Menganalisa Blog Stats

Malam ini iseng-iseng saya membuka dashboard blogger, terutama stats pengunjung blognya. Grafik menunjukkan, blog Ages of Sharable Technologies cukup jarang dibuka. Berikut ini screenshotnya.

Grafik Pengunjung Ages of Sharable Technologies

Audience terbanyak (tentu saja) dari Indonesia, dan sedikit pengunjung Amerika, Russia, Jepang, dan Eropa. Bisa jadi google memberi kesempatan lebih besar bagi pengunjung yang satu area/negara, selain karena faktor interest maupun bahasa. Lebih lanjut saya melihat seberapa banyak setiap artikelnya dilihat.

Daftar Published Posts Ages of Sharable Technologies

Dari halaman ini saya melihat, artikel dalam blog saya yang menggunakan bahasa Indonesia cenderung lebih banyak dibaca. Sebagai contoh, artikel berbahasa Inggris "Developing Food Trolley for A Hilly Outdoor Restaurant" yang saya post tanggal 14 November 2011 baru dilihat sebanyak 48 kali, sedangkan berbahasa indonesia berjudul "Mengenal Industri Tahu" yang saya post 4 Januari 2012 telah dilihat sebanyak 495 kali.

Fenomena ini membuat saya berpikir untuk lebih memperbanyak lagi artikel-artikel berbahasa Indonesia. Kelemahannya, pengunjung blog saya hanya terbatas pada pengguna bahasa Indonesia. Selain itu saya akan menjadi kehilangan kesempatan untuk belajar bahasa Inggris. Sebagai alternatif lain, mungkin bagus juga jika saya menyajikan artikel dalam dua bahasa: Inggris dan Indonesia.


Antara Memenuhi Keinginan Pribadi dan Memberikan Kenyamanan Publik

Pada awalnya saya membuat blog untuk menyalurkan ketertarikan saya terhadap dunia tulis menulis. Melalui blog, saya (dan siapapun juga) bisa menulis tanpa adanya batasan. Hal tersebut merupakan kelebihan sekaligus kelemahan dunia penerbitan artikel melalui blog.

Menjadi nilai lebih atau nilai minus ditentukan oleh kualitas editing saya dalam menyajikan sebuah artikel. Dari pengalaman selama ini, ada kalanya saya sangat teliti mengedit artikel saya sendiri, seperti ketika dulu waktu SMA menjadi editor Jendela News, koran SMA saya tercinta. Namun ada kalanya saya menjadi cukup malas menyusun kata-kata menjadi nyaman dibaca bagi orang kebanyakan. Bahkan lebih sering saya menuruti jalan pikiran yang aneh dalam mengungkapkan kata-kata.

Kedua kecenderungan tersebut tidak ada yang salah. Kebebasan saya menulis melalui media internet itu (seharusnya) mutlak. Namun menyadari bahwa internet adalah sesuatu hal yang merupakan ruang publik, saya rasa memberikan yang terbaik kepada publik adalah tanggung jawab kita semua sebagai komunitas manusia yang terhubung ke seluruh dunia melalui jalinan hubungan rumit bagaikan jaring laba-laba.

Kesimpulan dari artikel ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah... Selamat Menulis... :D

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Making a Printed Circuit Board

Some days ago, I suddenly want to make a microcontoller downloader with printed circuit board. I want to explore my interest about  microcontroller I've studied some years ago. Because of my concentration was mechanical and machinery design, microcontroller just be a little part of my whole study. I was only learning the microcontroller basic logic and the simple programming language to be downloaded to the chips, not the detail of electronics devices for making implementation.

To begin my project, I made a plan for myself.

That was my plan:

1. Making a power supply unit:

• Learning.
• Analysing schematic circuit; made by other source. 
• Ordering components.
• Designing Power Supply Unit Layout.
• Designing PCB layout.
• Making PCB.
• Soldering components.
• Finishing, troubleshooting.

2. Making Microcontroller Development Board.

• Learning.
• Analysing schematic circuit of downloader unit.
• Ordering components.
• Designing Microcontroller Development Board Layout.
• Designing PCB Layout.
• Making PCB.
• Soldering components.
• FInishing, troubleshooting.
• Testing with simple microcontroller project.

3. Implementing Any Microcontroller Projects.
     Pending until succesfully finishing microcontroller development board.

My current condition.
When I first write this article, I was currently on last Stage 1 point 7, and wait for some components I order from www.digi-ware.com. Now I'm just finished Power supply unit. It's working, though the performance is prety ugly. :P.

Power Supply Unit with 2 Output, 1.7-25V each

Flash Back: Making PCB layout
I opened google search engine and just searched adjustable power supply unit or whatever similiar to that. For the result, I found this diagram:

Power Supply Unit. From http://www.circuitdiagram.org/1.5a-variable-adjustable-power-supply-lm317.html

Then suddenly I want my power supply will have two adjustable output, so I modify that diagram by making branch after positive output from diodes bridge, and copying the rest circuits. I made sketch of PCB layout, then design it with CATIA in 2D drafting mode. I printed on glossy photo paper, and become like this:

PCB layout on glossy photo paper

Preparing Plain PCB
I measured the PCB, marked on it, and then cut it.

Dirty plain PCB

It's very rough, so I clean it with foam while polishing with abrasive sponge. Look the differences.

Polished plain PCB

I prepared the iron with ironing pad and made preheat that clean plain PCB.

Ironing Preparation

The hot plain PCB will gladly accept the glosy photo paper with ink on it. I pressed my iron on them to make the ink melt and stick on the copper surface.

After Ironing

And then remove the papper carefully after the temperature became realy cooling down. I did it.

Result of Ironing

That's my 2nd trial and was still unperfect. For countermeasure, I try to cover the unwanted opened copper surface with permanent marker.

Covering Mistakes

Start Etching
It's time to do etching process, so I prepare the Ferric Chloride Powder.

Ferric Chloride

Pouring 1,5 glass of warm water into that powder was a nice experience. They're reacting (so what? LOL :D).

Etching Preparation

I just put the PCB directly into the ferric chloride. Because I use new ferric chloride, etching process was very fast. It's just about 5 minutes. Shaking the PCB with twin stick make the process better.

Etching Process

Clean them with clear water will finish the etching process.

Gotcha!!

Making Holes for The Components
I bought mini hand drill that could handled 1 & 2 mm diameter twisted drill. The power source of the hand drill is 12 DC-Volt, and my DC power supply unit was currently in making progress. Finaly I use my notebook charger. It's 19 DC-Volt, so my drill turning fast.

ASUS Notebook Charger as Temporary Power Suply

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Tofu Ball Forming Machine

Dear All,

This night I suddenly want to share an animation video, although I've uploaded this video some days ago. The video is a part of our Final Project Presentation on July 7th, 2011. That presentation was the climax of the project started on December 2010. It became a joyfull event after months strugling, with Ignas - my only comrades.

Finishing this final project is requirement for our graduation from our study. Finaly we graduate from our Polytechnics on October 8th, 2011, nearly a year ago. Here you are, our work.

Title: Tofu Ball forming machine.
3D building tool : Autodesk Inventor 2007.
Animation mixing tool: Corel Video Studio

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