Tips for new 'Head of Electronics'

[ThaddeusMaximus]

1. Make sure you are as much of a part of mechanical design as your own department. Electronics are not the end goal- electronics enable good code to control good mechanical systems. Mechanicals oftentimes think things like "voltage drop isn't a big deal", "Backlash isn't an issue", "we can just strap a potentiometer on this", etc... they're oftentimes wrong. There's mechanical design aspects that should be influenced by electrical capabilities. You need to have input. It will save you time and headaches. Mechanical needs to know the possibilities out there and your limitations. (This also goes for code.)

2. Rail mechanical for moar electronics space. This has been beat to a pulp but yeah.

3. Work really closely with code too (are you noticing a trend here?). so many issues are caused because of incorrect hookups, unchecked hookups, etc.

4. Don't memorize the rules. Refer constantly to the book. Look over and make sure everything is code. There's no reason to cut corners.

Electronics is really middleware. You have to operate as such.