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I've begun playing around with "hardware design" recently and it's very humbling. I've been developing software for a long time, and I have a good amount of exp

I've begun playing around with "hardware design" recently and it's very humbling. I've been developing software for a long time, and I have a good amount of experience designing and making physical objects, both manually (well, with tools, but manually guided/used) and via digital means (mostly FDM). Making even a simple electronic device is a journey to say the least. The intersection of code and mechanism is a fascinating area to play in, but from PoC to Product, the amount of effort, expertise and iteration is hard to imagine until you try. Thanks for sharing your experience, looking forward to leafing through the pdf for some valuable insights.

markus_zhang 2y ago
I had the same experience. Eventually I think the next time I'm going to try something extremely simple, like a button that triggers some pre-recorded noise.
- moron4hire 2y ago
  "That was not easy"
- rickdeckard 2y ago
  yeah, but did you properly debounce that button, to not end up with multiple triggering events per button-press? /s
glenngillen 2y ago
Many many years ago I got to hear the founders of Fitbit come in and give a lunchtime chat about their journey. It was utterly fascinating to hear all the challenges, as a software engineer, you never even think to consider. Things like their attempts to optimise the layout of components effectively doubled the production cost because it would require someone to flip the PCB. Or that the adhesive used to temporarily keep the case attached to a tiny spindle during assembly was slightly too tacky, the residue of which would many months later cause stress fractures on the case and a whole raft of warranty replacements. Hardware is hard.
- Joel_Mckay 2y ago
  It is not "hard" after some practice, but you need to be willing to learn. In general, DFM is a specialized area most EE have zero training in unless they chose to study it as an option. John Shive's Wave Machines is where every student should start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovunOxlY1k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovunOxlY1k Remember to have fun =3
Joel_Mckay 2y ago
Get a ham radio technician license, and you may develop an intuitive perspective on most electrical engineering concepts. Install LTSpice (free from Analog Devices), and head here to run down the basics of simulation (for software guys it will quickly make sense): https://www.youtube.com/@FesZElectronics/videos https://www.youtube.com/@FesZElectronics/videos Analyze all schematics in the encyclopedias, and build some of these simple projects: https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofelectroniccircuitsvol1/Encyclopedia%20of%20Electronic%20Circuits%20-%20Vol%201/ https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofelectroniccircuits... Try to combine various aspects of the designs into something you find useful. Avoid digital mcu cheat codes in favor of 555 at first, as you will learn more. Note: burning parts with design mistakes is part of the learning process, but reverse engineering mistakes to understand why is the fun part. Best of luck, =3
RataNova 2y ago
Hardware has a way of humbling even the most experienced software devs
creer 2y ago
It's almost like hardware design is its own discipline! Kidding aside, yes, hardware design is its own discipline and hardware design is hard even for hardware engineers. Hardware troubleshooting is its own distinct discipline. Design for manufacturing, and supporting hardware through manufacturing are also their own disciplines. With issues from China practices pushing that last one to new heights. A realistic trajectory that will be challenging enough is building (and troubleshooting) low frequency or simple microcontroller kits; HAM radio introduction stuff (also troubleshooting some); personal designs and lab at school; then junior time in a professional setting. Jumping into a design with the goal of having it be manufactured is not impossible - if you like a challenging hobby - but it's a hobby first.

markus_zhang 2y ago

I had the same experience. Eventually I think the next time I'm going to try something extremely simple, like a button that triggers some pre-recorded noise.

moron4hire 2y ago
"That was not easy"
rickdeckard 2y ago
yeah, but did you properly debounce that button, to not end up with multiple triggering events per button-press? /s

glenngillen 2y ago

Many many years ago I got to hear the founders of Fitbit come in and give a lunchtime chat about their journey. It was utterly fascinating to hear all the challenges, as a software engineer, you never even think to consider. Things like their attempts to optimise the layout of components effectively doubled the production cost because it would require someone to flip the PCB. Or that the adhesive used to temporarily keep the case attached to a tiny spindle during assembly was slightly too tacky, the residue of which would many months later cause stress fractures on the case and a whole raft of warranty replacements. Hardware is hard.

Joel_Mckay 2y ago
It is not "hard" after some practice, but you need to be willing to learn. In general, DFM is a specialized area most EE have zero training in unless they chose to study it as an option. John Shive's Wave Machines is where every student should start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovunOxlY1k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovunOxlY1k Remember to have fun =3

Joel_Mckay 2y ago

Get a ham radio technician license, and you may develop an intuitive perspective on most electrical engineering concepts. Install LTSpice (free from Analog Devices), and head here to run down the basics of simulation (for software guys it will quickly make sense): https://www.youtube.com/@FesZElectronics/videos https://www.youtube.com/@FesZElectronics/videos Analyze all schematics in the encyclopedias, and build some of these simple projects: https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofelectroniccircuitsvol1/Encyclopedia%20of%20Electronic%20Circuits%20-%20Vol%201/ https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofelectroniccircuits... Try to combine various aspects of the designs into something you find useful. Avoid digital mcu cheat codes in favor of 555 at first, as you will learn more. Note: burning parts with design mistakes is part of the learning process, but reverse engineering mistakes to understand why is the fun part. Best of luck, =3

RataNova 2y ago

Hardware has a way of humbling even the most experienced software devs

creer 2y ago

It's almost like hardware design is its own discipline! Kidding aside, yes, hardware design is its own discipline and hardware design is hard even for hardware engineers. Hardware troubleshooting is its own distinct discipline. Design for manufacturing, and supporting hardware through manufacturing are also their own disciplines. With issues from China practices pushing that last one to new heights. A realistic trajectory that will be challenging enough is building (and troubleshooting) low frequency or simple microcontroller kits; HAM radio introduction stuff (also troubleshooting some); personal designs and lab at school; then junior time in a professional setting. Jumping into a design with the goal of having it be manufactured is not impossible - if you like a challenging hobby - but it's a hobby first.