Custom PCB Boards?

[carlso]

Pete,
         I'm with you as I am a firm believer in the "KISS" system. You have, most likely, said in a post but I guess I missed it, so what does the "152" on the resistor indicate, size or value? ? ?

carl

[peteski]

Pete,
         I'm with you as I am a firm believer in the "KISS" system. You have, most likely, said in a post but I guess I missed it, so what does the "152" on the resistor indicate, size or value? ? ?

carl

Value. See http://www.resistorguide.com/resistor-smd-code/ .

[Lemosteam]

Wow!  There sure is some out-of-the-box reinventing of a a PC board creation.  "Printed circuit board"  name still fits perfectly. 

And I think that in most cases the need is for very simple boards just to use as interconnects or as holders for resistors or LEDs.  3D-printing and wire weaving; would be way over-complicated.

Etching the copper cladding, or cutting grooves in it makes much more sense.

Again, I am NOT referring to simple, flat traces for holding SMD parts. You all know I think in 3D. Imagine a "board" that follows the contour of a locomotive chassis and carries traces to eliminate wires traveling all the way back to a speaker that has an integrated acoustic chamber and traces carried up to an LED in the optimal location for the rear light. Integrated snaps to hold a decoder pads to solder short connections to the decoder, etc. An integrated, lighted cab interior and an LED up front, with pads for ditch lights. And pads for power. But you can stick with a nice flat board instead.

Guys, ideas are free, and design is only electrons on a screen until someone decides to make them from real materials.

[peteski]

Again, I am NOT referring to simple, flat traces for holding SMD parts. You all know I think in 3D. Imagine a "board" that follows the contour of a locomotive chassis and carries traces to eliminate wires traveling all the way back to a speaker that has an integrated acoustic chamber and traces carried up to an LED in the optimal location for the rear light. Integrated snaps to hold a decoder pads to solder short connections to the decoder, etc. An integrated, lighted cab interior and an LED up front, with pads for ditch lights. And pads for power. But you can stick with a nice flat board instead.

Guys, ideas are free, and design is only electrons on a screen until someone decides to make them from real materials.

I'm not rejecting your ideas - but IMO they are just a bit too complex for an average model railroader venturing into (clean and neat) decoder installs.  Your idea has merit, but much better suited for the type of application you are describing would be flexible PC board.  If you open any of the contemporary consumer electronic devices (smart phones are good example), most  interconnects are done using complex-shape flex PC boards.  Sometimes they are folded like Origami to interconnect multiple components.  It would be really neat to be able to use that type of interconnects for model locos, but that technology is also out of reach for average model railroaders.