PIC24 control board

9×5 board goes PCB

By admin, August 12, 2015

A 9x5cm ‘breadboard’ prototype has evolved to PCB…

I laid out a PC board for a prototype I breadboarded earlier…

PIC24 control board

PIC24 control board

The PIC24HJ processor powers these boards, which have high-current protected driver outputs (capable of PWM control), eight digital inputs, and support for addition of sensors.

The firmware for these boards is written in C using the Microchip MPLAB X development tools. While I have issues with the PIC32 tools, the older PIC24 and PIC18 are pretty good chips and have decent support tools.

I’ve found it useful to put a TQFP version of the PIC24 on a DIP adapter board, given a ton of I/O and peripherals in a package that can be breadboarded. Chips this potent are not available so much in DIP anymore!

Here are photos of the completed and functional breadboard that preceded the printed circuit board layout…

Completed breadboard

Completed breadboard

And before the breadboard was finished…

PIC24 prototype

PIC24 prototype breadboard under way