Oscilloscope Probe Holder With Vision

[electronupdate]

Attached is a link to the design of a jig which allows hands-free probing of a circuit board .  I built in a camera so it could also probe fine-pitch SMT circuit boards without the need for a microscope.

I was doing some design work and between trying to hold the scope probe, adjusting  the scope, and then using a computer (to stop and start the firmware) I was running out of hands!

[SeanB]

Very nice idea. Looking at the cheap junky webcam I have lying around, but it has a bare sensor on the board, needs at least half the housing, unless I use another lens assembly...... Mmmm, must look to see if I still have those dead surveillance cameras around.

[free_electron]

damn! that is so cool.... i got a few vga cemar modules laying around that came out of laptops. these are essentially USB cameras .. but they are supr tiny. so we should be able to make a much smaller probe rig...

[Monkeh]

That's a neat idea. I may have to put one together myself some time.

I was looking for probe stands/holders a while ago. I was horrified at the prices.

I found a nice simple 2 legged Agilent product that looked like it would be cheap.....how wrong I was...it was around GBP60 

It was the N2786A and is just a metal bipod that uses its own weight to apply tip pressure to the PCB.

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-9131EN.pdf

N2786A is on Page 3.

.. for a bit of ABS or the like? Really? Wow.

[Bored@Work]

I was looking for probe stands/holders a while ago. I was horrified at the prices.

I found a nice simple 2 legged Agilent product that looked like it would be cheap.....how wrong I was...it was around GBP60 

It was the N2786A and is just a metal bipod that uses its own weight to apply tip pressure to the PCB.

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-9131EN.pdf

N2786A is on Page 3.

Years ago a made a bunch of such holders in different sizes with different holes. I still use them today.

Take some sheet material, some isolator (plastic, raw PCB material without copper, acrylic glass etc.). Cut it into acute isosceles triangles. Cut the pointy tip of each triangle off. If you like, do a triangle cutout at the other end so you get two legs. Drill a hole in the tip, so your probe friction fits in the hole. Drill another hole below that one. The second hole is so you can add some weight (nut and bolt), so the probe holder puts some pressure on the probe tip.

[codeboy2k]

Thanks B@W 

I will make some as they appear very useful. For something of such simple construction I am surprised that they are not already available from China for pennies.

Fraser

OP's version is really good , great idea with the camera...

A version like the Agilent one could be created and shared via a MakerBot.  I don't own a MakerBot, but someone who does should design a 3d model similar to the Agilent in the picture in this thread and put it online (if its not patent encumbered)

here's another view  - seems easy enough

[Bored@Work]

A version like the Agilent one could be created and shared via a MakerBot.  I don't own a MakerBot, but someone who does should design a 3d model similar to the Agilent in the picture in this thread and put it online (if its not patent encumbered)

here's another view  - seems easy enough

Some sheet material is really all you need. No need for a 3D printer. An appropriate saw and drill for the material, and you are done. No need to spend $1000 on some hype tool when traditional tools for a few dollars will do.

[BravoV]

Some sheet material is really all you need. No need for a 3D printer. An appropriate saw and drill for the material, and you are done. No need to spend $1000 on some hype tool when traditional tools for a few dollars will do.

+1  , using a cheap white plastic chopping board as the material, and a saw, drill, file and sand paper, you could make few of these in one run.

[robrenz]

Excellent idea and great execution

[robrenz]

Rat tail file a groove in the jaws of inexpensive spring clamps.

[cwalex]

Rat tail file a groove in the jaws of inexpensive spring clamps.

Trust robrenz to find a solution that is cheap and seems obvious after you see it! 

[stewartallen]

I spent some time with Solidworks and designed a probe holder inspired by the Agilent and PMK ones. Then printed it out on my "hype tool" Makerbot.

I've attached the STL and Solidworks files.

[Rufus]

Nice work !

3D printers are great for this kind of requirement provided you have the skills to create the CAD drawing file.

Shame they can't print the steel in the middle to give it some weight.

[baljemmett]

Nice work !

3D printers are great for this kind of requirement provided you have the skills to create the CAD drawing file.

Shame they can't print the steel in the middle to give it some weight.

Do they have sufficient precision and resolution to print, say, an M3 thread inside the legs, to screw a bolt into?  (I suppose epoxying one in would do just as well, mind you!)

[stewartallen]

@Arura I added tapers to the holes.

@Rufus There is a hole in the "Legs" that take a 35x6mm rod for extra weight.

@baljemmett no not on the makerbot, best resolution you can get is about 0.1mm on layer hight and about 0.4 on X/Y. But you can easily just tap the plastic. I used hot glue.

[1lulu2]

stewartallen,

I downloaded your Solidworks files, and Solidworks is complaining that it cannot find:

Instance of the following were suppressed when this file was opened

C:\Documents and Settings\Stewart Allen\Desktop\Probe_Extrude.SLDPRT   Unable to locate the file

Do you have this file? Do I need it? I am using Solidworks 2015.

Also, how did you extrude the rubber feet?

lulu

[joeqsmith]

Still like the camera idea. 

[LaurentR]

For the camera, a good option could be one of these:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EPPQBVC/
They are $20, small, work on Android and Windows, have a flexible cable, LED lighting and a focus distance of 6cm, so they could work out of the box for this application.

I haven't tried it in this context but have been using it for all kind of other purposes and it works just fine.

[joeqsmith]

For the camera, a good option could be one of these:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EPPQBVC/
They are $20, small, work on Android and Windows, have a flexible cable, LED lighting and a focus distance of 6cm, so they could work out of the box for this application.

I haven't tried it in this context but have been using it for all kind of other purposes and it works just fine.

Good find. Thanks. I had been looking at different cameras for this.   There's a lot to choose from and was thinking I may just need to order a few to try.   

I was wanting to get a stage to adjust the probes location.
   

[eKretz]

Nice work !

3D printers are great for this kind of requirement provided you have the skills to create the CAD drawing file.

Shame they can't print the steel in the middle to give it some weight.

Easy enough: just print it with c-shaped hollow legs, add steel or other heavy metal, and pour epoxy in to secure.