 season. Our full product line will be released soon, but to give you a preview, here is one of our MXP board options: an MXP breakout called the More Board.

http://www.revrobotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/moreboard_s.jpg

This board and several others are in production now and will be ready to purchase in a month or so from AndyMark.

-David

[AdamHeard]

Now that FIRST has released clarification on the MXP legality and the discussions happening here on CD, it is fitting and I am proud to announce a new company called REV Robotics.

We will be offering a few products specifically for FIRST teams for the 2015 season. Our full product line will be released soon, but to give you a preview, here is one of our MXP board options: an MXP breakout called the More Board.

http://www.revrobotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/moreboard_s.jpg

This board and several others are in production now and will be ready to purchase in a month or so from AndyMark.

-David

Projected cost?

[dyanoshak]

Projected cost?

Right now the preliminary pricing is $30 but AndyMark will set the final pricing.

-David

[SteveGarward]

As promised (though a day late - sorry), we have a new blog post up giving details of our first MXP expansion board (http://wildstang.org/blog/?p=204).

As we read the preliminary definitions and rules, this would be classed as passive. And as the blog post explains, this is not our original design, but a cut back version, while we get clarification from FIRST.

This board is designed to be a pass-through breakout to make the pins more easily accessible.

If you spot a mistake or have any feedback, please let us know.

[marshall]

As promised (though a day late - sorry), we have a new blog post up giving details of our first MXP expansion board (http://wildstang.org/blog/?p=204).

As we read the preliminary definitions and rules, this would be classed as passive. And as the blog post explains, this is not our original design, but a cut back version, while we get clarification from FIRST.

This board is designed to be a pass-through breakout to make the pins more easily accessible.

If you spot a mistake or have any feedback, please let us know.

Thank you for making these available! Awesome work. I've been wanting an EAGLE schematic for a while and I haven't had the time to make one. I'm glad you guys have though. Great work!

[John Leonard]

SteveGarward said:
"As promised (though a day late - sorry), we have a new blog post up giving details of our first MXP expansion board.

As we read the preliminary definitions and rules, this would be classed as passive. And as the blog post explains, this is not our original design, but a cut back version, while we get clarification from FIRST.

This board is designed to be a pass-through breakout to make the pins more easily accessible.

If you spot a mistake or have any feedback, please let us know."

Steve (and Sam),
I've been looking closely at the MXP option as a simple break-out board also. My layout uses 3-pin MTA-100 connectors with friction locks, like those on the digital sidecar. (Larger footprint, but a more secure connection.) They're available from Digikey, Jameco, etc.

While I have NI's Multisim and Ultiboard, I used PCBExpress' free PCB layout software. Their boards are inexpensive and appear to be of good quality, based on the ones I've seen.

Is the creation of the board prior to Kick-Off in violation of the build rules?

-JL

[RufflesRidge]

Is the creation of the board prior to Kick-Off in violation of the build rules?

-JL

Per 2014 rules you would have to post the design publicly before kickoff and make the board after.

Note about 2015 rules being subject to change goes here.

[Tom Line]

Per 2014 rules you would have to post the design publicly before kickoff and make the board after.

Note about 2015 rules being subject to change goes here.

If they plan on offering the board as a Cots product then they can make them now.

[RufflesRidge]

If they plan on offering the board as a Cots product then they can make them now.

Correct, but to do so it has to be an entity other than the team (see the definitions of COTS and VENDOR)

[DrDoug]

The Livonia Warriors FRC Team 2832 has developed a break-out board that fits snugly on the roboRIO controller to provide access to the MXP port. If interested in more details please view the flyer available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_NTIXFyaEAVV1Q1QlBqbTR6Mnc/view?usp=sharing

We used it successfully on our robot during an off-season competition for Beta-testing to roboRIO.

Thanks for looking and good luck to your team in 2015!