Lab requirements for startup / testing for hw repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ESXi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 01:40:24 am
content: I made up this list, for what I think is a good investment to start and make a small side business next to my reglualr job.I might miss some stuff what do you guys think is it okay to begin with?- Reflow workstation* Item: Quick 861DW ESD reflow station- Binacolar microscope with possibility for camera 1080p at least with HDMI 1.4 >* Item: AmScope - SM-4NTP 7X-45X Simul-Focal Stereo Lockable Zoom Microscope on Dual Arm Boom Stand- HDMI capture card PCI-e 16x* Item: Ezcap 324 Pcie Video Capture Card 4K30P/1080P120- T12 Soldering station* Item: T12-952 Quicko Solder Digitale Station- Still needed* Tweezers (good ones)* Kapton tape* Freeze Spray or isopropyl alcohol* Conformal coating (already have only need UV curable coating & laser)* Blades* AMTECH NC-559-V2-TF Flux* USB/USB-C amp test meter* Proper non CN crap programmer and proper clips with and logic level converter bi-directional and a piratebus for uart and other debugger stuff* QFN tools, adapter, solderpaste* Solder braid (restock)* Microscope camera 1080p with correct lens connector adapter* Fume extractor? or RIP lungs, because I like PB in my shit.* A variable DC bench power supply & test leads/clips for various tasks* AMG8833 8X8 with wide angle lense? (thermal vision)Any improvents to my list or is it ok?

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 03:27:30 am
content: How about an oscilloscope and signal generator? Hardware repair isn't just mechanical.

author: ESXi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 03:17:23 pm
content: Quote from: bob91343 on June 20, 2021, 03:27:30 amTrue, is there any decent usb oscilloscope or is it better to just avoid these and get a proper one.

author: PKTKS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 03:50:16 pm
content: Quote from: ESXi on June 20, 2021, 01:40:24 amA good VARIAC with a proper ISOLATION TRAFO.*IF* you are really entering repair buzzPaul

author: ESXi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 06:32:45 pm
content: Quote from: PKTKS on June 20, 2021, 03:50:16 pmYep also good to have, it's no luxury. I found one a while ago was stupid enough not to purchase it.. Now my list quickly adds up and want to order quickly before new EU laws.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 06:35:42 pm
content: Sorry i am curious which laws?

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 07:08:42 pm
content: Quotenew vat rules strike the EU on July 1st

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 07:16:58 pm
content: seems it begins when you RECEIVE the items after 1st july. so you're almost already screwed with vat @ 0 EUR

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 12:08:09 am
content: I would not, in general, get a USB scope.

author: Weston
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 04:27:05 am
content: Why the microscope camera and the video capture card? Are you planning on making youtube videos or something? Spend the money for that on a scope instead.If you need to document something under the microscope you can just hold a phone camera up to the eyepiece.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 05:40:20 am
content: It depends a lot on what are you going to be repairing.Certain things can need a good deal of other test equipment to repair and verify it works. For example anything that is a measurement device you need some sort of calibration standard to verify it works. For power electronics like power supplies, VFD drives, Servo controllers etc you might need test equipment related to that as well as some test loads. If you are doing automotive electronics you might need a large collection of harnesses to connect to things and some tools to work with CAN and similar buses.But most of all you need experience with the thing you are trying to fix. It is one thing when you buy a broken device from ebay listed as-is, then try to fix it. Repairs don't always go to plan and you end up causing more damage than good. For your own stuff that is no problem, but when providing it as a service you really don't want to make things worse on a device that does not belong to you. You can get some of this experience in a safer environment by starting off your repair career adventure by buying broken stuff, repairing it and then selling it as working. This makes it okay to mess up and gets you a feel for how much work it is to repair things.

author: ESXi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 07:35:10 pm
content: Quote from: Berni on June 21, 2021, 05:40:20 amGood advice, i got already a few repairs done and a few are still laying around need better equipment for it to do it properly. Already added test boards to my list for example hdmi port testing usb and such. It's basically just going to be a adventure indeed. I just start small but with proper tools now, or well better than what I have now for sure. Can't purchase proper stuff now, way too expensive. I basically sold some parts I had left from old projects and use this money to try this. The risk should be minimal and also not going to remove/bypass pfc or other security in a smps just to get it working, would prefer it to be done correctly obviously don't want to burn a house down.. For calibration and servo stuff, I will probably not touch that until I have better equipment and knowledge about these subjects, but who knows..