03010 (xMM2) Journal Entries

#0096 (2026-01-22): Matt DiPalma

Laser cut some 03010-001 rulers.


Tested box layout. May need to reprint the white body piece with the OLED cutout slightly lower.


Attached rubber feet to bottom.


Tested various Ferric Chloride etch-resist options on a scrap piece of copper clad.


The finest and best solution is multiple coats/layers of the Ultra Fine Sharpie, or masking tape for large rectangular areas.


Used these solutions to repair minor issues in the toner-transferred copper mask.


Etched away the copper to reveal the traces.



#0095 (2026-01-21): Matt DiPalma

Toner-transferred the copper trace mask on the copper clad board. It actually turned out decently for the size and relative complexity. The edges peeled off a bit, but that always happens for me; I will redraw those areas with Sharpie or masking tape. I also scraped off the lingering bits of paper with a knife. For future reference, I used the iron on max heat, let the board cool briefly before setting it in the water, and let it sit in the water for ~20 minutes before rubbing off most of the paper backing, and 20 more minutes before rubbing off any remaining paper residue.



#0093 (2026-01-19): Matt DiPalma

Successfully printed the box assembly from PETG. A little bit of warping on the large flat cover piece, though the screws should hold that in place, and a bit of discoloration streak on the top of the main box component, so I may need to sand/paint or cover with a sticker. Everything fits together well.






#0092 (2026-01-18): Matt DiPalma

Completed design for a prototype box assembly that should support all the components and the rubber feet I already sourced. Since the part is quite large, it will need to be printed on the machine at work. I will try that tomorrow. I might need to iterate on the main support body at least once to get the depth correct.



#0091 (2026-01-17): Matt DiPalma

Designed a 3-piece 3D-printed assembly for the project. One component to support the reed switches on the PCB, one box to mount the PCB assembly, and a lid. I still need to add a hole in the top face for the OLED screen. Everything is removably mounted with M3 screws.






#0090 (2026-01-16): Matt DiPalma

Looking into possibly pivoting away from laser-cut plywood box to a 2-piece 3D-printed box. It would be more robust, reproducible, and suitable for this container, though it will be roughly 230mm wide, which is approaching the maximum for the Prusa MK3S that I will print it on, which may pose problems.


#0089 (2026-01-15): Matt DiPalma

Finalized design of top and front/back of manipulative box. Still considering options for the bottom that are easy to remove for access to repair and replace components.


#0088 (2026-01-14): Matt DiPalma

Continued design of box lid, following the same ridged perimeter profile that worked so well on 03008.


#0087 (2026-01-13): Matt DiPalma

Began the CAD for the box. Imported the PCB STEP file from Kicad to ensure a proper fit.


#0070 (2025-12-26): Matt DiPalma

Updated draft schematic and created PCB design for the main control board using the latest PCB-etching lessons learned. This board will be fabricated in-house. See 03010-002 Kicad project.



#0069 (2025-12-25): Matt DiPalma

Created draft schematic for the main control board. See 03010-002 Kicad project.


#0068 (2025-12-24): Matt DiPalma

Created SVG for laser cutting & engraving simplified ruler. See project CAD directory.


#0066 (2025-12-22): Matt DiPalma

After brainstorming follow-on math manipulatives with the client, we are launching a prototype effort for a manipulative involving ruler measurements. As was learned on xMM1, moving parts and a tactile input device make the manipulative very engaging for the children. This manipulative will consist of a box with an exposed sliding piece of plastic that the children will need to measure. The plastic slide will be connected to a rack and pinion so it can be driven by a servo to expose different lengths of plastic to be measured. The children will need to place a ruler against the box, and to make sure they line up the ruler correctly with the start of the plastic slide, there will be a reed switch that detects that and shows a green status LED. When the measurement is made, the child will be able to select the value (in half-inch increments) using a pegboard, by putting a peg with a magnet into the corresponding marked circular slot. The different values can be connected to a series of resistors to be able to detect the voltage value with a single ADC pin, versus having to waste a lot of GPIO pins. If the rack and pinion approach does not work due to space limitations, a servo-controlled paper scroll can be used instead.