Megajolt Lite Jr V4… Rev D

Freescale, You Tormentor

It happened with the V3 controller when Freescale obsoleted the KX8 processor we were using.  This prompted us to move to the V4 design with the similar, slightly more capable QB8.  We mitigated the situation, moving many components to surface-mount to enhance ruggedness and stuffed it into a much prettier case.

However, it happened again- Freescale recently obsoleted the through-hole version of the V4 processor- ugh!  Fortunately, they left us with the surface-mount equivalent.  Again, making lemonade, we adapted the board to fit the new processor and designed our own enclosure (’cause it was fun).  The result is an all surface- mount version “Revision D” of the controller – functionally equivalent and compatible in every way to Rev C, but even more rugged and, we think, prettier.

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Vibrating Chips

Not so surprisingly, high vibration environments such as race car applications (solid motor mounts, hmmm?) have seen socketed chips work their way loose at the most inopportune times.  Such as on the last lap.  Or when overtaking the 2nd place car with the pole position in your cross-hairs.

With RevD, the surface-mount processor and support chips are soldered down, making for a better mechanical connection, while at the same time eliminating the risk from socket contact corrosion. Yes, the through-hole chips could be soldered down as well (not using the chip sockets), but we’ve found that repairing or replacing surface-mount parts is actually easier than with the through-hole counterparts.  Far less stress is exerted on the board and pads while attempting to extract soldered pins.

DIY Kits

Moving to all surface-mount components does have a separate impact however: It marks the end of “solder-it-yourself” kits.  Our experience so far with the current kits has been fairly marginal – with frequent lost or missing component issues and technical challenges around soldering small parts.  The move to a fine-pitch surface mount processor really tips this issue over the edge, making the continued offering of kits impractical.  With fully-assembled units we are able to guarantee the unit is complete, built to specification, and tested for full functionality.  As we move into our newer projects, such as Megajolt2 and RaceCapture, we will be utilizing more advanced and exciting tech: High performance yet cost effective 32 bit ARM processors, specialized automotive-oriented components, accelerometers, and more. These devices are only offered in very fine-pitch packages.  Our goal is to balance performance, design, and value while still making our tech friendly to customization – especially in the firmware realm.  More on this soon!