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ATL

EQUIPMENT
MANUAL
Table of Contents

Package 1: Electronics Development, Robotics, Internet of Things, and Sensors 1

1. LED 2
2. RGB LED 3
3. Breadboards and Mini Breadboard 4
4. General Purpose Solderable Board 5
5. Battery 6
6. Resistor 7
7. Capacitor 8
8. DC Motor 9
9. Servo Motor 10
10. DC Plastic Gear Motor With Wheel 11
11. Diode 12
12. Transistor 13
13. Alligator Connectors 14
14. Battery clips with DC Jack 15
15. Hook-up wires 16
16. Jumper Cable 17
17. Berg strips 18
18. Arduino 19
19. Node MCU 26
20. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ 28
21. 16x2 LCD display 31
22. USB Cables 32
23. Linear Voltage Regulator 33
24. Water Pump Module 34
25. Piezoelectric plate 35
26. 8x8 LED Matrix Module 36
27. Bluetooth Module 37

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual C


28. 7 segment LED display 39
29. GSM Module 41
30. GPS Module 43
31. Laser Diode Emitter 45
32. LDR Module 46
33. Keypad 48
34. Joystick 50
35. Active Buzzer 51
36. Motor Driver Module 52
37. Sound playback module 53
38. Vibrating Motor 55
39. Timer IC–LM 555 56
40. Button Switch Set 58
41. Capacitive Touch Module 60
42. Capacitive Touch Switch Module 62
43. IR Sensors, obstacle avoider sensor module 64
44. Triple axis magnetometer 66
45. MQ Series Sensors 67
46. IR Transmitter/Receiver 69
47. Ultrasonic sensor module HC-SR-04 70
48. Triple Axis Accelerometer 72
49. PIR Motion Detector Module 73
50. Pulse Rate Heart Sensor 75
51. Relay Module 76
52. Soil Moisture Sensor Module 78
53. Metal Touch Sensor Module 79
54. Rain Drop Sensor 80
55. Flex Sensor 81
56. Temperature Sensor 82
57. Temperature and Humidity Sensor Module 83
58. Force Pressure Sensor 84
59. Colour Recognition Sensor 85
60. Water Flow Sensor 87
61. Sound Sensor 88
62. IR Sensors Array module for line following robot 90

D ATL Equipment Manual


63. Power Bank 91
64. RFID Reader & Tags 92
65. Stepper Motor with Driver Board 93
66. Servo Motor Tester 95

Package 2: Rapid Prototyping Tools 97

67. 3D Printer Kit and tools 98


68. Dedicated UPS/Power Backup 102
69. Filament for 3D Printer 103
70. Filament Storage Box 104

Package 3: Mechanical, Electrical, and Measurement tools 105

71. Hacksaw 106


72. Pliers: 4.5 inch size 108
73. Tweezer set 110
74. Hammer 111
75. C-Clamp 112
76. Allen key set 113
77. Drill Machine 114
78. Drilling Workstation 115
79. Spanner set and Wrench 116
80. Vice normal 117
81. Screw driver set 118
82. Cordless rotary multitool set 119
83. Air blower 120
84. File set 121
85. Flexible cutting mat 122
86. Pegboard 123
87. Hot glue gun 124
88. Digital oscilloscope 125
89. Soldering kit 126
90. Adapters 127
91. Dual temperature heat gun 128
92. Return measuring tape 129
93. Stainless steel ruler 130

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual E


94. Digital vernier Calliper 131
95. Spirit level 133
96. Digital pen electric tester 134
97. Digital Multimeter 135
98. DIY paper microscope 136
99. Telescope 137
100. Sewing kit 139

Package 4: Power Supply, Accessories and Safety equipment 139

101. Glue Sticks 142


102. Nuts, Bolts and Screws 143
103. Cable Tie 145
104. Sand Paper 146
105. Power Strip Adapters 147
106. Bulb Holders 148
107. Electric Wires 149
108. USB to DC Jack Cable 150
109. First Aid Kit 151
110. Fire Extinguisher 152
111. Safety Goggles 153
112. Safety Gloves Pair 154
113. Safety Mask 155

F ATL Equipment Manual


Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 1
LED
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a diode which when connected in
forward bias generates light. The light generated depends on the
colour for which the LED is designed.
A LED contains two leads - positive terminal (longer one) and
negative terminal (shorter one). LED will glow when postive pin
of LED is connected to +ve terminal of the battery and negative pin
of LED is connected to -ve terminal of the battery. The operating
voltage of an LED is between 1.8 and 3.3 volts

How to Use
To make a simple connection, we can connect the LED with a battery to make it glow. The positive
lead of the LED needs to be connected to the positive terminal of the battery, and negative lead to
the negative terminal. We need to make sure that the voltage rating matches the battery voltage.
Otherwise, we can use resistors to provide the required voltage.

Common Applicationss
1. To provide light
2. As indicators

Some Example Tasks


1. Create a simple circuit to glow an LED -https://youtu.be/BS9IgyAp3I0
2. Connect LEDs in series with the battery and resistors and observe the dip in the intensity of
light as the number of leds increase

Safety Measures
1. Don’t put the LED close to the eyes.
2. Supplying a high voltage might damage the LED.

Important Links

1. All about LEDs

2. How does a LED work at the micro level YouTube Video

2 ATL Equipment Manual


RGB LED
RGB LED is a single LED that can produce three colours:- Red,
Green, Blue. The colour theory says that any colour can be
made using red, green and blue. So, we can change the
intensity of each of these colours in the LED to generate
possibly any colour. The pixels used in screens of devices like
mobiles, laptops and TVs are also rgb pixels. These kinds of
LEDs are very common in decorative and indicative purposes
as they work as one single unit to produce different colours
based on specified conditions. An RGB LED contains 4 leads,
one each for 3 different colours and the remaining one as a
common anode or cathode.

How to Use
Project Tutorial–https://howtomechatronics.
com/tutorials/arduino/how-to-use-a-rgb-led-
with-arduino/

Common Applications
1. Displays
2. Decorative purposes

Some Example Tasks


1. Produce all colours using RGB LEDs and Arduino Tutorial Link (https://create.arduino.cc/
projecthub/Manikantsavadatti/how-to-use-rgb-led-with-arduino-to-produce-16m-colours-740be3)
2. Design a 8x8x8 RGB LED cube–https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/john-bradnam/8x8x8-rgb-
led-cube-91729c?ref=tag&ref_id=rgb&offset=0

Safety Measures
1. Supplying a very high voltage might damage the LED.

Important Links

1. How does a RGB LED work YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 3


Breadboards and
Mini Breadboard
Breadboard is a thin plastic board which is
used to hold components to test out the
circuit temporarily before making the actual
final circuit connections. A breadboard has
internal connections which makes it very handy
to connect different components based on the
requirements. There are two major types of size
in which breadboards are available:

Normal size
It has 800 pins in it to be used for making
connections. It is suitable for making complex
circuit prototypes.

Mini Breadboard size


It has 400 pins in it to be used for making connections. It is suitable for comparatively smaller and simpler
circuit designs.

How to Use
To use a breadboard, one should first have an idea regarding which pins are short circuit and which
are open circuit. In a breadboard, usually, when held horizontally, the upper two rows and lower
two rows are divided into 4 short-circuited connections each. The other Rows have pins short-
circuited vertically. Once identified, you can utilise pins of your choice to put components for making
connections, and then test them accordingly. A very simple example could be to connect a LED
light with a battery and switch.

Common Applications Safety Measures


1. Used to make temporary connections 1. Make sure to not try to bend the
for testing the circuit. breadboard as it might break.
2. Used to hold components together for 2. Don’t ever try to solder the ends of
connection and makes the work easier. components on breadboards as they’re
not meant for that purpose.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a simple LDR connection on a
Important Links
breadboard using a LDR, battery, LED
and switch. 1. Basics of a breadboard YouTube
Video

4 ATL Equipment Manual


General Purpose
Solderable Board
A solderable board is a perf board which is
used in prototyping electronic circuit designs.
It is a kind of PCB (printed circuit board), also
referred to as DOT PCB. One major advantage
of using a solderable board lies in its name.
That is, the board is solderable. This is very
useful while making circuits, since soldering
makes the connections semi permanent and
ensure that there are no loose ties. Their boards
are made of a material called phenolic, which
is obtained and processed from a variety of
plant based foods.

How to Use
Usually a solderable board has one side copper padding, but the copper padding could be on both
sides as well. Put the component you need to join into the hole from the non-copper padding side,
and then bend the wire a bit and cut the excess part of the other end. Then, take the soldering
iron and solder the board from the back (the side with copper padding). Make the connections as
required, and you’re done!

Common Applications
1. Solderable boards are used for nice arrangement and circuit design prototypes of various types.

Some Example Tasks


Prototyping a simple electronic circuit of choice using solderable board.

Safety Measures
1. Avoid using excessive soldering wire as it might ruin the connection.
2. Don’t put the soldering iron in contact with the board for a long time.

Important Links

Basics of a perf board YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 5


Battery
A battery is one of the most commonly used devices in electronics.
A battery is a source of electrical power consisting of one or more
electrochemical cells put together and provided with some sort of
external connections to use the power. A battery basically works on
the principle of conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy.
A battery has two terminals, positive (+) and negative (-). Usually,
there are 2 major types of batteries:-

Rechargeable
These batteries once exhausted can be recharged with help of
chargers and be utilised again. The common mobile Li-ion batteries
can be considered as a nice example.

Non-Rechargeable
These batteries, once used and exhausted, can’t be recharged again and used. So, basically these batteries
are only meant for one-time usage.

How to Use
To use a battery, attach the device to the terminals of the battery. Some devices might have a port
where it can be directly plugged. Otherwise, wires can be used to make the connection. Make sure
the terminals are connected with the right wires. As a convention, the red wire is positive and the
black wire is negative. After a rechargebale battery is exhausted, which can be known when the
battery isn’t providing any voltage, it should be charged. For charging as well, it depends on different
kinds of batteries. But most commonly, the charger has a holder where the battery needs to be put,
and then turning on the power button would start charging the battery. The indicator light would
give an idea if the battery is charged or being charged. After its done charging, the battery should
be removed from the charger holder.

Common Applications Safety Measures


1. A battery is used to power almost every 1. Don’t overcharge a battery for too long.
electronic device that we use.
2. Store the batteries away from heat and
2. Batteries are used in other appliances sunlight.
such as watches, remotes, etc.

Important Links
Some Example Tasks
1. Make a series LED connection using 1. Working principle of a battery
battery and see the difference in YouTube Video
intensities YouTube Video (https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=8CGEoHSHduc)
2. Connect a small DC motor to the battery
and try rotating it

6 ATL Equipment Manual


Resistor
A resistor is such a device which finds use in almost
everything related to electronics. A resistor is used in lamps,
fans, toaster, microwave, etc. Technically, a resistor is a two-
terminal component that is used to obtain electrical resistance
in circuits. In electronic circuits, resistors are used to reduce
current flow, adjust signal levels, to divide voltages and more.
Resistors are usually made of metals or other components
that have a very high resistivity as compared to common
connecting metals like copper and aluminium. These metals
are then coated with an insulating material.

How to Use
To use a resistor, just select a resistor of appropriate ratings and put it in the circuit. Resistors don’t
have any polarity of terminals so they can be connected either way in the circuit and made to work.
The connections once made can be soldered to keep them intact.

Common Applications
1. Used to restrict the flow of current in almost every circuit.

Some Example Tasks


1. Connect resistors in different arrangements with LED and battery and notice the difference in
its intensity.

Safety Measures
1. Don’t touch the open resistor leads while it’s in use.
2. Don’t twist or break the resistors.

Important Links

1. How to read resistor values YouTube Video

2. Resistor basics and types YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 7


Capacitor
A capacitor is a device that stores energy in the form
of an electric charge. Capacitors are found in a number
of devices such as cameras, fans, speakers and sensors.
The major job of a capacitor is to store the energy in
itself, and then supply it in a go whenever required. The
energy is stored between dielectric plates that are
placed parallelly in the capacitor. The plates may have
a dielectric material between them. A capacitor has two
terminals, which are connected to dielectric plates, that
are placed parallelly at a small distance from each other,
like the image below:

How to Use
A capacitor can be put in a circuit by connecting its
both terminals to the circuit. One thing to notice is
that unlike resistors, multiple capacitors connected
in series constitute lesser equivalent capacitance
as compared to when they’re connected in parallel.

Common Applications
1. Used in appliances like fans, cameras, etc.
2. Used in many ICs like capacitive touch modules.
3. Providing stability to voltage regulators.

Some Example Tasks


1. Design a voltage regulator circuit of your own by using capacitors and diodes.

Safety Measures
1. Do not use capacitors on higher current or voltage value than specified
2. Do not discharge it by force.

Important Links

1. How does a capacitor work YouTube Video

8 ATL Equipment Manual


DC Motor
A DC motor is a machine that converts
chemical or electrical energy into mechanical
energy by making the rotors rotate either
clockwise or anti-clockwise. The direction
of rotation usually depends on the polarity
they’re connected in.

Components
A DC motor majorly has 3 components on
the outside:
1. A rotor which rotates when
power is supplied to the motor.
2. Connecting wires.
3. A motor body enclosing the
functional parts of the motor.

How to Use
To use a motor, take its connecting wires and connect them to the terminals of a battery. That’s all
you need to do. If the connections are proper, the motor should start rotating. To rotate the motor
in the opposite direction, just reverse the polarity of the battery connections.

Common Applications
A Dc motor is used in a lot of appliances such as fans, cars, drill machines, rotary tools, motor pumps,
etc. A DC motor, as suggested through its name, functions on DC voltage.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a small USB fan using a DC motor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_1sUHy9s78
2. Design a DIY Dishwasher using a DC Motor and a battery–https://www.youtube.com/shorts/
qO5q32x_gXE

Safety Measures
1. A motor may get heated up on prolonged use.

Important Links

How does a DC motor work YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 9


Servo Motor
Servo motors are a specific kind of motors that
are used to push or rotate parts of machines
with high precision. They are used at angular or
linear positions to provide a specific acceleration
and velocity to the rotor..

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QbgTl6VSA9Y

Common Applications
1. In robotic arms
2. In industrial robots because of their smooth switching on and off and accurate positioning.
3. In the aerospace industry to maintain hydraulic fluid in their hydraulic systems.
4. Radio controlled toys.
5. In automobiles to maintain the speed of vehicles
6. Electronic devices such as DVDs or Blue ray Disc players to extend or replay the disc trays.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a rotating robotic arm using a servo motor YouTube Video (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ADJGxOrEZAM)
2. Control position of servo motor using Potentiometer–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-
w_8izUO38
3. Automatic Door Opener–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nX0KbRYcmk

Safety Measures
1. Don’t manually rotate the rotor of the servo motor beyond its limit.
2. Always use compatible voltage with the servo motor.

Important Links

How does a servo motor work YouTube Video

10 ATL Equipment Manual


DC Plastic Gear Motor
With Wheel
A DC Geared motor (BO) motor, called Battery Operated motor is a DC motor which works just like a
normal DC motor, but the speed is a bit low and the torque is higher. It is great for lightweight battery
operated robots since it is very compact and light. We also get a wheel which is detachable. We can use
it accordingly when required.

Components Some Example Tasks


A BO motor has 3 major parts like all DC motors:-
1. Build a Walking Robot–https://www.
1. Rotor, it is the part that rotates when
youtube.com/watch?v=uVUr0RVK0KI
applied with voltage
2. Make a robotic car using a BO motor to
2. Terminals, these are connected to the
drive its wheels–https://www.youtube.
battery to rotate the rotors
com/watch?v=mHLLaIg1CHs
3. Motor body, it encloses the inner
components of the motor.
Safety Measures
How to Use 1. A motor may get heated up on
prolonged use.
To use a BO motor, take its connecting
wires and connect them to the terminals of
a battery. That’s all you need to do. If the Important Links
connections are proper, the motor should
start rotating. To rotate the motor in the
opposite direction, just reverse the polarity 1. How to Use a BO motor
of the battery connections. To use the YouTube Video
wheel, just fit it into the rotor, and you’re
good to go! 2. What is inside a DC Geared
Motor

Common Applications
Fans, robot cars, drill machines, rotary tools,
motor pumps

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 11


Diode
A diode is a semiconductor device that
essentially acts as a one-way switch for
current. It allows current to flow easily in
one direction, but severely restricts current
from flowing in the opposite direction. This
property of a diode is very useful in certain
scenarios where we only want the current to
flow unidirectionally.

Components
A diode generally has two terminals, anode
and cathode. It conducts electricity only in
one direction, which means, it acts as an
insulator if current is in a specific direction
or as conductor if the direction of flow of
current is reversed. So, it can be made to use
by connecting to the circuit.

How to Use
A diode has 2 terminals, it can be made to use by connecting in series to the circuit. A LED is also
a type of diode, which we know is connected along the circuit to work. Similarly, we shall connect
other diodes too, to make them work.
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c08_K3ytvGI

Common Applications Safety Measures


€ Diodes are used in many appliances € Do not let the soldering touch the
such as LED, rectifiers, switches, solar glass body of the diode directly while
cells, etc making connections.
€ Diodes are also used in rectifier, clipper € Don’t use higher voltages on diodes
and clamper circuits more than the specified limits (0.60V–
0.75 V).

Some Example Tasks


Important Links
€ Make a rectifier using diodes–https://
www.elprocus.com/rectifier-diode-
working-applications/
1. Overview of Diodes
€ Create a Clipper using diodes–https://
www.electronics-tutorials.ws/diode/
diode-clipping-circuits.html

12 ATL Equipment Manual


Transistor
A transistor is an electrical device which can amplify
and boost an electrical current. A transistor basically
acts as a switch and an amplifier. In simple words, we
can say that a transistor is a miniature device that
is used to control or regulate the flow of electronic
signals. Transistors are one of the key components
in most of the electronic devices that are present
today. Developed in the year 1947 by three American
physicists John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William
Shockley, the transistor is considered as one of the
most important inventions in the history of science.

Components
A transistor has 3 terminals, namely emitter, base and
collector. The configuration depends on the type of
transistor in use.
€ Base: This is used to activate the transistor.
€ Collector: It is the positive lead of the
transistor.
€ Emitter: It is the negative lead of the
transistor.

How to Use
Tutorial–Article Link (https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Transistor)

Common Applications Safety Measures


€ Transistors are used as a simple switch € Don’t use higher voltages on transistors
to make a circuit open or close by more than the specified limits.
controlling the base voltage
€ Transistors are also used in a variety
of appliances such as computer chips, Important Links
microprocessors, mobile phones, etc.
1. How does transistors work
YouTube Video
Some Example Tasks
€ Make a bridge rectifier using diodes
2. More about Transistors
and capacitors.
€ Make a LED blinker using transistors
Article Link (https://www.instructables.
com/3-EASY-TRANSISTOR-PROJECTS-
FOR-BEGINNERS/)

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 13


Alligator Connectors
A crocodile connector, also known as alligator
connector is a type of connecting cable which has
crocodile mouth shaped jaws to make temporary
connections by clipping the connector. It is used
for making temporary connections, which makes
it reusable. The cable has two ends. Some cables
might have alligator connector jaws on both ends
and some might have it on only one end.

How to Use
To use the alligator connector, we just need to
squeeze it around its rubber tip, and then the
connectors’ jaws open up. Then, we can plug it
with wires or pins to make the connection. It is
as simple as that!

Common Applications
1. Making connections between two devices or wires.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a circuit and measure the voltage using alligator connectors and a multimeter.

Safety Measures
1. Don’t touch the metallic jaw of the connector when it is being used at a high voltage and is in
ON state.
2. Don’t put the jaws on relatively softer material if you want to avoid marks on it.

Important Links

1. How to crimp an alligator clip into a wire YouTube Video

14 ATL Equipment Manual


Battery clips with
DC Jack
Common batteries don’t often have an
output DC jack that could be plugged
in to provide power. That is exactly why
we use battery clips with DC jack. It is a
very simple gadget with a cable, which is
attached to common battery clips on one
end and a DC jack on the other.

How to Use
To use a battery clip and DC jack
connector, just fit the clip over the
battery that is supposed to be used
to provide power. The DC jack then
can be plugged into the board or
appliance that requires power.

Common Applications
1. To connect battery to the circuit

Safety Measures
1. Make sure that the voltage compatibility of the device matches with the battery.
2. Don’t use damaged connectors. Disconnect the battery when the cable gets heated

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 15


Hook-up wires
Hook up wires, also called lead wires are single core wires
with insulation that are used to make the internal wirings
of electronic devices. They can be used to make all sorts
of required connections, and are one of the fundamental
units of any electrical circuit.

How to Use
It’s very easy to use wires. Strip a small part of
wire from one end by using a wire stripper plier.
Connect it accordingly. Do the same with the other
end of wire, and you’re done with the connection.

Common Applications
1. To make electrical connections

Safety Measures
1. Don’t touch the open ends of wire when connected to power
2. Always check if the wires are properly insulated

16 ATL Equipment Manual


Jumper Cable
Jumper cables are used very often
in making connections. They’re very
simple to use as compared to normal
wires, because you don’t need to
strip the wire, make connection and
then twist it to make it intact. Just
plugging in to the breadboard does
the job in case of jumper wires. There
are majorly two ends in a jumper
wire:- male and female. These jumper
cables can be of three types:- male-
male, male-female, female-female. The
usage totally depends on the purpose
they’re being used for.

How to Use
A jumper wire is used when a connection is being made. The male connector of jumper wire can
fit into the breadboard easily by just plugging it in

Common Applications
1. Used to make connections between different components in a breadboard

Safety Measures
1. Don’t poke the sharp ends of jumper cables.
2. Jumper cables do not provide a very high heat resistance, so don’t use it in circuits producing
a lot of heat.

Important Links

1. Basics of a jumper cable YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 17


Berg strips
A berg strip, also known as a pin header
is a connector strip which is used in
various kinds of circuit boards. There
are majorly two types of pin headers
used:-
1. Male berg strips
2. Female berg strips
The usage of both depends on the kind
of circuit needed. Mostly, whenever
they’re used on circuit boards, they’re
soldered to the board and then can be
used to connect components to it or
to connect multiple boards together.
Arduino Uno boards have female berg
strips present on it for making the
connections.

How to Use
Take the required berg strip, either male or female, that you need to solder over the circuit board.
The strips could be cut in required size with the use of pliers. Always make sure it is held intact
while cutting, to avoid any sort of cracking. Once cut, place them on the board accordingly, and
solder each pin’s base to the board. Once done, it can then be used to make connections as per
the requirement.

Common Applications Safety Measures


1. Making connections on a perf board 1. Hold the strip intact with some plier
2. Connecting different boards with while cutting it or else it could cause
microcontroller boards like Ardujno Uno a slanting crack which would then
or Raspberry Pi damage the strip.
2. The base of pin headers is sharp so
make sure it’s not poked while using.
Some Example Tasks
1. Create a small circuit board of choice
using male pin headers and then
Important Links
connect it to the Arduino Uno board.
Types of pin headers and their
basics YouTube Video

18 ATL Equipment Manual


Arduino
Arduino is the perfect board to get familiar with electronics and coding. Arduino is an open-source electronics
platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards can read inputs–light on a sensor, a
finger on a button, or a Twitter message–and turn them into an output–activating a motor, turning on an
LED, publishing something online. We can tell the Arduino board what to do by sending a set of instructions
to the microcontroller on the board. To do so, we need to use the Arduino programming language (based
on Wiring) and the Arduino Software (IDE), based on Processing. While all Arduino boards differ from each
other, several key components can be found on practically any Arduino.

Components of an Arduino board

1. Microcontroller – This is the brain of an Arduino, and is the component that we load programs
into. Think of it as a tiny computer, designed to execute only a specific number of things.
2. USB port – used to connect your Arduino board to a computer.
3. USB to Serial chip – the USB to Serial is an important component, as it helps translate data that
comes from e.g. a computer to the onboard microcontroller. This is what makes it possible to
program the Arduino board from your computer.
4. Digital pins – pins that use digital logic (0,1 or LOW/HIGH). Commonly used for switches and
to turn on/off an LED.
5. Analog pins – pins that can read analog values in a 10-bit resolution (0-1023).
6. 5V / 3.3V pins- these pins are used to power external components.
7. GND–also known as ground, negative or simply -, is used to complete a circuit, where the
electrical level is at 0 volts.
8. VIN–stands for Voltage In, where you can connect external power supplies.

Common Types of Arduino Boards

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 19


Arduino UNO
Arduino UNO is based on an ATmega328P
microcontroller. The Arduino UNO includes 6 analog
pin inputs, 14 digital pins, a USB connector, a power
jack, and an ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming)
header.
It is the most used and of standard form from
the list of all available Arduino Boards. It is also
recommended for beginners as it is easy to use.

Specifications

Microcontroller ATmega328P – 8 bit AVR family microcontroller


Operating Voltage 5V
Recommended Input Voltage 7-12V
Input Voltage Limits 6-20V
Analog Input Pins 6 (A0 – A5)
Digital I/O Pins 14 (Out of which 6 provide PWM output)
DC Current on I/O Pins 40 mA
DC Current on 3.3V Pin 50 mA
Flash Memory 32 KB (0.5 KB is used for Bootloader)
SRAM 2 KB
EEPROM 1 KB
Frequency (Clock Speed) 16 MHz

20 ATL Equipment Manual


Arduino Nano
The Arduino Nano is a small Arduino
board based on the ATmega328P
or ATmega628 Microcontroller. The
connectivity is the same as the Arduino
UNO board.
The Nano board is defined as a
sustainable, small, consistent, and
flexible microcontroller board. It is small
in size compared to the UNO board. The
devices required to start our projects
using the Arduino Nano board are
Arduino IDE and mini USB.
The Arduino Nano includes an I/O pin set of 14 digital pins and 8 analog pins. It also includes 6 Power pins
and 2 Reset pins.

Specifications
Microcontroller ATmega328P – 8-bit AVR family microcontroller
Operating Voltage 5V
Recommended Input Voltage for Vin pin 7-12V
Analog Input Pins 6 (A0 – A5)
Digital I/O Pins 14 (Out of which 6 provide PWM output)
DC Current on I/O Pins 40 mA
DC Current on 3.3V Pin 50 mA
Flash Memory 32 KB (2 KB is used for Bootloader)
SRAM 2 KB
EEPROM 1 KB
Frequency (Clock Speed) 16 MHz
Communication IIC, SPI, USART

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 21


Arduino Mega
The Arduino Mega is based on the ATmega2560
Microcontroller. The ATmega2560 is an 8-bit
microcontroller. We need a simple USB cable
to connect to the computer and the AC to DC
adapter or battery to get started with it. It has
the advantage of working with more memory
space.
The Arduino Mega includes 54 I/O digital pins
and 16 Analog Input/Output (I/O), ICSP header,
a reset button, 4 UART (Universal Asynchronous
Receiver/Transmitter) ports, USB connection,
and a power jack.

Specifications

Microcontroller ATmega2650

Operating Voltage 5V
Recommended Input Voltage for Vin pin 7-12V
Analog Input Pins 16
Digital I/O Pins 54 (Out of which 6 provide PWM output)
DC Current on I/O Pins 40 mA
DC Current on 3.3V Pin 50 mA
Flash Memory 256 KB (8 KB is used for Bootloader)
SRAM 8 KB
EEPROM 4 KB
Frequency (Clock Speed) 16 MHz

How to Use
The Arduino Uno is programmed using the Arduino Software (IDE), an Integrated Development
Environment common to all boards and running both online and offline. If you want to program
your Arduino while offline, you need to install the Arduino Desktop IDE. You must have installed the
Arduino Software (IDE) on your PC. Connect your Uno board with an A B USB cable; sometimes,
this cable is called a USB printer cable.
The USB connection with the PC is necessary to program the board and not just to power it up.
The Uno automatically draws power from either the USB or an external power supply. Connect the
board to your computer using the USB cable. The green power LED (labelled PWR) should go on.

Install the board drivers


If you used the Installer, Windows–from XP up to 11–would install drivers automatically as soon as
you connect your board.

22 ATL Equipment Manual


If you had downloaded and expanded the Zip package or, for some reason, the board wasn’t properly
recognized, please follow the procedure below.
€ Click on the Start Menu, and open up the Control Panel.
€ While in the Control Panel, navigate to System and Security. Next, click on System. Once the
System window is up, open the Device Manager.
€ Look under Ports (COM & LPT). You should see an open port named “Arduino UNO (COMxx)”.
If there is no COM & LPT section, look under “Other Devices” for “Unknown Device”.
€ Right click on the “Arduino UNO (COmxx)” port and choose the “Update Driver Software” option.
€ Next, choose the “Browse my computer for driver software” option.
€ Finally, navigate to and select the driver file named “arduino.inf”, located in the “Drivers” folder
of the Arduino Software download (not the “FTDI USB Drivers” sub-directory). If you are using
an old version of the IDE (1.0.3 or older), choose the Uno driver file named “Arduino UNO.inf”
€ Windows will finish up the driver installation from there.

Open your first sketch


Open the LED blink example sketch: File > Examples > 01. Basics > Blink.

Select your board type and port


You’ll need to select the entry in the Tools > Board menu that corresponds to your Arduino board.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 23


Select the serial device of the board from the Tools | Serial Port menu. This is likely to be COM3 or higher
(COM1 and COM2 are usually reserved for hardware serial ports). To find out, you can disconnect your board
and re-open the menu; the entry that disappears should be the Arduino board. Reconnect the board and
select that serial port.

Upload the program


Now, add the code – https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BuiltInExamples/Blink & simply click the
“Upload” button in the environment. Wait a few seconds–you should see the RX and TX LEDs on the
board flashing. If the upload is successful, the message “Done uploading.” will appear in the status bar.

A few seconds after the upload finishes, you should see the pin 13 (L) LED on the board start to blink (in
orange). If it does, congratulations! You’ve gotten Arduino up and running.

Common Applications
Arduinos are excellent for beginner and intermediate robotics projects. They are powerful enough to
be able to give the basic commands the robot needs to function while keeping their limited resources
focused on the tasks at hand. This eliminates interference or resource drain from other programs
running in the background. Teachers and students use it to build low-cost scientific instruments, to
prove chemistry and physics principles, or to get started with programming and robotics. Designers
and architects build interactive prototypes, and musicians and artists use it for installations and to
experiment with new musical instruments.

24 ATL Equipment Manual


Some Example Tasks
1. Blinking an LED–https://docs.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/basics/Blink
2. Fading an LED–https://docs.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/basics/Fade
3. Analog Read Serial–https://docs.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/basics/AnalogReadSerial
4. Analog In, Out Serial–https://docs.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/analog/AnalogInOutSerial

Important Links

1. Learn the basics of Electronics & Arduino–Learn | Arduino Documentation |


Arduino Documentation

2. How to install & use the Arduino IDE–Arduino IDE 2 Tutorials | Arduino
Documentation | Arduino Documentation

3. Arduino Built in Examples–Built-in Examples | Arduino Documentation |


Arduino Documentation

4. How to Use the Arduino Cloud–Arduino Cloud | Arduino Documentation |


Arduino Documentation

5. Understanding the Arduino Programming Language

6. Exciting Projects that can be built using Arduino–Arduino Project Hub

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 25


Node MCU
NodeMCU is a firmware based open source development
board which can help you build many IoT projects . It can
serve many features like an Arduino board or raspberry
pi. A NodeMCU is originally programmed in a language
called Lua, but since the Arduino programming language
is very heavily used in the microcontroller programming,
there evolved certain libraries to code a NodeMCU using
the Arduino IDE as well. It is based around the ESP-8266
module which is a low cost WIFI enabled microchip that
can serve a lot of purposes.

Components
Generally, a Node MCU contains 13 GPIO pins, 10
PWM channels, I2C, SPI, ADC, UART, and 1-Wire.
The pinout and ports of the ESP8266 NodeMCU are
listed down:

Power Micro-USB, 3.3V, GND, Vin


Control Pins EN, RST
Analog Pin A0
GPIO Pins GPIO1 to GPIO16
SPI Pins SD1, CMD, SD0, CLK
UART Pins TXD0, RXD0, TXD2, RXD2

Specifications
Microcontroller Tensilica 32-bit RISC CPU Xtensa LX106
Operating Voltage 3.3V
Input Voltage 7-12V
Digital I/O Pins (DIO) 16
Analog Input Pins (ADC) 1
UARTs 1

26 ATL Equipment Manual


Microcontroller Tensilica 32-bit RISC CPU Xtensa LX106
SPIs 1
I2Cs 1
Flash Memory 4 MB
SRAM 64 KB
Clock Speed 80 MHz

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.electronicshub.org/getting-started-with-nodemcu/

Common Applications
1. It is used widely to connect objects and transfer data over the Wi-Fi protocol.
2. IoT Projects

Some Example Tasks


1. Home Automation System using NodeMCU–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFGP1YqUPy0
2. WiFi Controlled Car–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU7vlhU1HvU
3. Smart home with Google Assistant and Alexa–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpB4600keWA

Safety Measures
1. Do not expose to water or moisture, or place on a conductive surface whilst in operation
2. Do not expose to heat from any source.
3. Take care whilst handling to avoid mechanical or electrical damage to the printed circuit board
and connectors.
4. Whilst it is powered, avoid handling the printed circuit board, or only handle it by the edges to
minimise the risk of electrostatic discharge damage.

Important Links

1. An overview of the Node MCU board YouTube Video

2. Difference between Node MCU and Arduino Uno YouTube Video

3. Projects using Node MCU

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 27


Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
It would be amazing if you could carry a computer in your pocket. Well Raspberry Pi makes it possible.
The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized computer that plugs into a computer monitor or TV, and
uses a standard keyboard and mouse. It is a capable little device that enables people of all ages to explore
computing, and to learn how to program in languages like Scratch and Python.
Raspberry Pi can be used as a general purpose computer, by attaching a monitor to it, or can be used to
make complex Robotics IoT and AI projects as well.

Components
The main components in a Raspberry Pi are:
1. PION
GPIO is arguably the most important feature of the Raspberry Pi and is the equivalent of GPIO
pins on the Arduino. These pins can be used in programs to read electrical signals from circuits
as well as provide electrical signals for controlling circuits.
2. DSI Display Port
The DSI display port allows the Raspberry Pi to connect to a serial display similar to those used
in tablets.
3. CSI Camera Port
The CSI camera port is a connector that allows the Raspberry Pi to connect to a Raspberry Pi
camera module.
4. MicroSD Slot
This slot is used to house the microSD card that holds the Raspberry Pi operating system.
5. HDMI / USB / Network
These slots are used to connect the Pi to an HDMI screen, USB devices such as mice and
keyboards, and to an ethernet connection for internet access.
6. Micro USB Power
Power to the Raspberry Pi can be provided using either a micro USB lead to the micro USB
connector (recommended) or 5V can be directly fed into the 5V GPIO pin.

Specifications
Broadcom BCM2837B0, Cortex-A53
Processor
64-bit SoC @ 1.4GHz
Memory 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM

— 2.4GHz and 5GHz IEEE 802.11.b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2,


BLE
Connectivity
— Gigabit Ethernet over USB 2.0 (maximum throughput 300Mbps)
— 4 × USB 2.0 ports

28 ATL Equipment Manual


Access Extended 40-pin GPIO header

— 1 × full size HDMI


— MIPI DSI display port
Video and Sound
— MIPI CSI camera port
— 4 pole stereo output and composite video port
H.264, MPEG-4 decode (1080p30); H.264 encode (1080p30); OpenGL ES 1.1,
Multimedia
2.0 graphics
SD card support Micro SD format for loading operating system and data storage

— 5V/2.5A DC via micro USB connector


Input power — 5V DC via GPIO header
— Power over Ethernet (PoE)–enabled (requires separate PoE HAT)
Environment Operating temperature, 0–50°C

How to Use
The setting up and usage process for raspberry pi can be found on their official documentation page
-https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/raspberry-pi-setting-up

Common Applications
1. Game development
2. Personal Computer
3. Security monitoring
4. Web camera
5. IoT applications
6. Can be used along with sensors to perform various tasks

Some Example Tasks


1. Make your own Personal Computer using Raspberry Pi–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=wvxCNQ5AYPg&ab_channel=MUO
2. Build a line following robot using raspberry pi Tutorial Link (https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/
projects/rpi-python-line-following)
3. Make a remote control cart using raspberry pi YouTube Video (https://projects.raspberrypi.org/
en/projects/remote-control-buggy)
4. Build a wire loop game using raspberry pi YouTube Video (https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/
projects/rpi-wire-loop-game-scratch)

Safety Measures
1. Do not expose to water or moisture, or place on a conductive surface whilst in operation

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 29


2. Do not expose to heat from any source; the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ is designed for reliable
operation at normal ambient temperatures.
3. Take care whilst handling to avoid mechanical or electrical damage to the printed circuit board
and connectors.
4. Whilst it is powered, avoid handling the printed circuit board, or only handle it by the edges to
minimise the risk of electrostatic discharge damage.

Important Links

1. Getting started with raspberry pi3 YouTube Video

2. Introduction to Raspberry Pi–Tutorial Guide

3. Install NOOBS operating system on raspberry pi YouTube Video

4. List of Projects you can try out using Raspberry Pi

5. Use Raspberry Pi with Scratch, Python and Unity

6. The official documentation forRaspberry Pi computers and microcontrollers

30 ATL Equipment Manual


16x2 LCD display
LCD 16×2 is an electronic device that is used
to display data and messages. As the name
suggests, it includes 16 Columns & 2 Rows so
it can display 32 characters (16×2=32) in total
& every character will be made with 5×8 (40)
Pixel Dots. So the total pixels within this LCD
can be calculated as 32 x 40 otherwise 1280
pixels. It is very useful in circuit specific circuit
designs or projects where the data needs to be
visible on the screen. Without having to use a
monitor, it can show the required data on its
display accordingly.

Components
A LCD display module has 16 pins:-
1. GND (the ground pin)
2. VCC (connected to 5v pin)
3. Vo (for attaching potentiometer)
4. RS (used for selecting if either commands or data is being sent)
5. R/W (toggle between read and write)
6. E (enable pin)

7. 7-14 D0-D7 (data pins)


Some Example Tasks
8. Anode
9. Cathode Display text on a LCD Arduino Tutorial
(https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/
LibraryExamples/HelloWorld )
How to Use
Full Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers. Safety Measures
com/arduino-1602-character-lcd-tutorial/
1. Do not drop, bend or twist the LCD
2. Do not make extra holes on the printed
Common Applications PCB or modify its shape.

1. For showing sensor data, for example,


it’s used to show the weather Important Links
characteristics by using temperature
and humidity sensors.
2. As a common display interface in Connect LCD to arduino boards
complex devices. YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 31


USB Cables
USB cables are used everywhere. Whether it is the task of transferring some
sort of data (could be loading the program into the microcontroller boards),
charging the devices or programming (USB debugging is a very common
usage), USB cables come into play. A USB cable consists of two ends, both
equipped with a connector (port) which is connected to the defined port
size and then used for carrying our data transfer or charging tasks.There are
various types of USB ports that we use from the electronics point of view:-
1. USB Type A
2. USB Type B
3. USB mini
4. USB micro
5. USB Type C

How to Use
Using a USB cable is just
as simple as connecting
both ends of the cable
to the required devices’
ports.

Common Applications
1. Used for charging devices when one end is connected to a power adapter.
2. Used for transferring data between devices or boards.

Safety Measures
1. Always make sure to not be in contact with the main supply.
2. Don’t twist the cable beyond its limit

Important Links

Different types of USBs YouTube Video

32 Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual


Linear Voltage Regulator
A linear voltage regulator is a small device which is
used to supply a linear voltage (almost constant)
in cases of fluctuations, to ensure the smooth
functioning of other parts and prevent damage.
It can be directly connected to the circuits and
be used to make them safer and uniform.

Components
A voltage regulator contains 3 pins:- input, output
and ground,

How to Use
Take a voltage regulator, connect its ground and connect the other pins in series with the circuit. A
breadboard can be used to make temporary connections to first test them out.

Common Applications
1. One of the most common examples is the mobile charger. The adapter is supplied with an AC
signal. However, the output voltage signal is a regulated DC signal.
2. Every power supply in the world uses a voltage regulator to provide the desired output voltage.
Computers, televisions, laptops, and all sorts of devices are powered using this concept.
3. Small electronic circuits rely on regulators to operate. Even the slightest fluctuation in voltage
signal can damage the components of a circuit such as ICs.
4. When it comes to power generation systems, voltage regulators play an essential part in their
operation. A solar power plant generates electricity based on the intensity of sunlight. It needs
a regulator to ensure a regulated constant output signal.

Some Example Tasks Important Links


1. Use linear voltage regulator in a circuit
with capacitors and measure the input How to Use a voltage regulator YouTube
& output voltages using a multimeter. Video

Safety Measures
1. Don’t use very high voltage on the
regulator since it gets heated up very
fast.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 33


Water Pump Module
Water pump module is a mini water pump
which is used to demonstrate and pump
water for various use cases. It can be
used to demonstrate something related to
agriculture or to demonstrate some sort
of cooling mechanism. The possibilities for
putting it to use are endless.

Components
Usually, it has 2 connector pins that are
connected to the circuit board, and a
pump that takes the water through the
inlet and then pumps it through the outlet.

How to Use
Full Tutorial–https://www.robotique.tech/robotics/control-a-water-pump-by-arduino/

Common Applications
1. Used in smart agriculture processes
2. Can be used to automate plant watering.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a moisture detector system with an automatic watering mechanism using a moisture sensor
and water pump module YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/iwkE_HWU-6M)

Safety Measures
1. Don’t use it in the air for a long time since it would get heated up very quickly.

Important Links

1. How submersible pumps work

2. How does a centrifugal pumps work YouTube Video

34 ATL Equipment Manual


Piezoelectric plate
Piezoelectric plate converts mechanical
energy into electrical energy. It converts
the pressure that is applied to it, to
electrical energy. Piezoelectric materials are
the materials that can conduct electricity
when put under force (example–quartz).
Basically, when these materials are applied
with force, their ions redistribute the
arrangement and the material becomes
polarised, which hence generates an
electric field for a short period of time.
These plates can be used to make a lot
of projects and appliances.
A piezoelectric plate consists of two
terminals, negative and positive, and
connecting wires to each terminal.

How to Use
Take a piezoelectric plate, and connect its terminals in the circuit. Now, when the plate is applied
with force, it’ll generate voltage which can be noticed by putting a LED, motor or by measuring it
through a multimeter.

Common Applications Safety Measures


1. Used in piezoelectric motors. 1. Don’t use these plates with appliances
2. Used in piezoelectric buzzers. that require constant voltage supply.

Some Example Tasks Important Links


1. Connect a LED with a piezoelectric
plate and observe the effect after Understanding piezoelectric effect
applying force to it. YouTube Video
2. Generate electricity using
Piezoelectric Plate and lighty an
LED–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ACsy6xSIBm8&ab_
channel=LudicScience
3. Smart Shoes using Piezoelectric
Plates–https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=PNjc9tUs96Y&ab_
channel=SkillMake

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 35


8x8 LED Matrix Module
LED Matrix Module (8×8) is an array of LEDs
that you can display particular numbers, letters,
and shapes on. Dot matrices are indicated by
the number of rows and columns. The most
popular type of Dot Matrix is its ​​ 8×8 type,
which provides 64 LEDs in 8 rows and 8
columns.

Components
A LED matrix is just a grid arrangement of
LEDs in the form of an IC with 4 digital pins
required to make the connection.

How to Use
Full Tutorial–https://how2electronics.
c o m / 8 x 8 - l e d - m a t r i x- m a x 7 2 1 9 -
arduino/

Common Applications
It is used in a lot of projects like:-
1. Pixel gaming
2. Bar graph displays
3. Character design
Arrangement of LEDs in circuit

Some Example Tasks


Display Scrolling text in 8x8 LED matrix module–(https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/
arduino/8x8-led-matrix-max7219-tutorial-scrolling-text-android-control-via-bluetooth/ )

Safety Measures
1. Don’t use it on a higher voltage rating than required.

Important Links

1. How to connect a LED matrix module with arduino YouTube Video

36 ATL Equipment Manual


Bluetooth Module
HC-05 is a Bluetooth device used for wireless communication with Bluetooth-enabled devices (like smartphones).
This module can be used in a master or slave configuration. It communicates with microcontrollers using
serial communication (USART). Default settings of the HC-05 Bluetooth module can be changed using
certain AT commands.

HC-05 Pinout Configuration


Pin Number Pin Name Description
This pin is used to toggle between Data Mode (set low) and AT
1 Enable / Key
command mode (set high). By default it is in Data mode
2 Vcc Powers the module. Connect to +5V Supply voltage
3 Ground Ground pin of module, connect to system ground.
Transmits Serial Data. Everything received via Bluetooth will be given
4 TX – Transmitter
out by this pin as serial data.
Receive Serial Data. Every serial data given to this pin will be
5 RX – Receiver
broadcasted via Bluetooth
The state pin is connected to on board LED, it can be used as
6 State
feedback to check if Bluetooth is working properly.
Indicates the status of Module

— Blink once in 2 sec: Module has entered Command Mode


7 LED
— Repeated Blinking: Waiting for connection in Data Mode
— Blink twice in 1 sec: Connection successful in Data Mode
Used to control the Key/Enable pin to toggle between Data and
8 Button
command Mode

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 37


How to Use
The tutorial for interfacing HC-05 module with Arduino can be viewed using this link -
Getting Started with HC-05 Bluetooth Module & Arduino–Arduino Project Hub (https://create.arduino.
cc/projecthub/electropeak/getting-started-with-hc-05-bluetooth-module-arduino-e0ca81)

Common Applications
€ Microcontroller projects
€ Communicate with Laptop, Desktops and mobile phones
€ Data Logging application
€ Consumer applications
€ Wireless Robots
€ Industrial control
€ Home Automation

Some Example Tasks


1. Bluetooth Door Lock–https://projecthub.arduino.cc/samanfern/c71cd04b-79fd-4d0a-8a4b-
b1dacc2f7725
2. Bluetooth Smart Fan–https://www.robotique.tech/robotics/control-a-fan-with-smartphone-and-
arduino/
3. Talkative Home Automation–https://projecthub.arduino.cc/Vishalsoniindia/89896fd1-fef0-4a82-
8d33-1f27f8aaccf2?ref=tag&ref_id=hc-05&offset=5
4. Bluetooth Controlled Car–https://projecthub.arduino.cc/samanfern/c71cd04b-79fd-4d0a-8a4b-
b1dacc2f7725

Important Links

1. Additional Extensive Tutorial–Arduino and HC-05 Bluetooth Module Complete


Tutorial

2. HC05 Datasheet

3. More Projects using Bluetooth Module

38 ATL Equipment Manual


7 segment LED display
Many of us might have seen those arrangements
of lights in many digital clocks and traditional
calculators that light up in combinations to display
different numbers. That display used to show
decimal numerals is called a 7-segment display,
7-segment because it’s an arrangement of 7
segments put into order to display the values.
At its structural level, each of the segments is a
LED which lights up or stays OFF based on what
digit we’re trying to show.

Pinout
A 7 segment display contains 10 pins in total. They’re arrange as shown below:
1. Pin 1–e: The first pin1 connects with the left bottom LED of the
display.
2. Pin 2–d: Pin2 helps to light up the bottom-most led.
3. Pin 3–com: This pin will be common with ground/power. It depends
on the type of the 7-segment either it is the common cathode or
anode.
4. Pin 4–c: Pin4 light up the bottom right led to the display
5. Pin 5–DP: There is a decimal point on the 7-segment which uses the
pin5 to light up.
6. Pin 6–b: It controls the right top led light.
7. Pin 7–a: The top led of the 7-segments is at pin7.
8. Pin 8–com: Pin8 is a second common ground pin, works the same
as pin3.
9. Pin 9–f: Top-left led lights up through pin9.
10. Pin 10–g: Power input on pin10 lights up the middle led.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/interfacing-seven-segment-display-with-
Arduino

Common Applications
€ Digital clocks
€ Electronic metres
€ Basic calculators

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 39


Some Example Tasks
1. Show digits on a 7 segment LED display using arduino–https://lastminuteengineers.com/seven-
segment-arduino-tutorial/
2. Create a counter using a button and 7 segment display–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=jtmUxgDf6uI&ab_channel=ViralScience-ThehomeofCreativity

Safety Measures
1. The maximum current rating and the connections inside different 7-segment displays may be
different, and not using the devices correctly can “burn out” an LED (it is unlikely that the
7-segment will actually become hot, but the LED inside the segment can become unusable)

Important Links

1. Know about 7 segment display YouTube Video

40 ATL Equipment Manual


GSM Module
GSM is an international standard for
mobile telephones. It is an acronym
that stands for Global System for
Mobile Communications. It is also
sometimes referred to as 2G, as
it is a second-generation cellular
network. To use GPRS for internet
access, and for the Arduino to
request or serve web pages, you
need to obtain the Access Point
Name (APN) and a username/
password from the network
operator. We also require a SIM
card to be used to facilitate the
GSM for us.

Components
The module hardware consists of a
GSM module, voltage level shifter,
SIM circuit and Atmega328P
microcontroller. Microcontroller
provides control for sending,
receiving and AT command
processing to the GSM module.
The firmware is responsible for
handling tasks related to communication between device and host server. It processes all incoming SMS,
extract, and store new configuration from Host, transmits alert/notification SMS when the radiation data
reach/exceed threshold value, and transmits SMS data at every fixed interval according to configuration.
Integration of this module with radiation survey/monitoring device will create mobile and wireless radiation
monitoring systems with prompt emergency alert at high-level radiation.

How to Use
Tutorial -https://techatronic.com/interfacing-sim-900-gsm-module-with-arduino/

Common Applications
1. Connect onto any global GSM network with any 2G SIM
2. Make and receive voice calls using an external earphone & electret microphone
3. Send and receive SMS messages
4. Send and receive radio transmission data

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 41


Some Example Tasks
1. Making a call with arduino using GSM module–https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/
call-and-message-using-arduino-sim900-gsm
2. Send SMS using Arduino and GSM Module–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nhr_6940qg&ab_
channel=HarshSharma

Safety Measures
1. Only use compatible SIM card with GSM module.

Important Links

1. Overview of SIM900 GSM module YouTube Video

2. What is GSM (Global System For Mobile Communication)

42 ATL Equipment Manual


GPS Module
GPS (Global Position System) is a navigation
system based on satellites, made up of at least 24
satellites. It is capable of working in any weather
conditions, and from anywhere in the world. GPS
satellites transmit at least 2 low-power radio signals.
The signals travel by line of sight, meaning they will
pass through clouds, glass and plastic but will not
go through most solid objects, such as buildings
and mountains. However, modern receivers are
more sensitive and can usually track through
houses. The NEO-6M module comes with an
external antenna and does not come with header
pins. So you will need to solder it. This module can
be connected and mounted on Arduino and made
to work accordingly.

Components
A GPS module consists of 4 pins:-
1. VCC: Positive power pin
2. RX: UART receive pin
3. TX: UART transmit pin
4. GND: Ground
Other than that, a GPS module has
1. NEO-6M GPS Chip
It is responsible for tracking satellites to get location.
2. 3.3V LDO Regulator
The operating voltage of the NEO-6M chip is from 2.7 to 3.6V. But, the module comes with
MIC5205 ultra-low dropout 3V3 regulator from MICREL. The logic pins are also 5-volt tolerant,
so we can easily connect it to an Arduino or any 5V logic microcontroller without using any
logic level converter.
3. Position Fix LED Indicator
There is an LED on the NEO-6M GPS Module which indicates the status of Position Fix. It’ll blink
at various rates depending on what state it’s in.
4. Battery & EEPROM
An EEPROM together with a battery helps retain the battery backed RAM (BBR).

How to Use
Tutorial–(https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/ruchir1674/how-to-interface-gps-module-neo-6m-with-
arduino-8f90ad)

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 43


Common Applications
1. Location – determining a position.
2. Navigation – getting from one location to another.
3. Tracking – monitoring object or personal movement.

Some Example Tasks


1. Build a destination notifier using Arduino–https://www.hackster.io/amalmathewtech/arduino-gps-
module-destination-notifier-288a55
2. Vehicle Tracking System–https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/vehicle-tracking-
system-using-arduino-gps-and-gsm

Safety Measures
1. Make sure that the connections are made right and wait for the LED to start blinking to ensure
that it’s working.

Important Links

1. How GPS works

2. How to Use a neo 6m module YouTube Video

44 ATL Equipment Manual


Laser Diode Emitter

There are times when we want to use laser lights in our projects. These lights are theoretically perfectly
parallel and the intensity remains concentrated in the axis of traversal of light. A laser module is very easy
to use, you can use Arduino control, do controllable laser pointer, theft detection, etc. interesting application
devices. The laser head is composed of a light-emitting tube, condenser lens and adjustable copper sleeve
and it is assembled when delivered, the focal length of the lens is adjusted by a strong glue stick, which
can work directly after connecting to a 5V DC power supply.

How to Use Safety Measures


Tutorial–https://arduinomodules.info/ky-
1. Never put eyes directly in the path of
008-laser-transmitter-module/
traverse of light.
2. Use appropriate protection devices to
Common Applications prevent exposure of high beam light.

1. Military and law enforcement devices.


2. Barcode scanners. Important Links
3. Anti-theft devices.
4. Fun games like dodging laser beams. 1. Working principle of laser
YouTube Video

Some Example Tasks


1. Laser Light Security System
Using Arduino with Alarm–https://
how2electronics.com/laser-light-
security-system-using-arduino/
2. Make a laser pointing tank using
raspberry pi and laser diode module
-https://surtrtech.com/2019/01/17/
arduino-rc-laser-tank-self-propelled-
laser-turret/

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 45


LDR Module

LDR (light dependent resistor) module is a sensor module which is used to detect the presence of light or
to measure its intensity. It is simply a resistor which potentiates with the intensity of light. The output of
the module becomes higher and higher as the presence of light increases and vice versa. The sensitivity of
the signal can be adjusted using a potentiometer.

Components
A LDR module has 4 pins:-
1. VCC: +5 v power supply Input Pin
2. GND: Ground (-) power supply Input Pin
3. DO: Digital Output Pin
4. AO: Analog Output Pin
Other than pins, it has the following components:-
1. Light Dependent Resistor
This is the part of the module which does the actual work of detecting the intensity of light
and working as a resistor.
2. Variable Resistor (Trim pot)
This part is used to vary the sensitivity of the LDR.
3. Power LED
This indicates if the power is reaching the LDR module or not.
4. Output LED
When the LDR sensor detects the light, the output LED is turned on. When the LDR sensor detects
darkness, the output LED is turned off.

46 ATL Equipment Manual


How to Use
Detailed Project Tutorial–https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/tarantula3/using-an-ldr-sensor-with-
arduino-807b1c

Common Applications
1. Used to detect the intensity of light.
2. Used to design automatic ON/OFF systems.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make an Automatic Street Light–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGfSXH4CUMk

Safety Measures
1. Do not use a Sensor in an environment where there are explosive or inflammable gases.
2. Do not use the Sensor in environments where the cables may become immersed in oil or other
liquids or where liquids may penetrate the Sensor. Doing so may result in damage from burning
and fire, particularly if the liquid is flammable.

Important Links

1. Overview of a Light Dependent Resistor YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 47


Keypad

Many times, we are required to put inputs to our microcontroller based projects, that is when a 4 x 4 matrix
keypad comes into play. It has 16 keys in total that acts as input keys for specific characters/digits. Beneath
each key is a membrane switch. Each switch in a row is connected to the other switches in the row by a
conductive trace underneath the pad. Each switch in a column is connected the same way – one side of
the switch is connected to all of the other switches in that column by a conductive trace. Each row and
column is brought out to a single pin, for a total of 8 pins on a 4X4 keypad:

48 ATL Equipment Manual


How to Use
Project Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers.com/arduino-keypad-tutorial/

Common Applications
1. To take inputs from users.

Some Example Tasks


1. Secure lock using keypad module–(https://projecthub.arduino.cc/mckean0/2d99999f-d375-4b8b-
89b5-19b01005444d )
2. Tech-TicTacToe using Keypad and LED Matrix–https://www.hackster.io/MoNsT3r/tech-tictactoe-
0e0c1b

Safety Measures
1. Don’t press the keys on the keypad with excessive pressure.
2. Make sure that it is not placed in a circuit that’s producing excess heat.

Important Links

1. How does a keypad module work YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 49


Joystick
Joysticks are very often related with games, present
on console controllers and used to manage players
movements. But, in actuality, it’s used in a lot more
places. Technically, a joystick is an input device
consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports
its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. The
joystick is similar to two potentiometers connected
together, one for the vertical movement (Y-axis) and
other for the horizontal movement (X-axis).
Generally, a joystick module contains 5 pinouts.
They’re as follows:
1. GND: Ground terminal of Module
2. +5V: Positive supply terminal of Module
3. VRx: Voltage Proportional to X axis
4. VRy: Voltage Proportional to Y axis
5. SW; Switch
Internally, the arrangement of the circuit looks like the diagram
below:

How to Use 3. Make a Laser Turret for Your Cat–https://


www.hackster.io/MisterBotBreak/how-
Project Tutorial–YouTube Video (https:// to-make-a-laser-turret-for-your-cat-
youtu.be/B6YEQj4d5WU) eb2b30

Common Applications Safety Measures


1. Game controllers 1. Don’t try to move it beyond its limit, by
2. Robot Controllers excessive force.

3. Drones
Important Links
Some Example Tasks
1. Make a mouse for PC using a joystick 1. How Joysticks work
Tutorial Link (https://projecthub.arduino.
cc/shubhamsantosh99/bcc64b66- 2. Connecting a joystick module
5c86-4232-97a2-1294fc8216f6 ) with arduino uno YouTube
2. Arduino Marble Maze Labyrinth–https:// Video
www.hackster.io/AhmedAzouz/arduino-
marble-maze-labyrinth-bd9ea6 3. Evolution of controllers

50 ATL Equipment Manual


Active Buzzer
A buzzer, also called a piezo buzzer, is basically a tiny speaker that
you can connect directly to an Arduino or use directly to produce
sound. You can make it sound like a tone at a frequency you set.
Piezo buzzers are constructed by placing electrical contacts on the
two faces of a disk of piezoelectric material and then supporting the
disk at the edges in an enclosure. When a voltage is applied across
the two electrodes, the piezoelectric material mechanically deforms
due to the applied voltage. This movement of the piezo disk within
the buzzer creates sound

How to Use
If your buzzer has a sticker on top of it, pull it off. Connect one pin (it doesn’t matter which one)
to the Arduino’s ground (Gnd) and the other end to digital pin 10. From the Arduino, you can make
sounds with a buzzer by using tone function of Arduino .
Tutorial–https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/SURYATEJA/use-a-buzzer-module-piezo-speaker-using-
arduino-uno-89df45

Common Applications
1. Siren in security locks
2. Alarm devices
3. Any project where sound needs to be produced

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a door lock using a buzzer Tutorial Link (https://projecthub.arduino.cc/mmg220/7bc5ffc9-
758f-44ea-ad32-f98e6124157f )

Safety Measures
1. Do not insert foreign objects into the sound-emitting hole or open hole.
2. Do not use this product in an atmosphere containing chlorine gas, sulfidizing gas, acid, or other
corrosive substances.

Important Links

1. How Buzzer works

2. Understand Piezoelectricity

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 51


Motor Driver Module
A motor driver module is a simple circuit used for controlling a
DC motor. It is commonly used in autonomous robots and RC
cars (L2938N and L293D are the most regularly utilized motor
driver chips). A motor driver module takes the low voltage input
from a controller like Arduino. This input logic controls the
direction of DC motors connected to the driver. To put it in simple
words, you can control the direction of DC motors by giving
appropriate logic to the motor driver module. The motor driver
module consists of a motor driver IC, which is the heart of the
module. The IC alone can control the DC motor but using the
module makes the interfacing with Arduino easy.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers.com/
l298n-dc-stepper-driver-arduino-tutorial/

Common Applications
A motor driver is necessary because the microcontroller
requires lower-level voltage than the motors. Due
to this, we cannot supply power directly from the
microcontroller to the motor. We need a motor
driver in between these electrical components at
this point. The driver steps up the current from the
microprocessor to match the motor current.

Some Example Tasks


1. Attach a motor driver to the arduino and
run motors using it.

Safety Measures
1. Don’t overload the motor driver with motors rated at higher voltages than the specified values.

Important Links

1. About Motor Drivers

2. Different types of motor drivers YouTube Video

52 ATL Equipment Manual


Sound playback module
Voice Recorder is a device that captures speech (or audio)
in various situations like meetings, lectures, interviews,
conferences, broadcasts etc. so that you can easily edit
or play them back.The most common sound playback
module is ISD 1820 Voice Recorder Module. It is based
on ISD1820, which is a multiple-message record/playback
device. It can offer true single-chip voice recording, no-
volatile storage, and playback capability around 10-20
seconds. The module is very handy and easy to use with
various microcontroller boards.

Pin Function

VCC DC 2.4-5.5V

GND Ground

FeedThrough: This mode


FT enables the Microphone to
drive the speaker directly.

The module starts recording


REC/REC (Button)
whenever REC is HIGH.

MIC microphone input

P-E/PLAY-E (Button) Playback, Edge-activated


P-L/PLAY-L (Button) Playback, Level-activated,
The SP+ and SP- pins provide a direct drive for
SPI
loudspeakers with impedances as low as8Ω.
Power Supply 3.3V

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.electronicshub.org/interfacing-isd1820-voice-recorder-module-with-arduino/

Common Applications
1. Security Systems
2. Accident voice recordings
3. Record message during collisions

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 53


Some Example Tasks
1. Make a voice recording project using Arduino and sound playback module https://www.hackster.
io/gadgetprogrammers/diy-auto-voice-record-and-playback-7a47d7
2. Make a voice player project controlled by ultrasonic sensor YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/
FB4AMvU5yXM)

Safety Measures
1. The module contains delicate parts so it should be handled with care.

Important Links

1. The Science behind Sound

2. Video Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTY-NrZg-EI

54 ATL Equipment Manual


Vibrating Motor
Vibrating motors are small DC motors that
are often used to send signals in form of
vibrations, unlike sound. These motors are
used in a lot of appliances and devices
like cell phones, handsets, etc. It has two
terminal wires that when connected through
a battery produce the vibrations. A vibrating
motor has a very simple design just like every
common motor. It has two connecting wires,
body and a rotor which rotates while in the
connection. The operating voltage range of
vibrating motors is generally. 2.4 V to 3.5 V

How to Use
To use the motor, connect the wires of the motor in a circuit with a battery. Attach some sort of a
toggle switch to turn it ON or OFF. That is it, the motor should then rotate when ON and produce
vibration.

Common Applications
1. Mobile Phones
2. Joysticks

Some Example Tasks


1. Connect a vibrating motor to the battery and check its vibrations
2. Turn on and off the vibration motor for one second each minute using Arduino–https://techzeero.
com/arduino-tutorials/vibration-motor-with-arduino/

Safety Measures
1. The rotor of the motor shouldn’t be put in contact with delicate materials as it can damage them.
2. Avoid using a vibrating motor for longer durations as it may get heated up.

Important Links

1. Video Tutorial

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 55


Timer IC–LM 555
A LM-555 Timer is a commonly used IC designed to produce
a variety of output waveforms with the addition of an external
RC network. The name 555 is derived from the fact that it
has 3 resistors with values of 5Ω each. It is a highly stable
device for generating accurate time delays or oscillation.
Additional terminals are provided for triggering or resetting
if desired. In the time delay mode of operation, the time is
precisely controlled by one external resistor and capacitor.
For a stable operation as an oscillator, the free running
frequency and duty cycle are accurately controlled with two
external resistors and one capacitor. The circuit may be
triggered and reset on falling waveforms, and the output
circuit can source or sink up to 200 mA or drive TTL circuits.
A 555 Timer IC has 8 pins for different purposes, as listed
down:-
1. Ground
2. Trigger
3. Output
4. Reset
5. Control
6. Threshold
7. Discharge
8. VCC

How to Use
Tutorial–YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/CvpP1PaQKo0 )

Common Applications
1. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) & PPM (Pulse Position Modulation)
2. Duty Cycle Oscillator
3. To generate Pulse, Waveform, and square wave.

Some Example Tasks


1. Automatic Time Indicator for Telephone using IC 555–https://bestengineeringprojects.com/
automatic-time-indicator-for-telephone/
2. Latching Touch Sensitive Alarm Circuit Using 555 Timer IC–https://elonics.org/touch-sensor-alarm-
using-555-timer-ic/

56 ATL Equipment Manual


Safety Measures
1. Use the product within the ratings specified for ambient operating temperature and ambient
operating humidity for each model.
2. Separate the input devices, input wiring, and product as far as possible from sources of noise
and power lines carrying noise.

Important Links

1. How does 555 Timer IC work YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 57


Button Switch Set
A switch is an electronic
component which is used to break
connections between a circuit. It
can be used to have two states,
on or off. That is why it is also
considered as a binary device.
When an electronic switch is on,
it is considered closed in a circuit.
When the switch is classified as
off, the switch is open in the
circuit. When someone presses
the button, it touches with the
stationary contacts, causing the
action to take place. In some
cases, the user needs to keep
holding the button or to press it
repeatedly, for an action to take
place. With other pushbuttons,
a latch connects and keeps the
switch on until the user presses
the button again.
There are a number of types of buttons that should be used, namely:-
1. Push
2. Toggle
3. Rotary
4. Selector
5. Slide

How to Use
Tutorial–Article Link (https://littlebirdelectronics.com.au/guides/49/use-a-push-button-with-arduino)

Common Applications
1. To turn ON and OFF the flow of current in a circuit
2. Buttons are used in calculators, push button phones, etc.

Some Example Tasks


1. Dim LEDs using a push button and Arduino using PWM–https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-
projects/arduino-pwm-with-led-dimmer
2. Design Dodge the Defenders Game using a push button and LCD–https://projecthub.arduino.cc/
SRP888/4dcd0202-efc6-4db4-8514-2a1849349b93?ref=tag&ref_id=button&offset=0

58 ATL Equipment Manual


Safety Measures
1. Do not touch the terminals or other charged parts of the Switch while power is being supplied.
2. Do not use damaged switches.

Important Links

1. How does a push button works YouTube Video

2. Different types of switch buttons used in industry YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 59


Capacitive Touch
Module

Its amazing that we just touch our mobile screens and they work like magic and do things. Now it is very
common so we might not feel very awed about it. But, if you think, that’s a great invention and leap of
technology, where a simple touch can be used as an input in devices to perform actions. The module which
is responsible for carrying it out is the capacitive touch module.
A MPR121 module features 20 pins, as follows:

Pin Function
IRQ Open Collector Interrupt Output Pin, active low
SCL I2C clock
SDA I2C data

I2C Address Select Input Pin. Connect the ADDR pin to the VSS,
ADDR VDD, SDA or SCL line, the resulting I2C addresses are 0x5A, 0x5B,
0x5C and 0x5D respectively

VREG Internal Regulator Node – Connect a 0.1 °F bypass cap to VSS


VSS Ground
External Resistor – Connect a 75 kΩ 1% resistor to VSS to set internal
REST
reference current
ELE0-ELE11 Electrode 0 to Electrode 11
VDD Connect a 0.1 °F bypass cap to VSS

60 ATL Equipment Manual


How to Use
A step-by-step tutorial–Article Link (https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mpr121-12-key-capacitive-
touch-sensor-breakout-tutorial/wiring)

Common Applications
1. Mobile phones.
2. Touch pads, touch slide bars, etc.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a music organ using capacitive touch module MPR 121 YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/
AhVizoU8CB4)

Safety Measures
€ Do not put anything liquid with the interface of the module.
€ Don’t apply excess pressure to the sensor part as it may get damaged.

Important Links

1. How to Use MPR 121 module YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 61


Capacitive Touch
Switch Module

A capacitive touch switch module (TTP223) is a touch pad detector integrated circuit which works as a
single tactile button, which means, it can be used to sense touch inputs as switch buttons and do the work
accordingly. This touch detection IC is designed for replacing traditional direct button keys with diverse pad
sizes. The touch plate of the sensor is present in the opposite face of the pins.
There are two bridges in the TTP223 module. It has 3 modes, depending upon which bridge is soldered.

BRIDGE A BRIDGE B MODE


unsoldered unsoldered Touch to ON (initially low)
unsoldered soldered Touch to OFF (initially high)
soldered soldered Self locking switch (initially low)
soldered unsoldered Self locking switch (initially high)

Like many other modules, it also has 3 pins:-


1. GND–ground
2. I/O–input/output
3. VCC–power

How to Use
Tutorial–https://diyusthad.com/2019/06/how-to-use-ttp223-based-touch-switch.html

62 ATL Equipment Manual


Common Applications
1. Used as an alternative to touch pad switches.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a circuit and control its ON/OFF states using capacitive touch switch module

Safety Measures
€ Do not put anything liquid with the interface of the module.
€ Don’t apply excess pressure to the sensor part as it may get damaged.

Important Links

1. How to Use a capacitive touch switch YouTube Video

2. Using a touch sensor switch without a microcontroller YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 63


IR Sensors, obstacle
avoider sensor module
The IR sensor is used to sense if there is some sort of obstacle in its line of sight. It does that by sending
an IR (infrared) light from the transmitter end, which isn’t visible to the normal eyes, and then, if there’s
some sort of obstacle, then the light is reflected back and is detected by the receiver. The sending process
is continuous and as soon as the obstacle is detected, we can use it to perform our required output. The
Detection Range of an IR sensor is 2 to 20cm & the Detection Angle is 30° to 40°

A IR obstacle avoider sensor contains:-


1. Transmitter LED
2. Receiver LED
3. Detection distance adjuster
4. Power LED
5. Obstacle detection LED
6. Pins (power, ground, output)

How to Use
Step by step tutorial–YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/V5GdLjBmi2o)

Common Applications
1. In obstacle avoider robots.
2. In aids for visually impaired.

64 ATL Equipment Manual


Some Example Tasks
1. Design an Object Counter using IR sensor and Arduino–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=zmwq6TWZi0E
2. Automatic Door Opener -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuIppQPLuPs

Safety Measures
1. Avoid using or storing the sensor under direct sunlight.
2. Avoid using it in regions with chemical or gaseous exposures.

Important Links

1. How to Use a IR sensor with Arduino

2. Working of an IR sensor

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 65


Triple axis
magnetometer
A magnetometer is used to find directions, by aligning itself with
the earth’s magnetic field. There are many types of magnetometers
such as fluxgate, magnetoresistive, magneto-inductive and others.
Earth’s magnetic field is present in space which points towards
the magnetic north. Current carrying conductor also generates a
magnetic field around itself. Hence, whenever a current carrying
conductor is placed in space, it experiences the effect of the earth’s
magnetic field affecting the flow of the electrons through that
conductor. These changes in the flow of the electrons are used for
identifying the heading or direction of the magnetic field. This is the
basic working principle of the magnetometer. The HMC5883L uses a
magnetoresistive sensor arranged in a bridge circuit, which is made
of nickel-iron (Ni-Fe magnetic film) material. A HMC5883L module has 5 pins:- VCC, GND, SCL, SDA, and DRDY

How to Use
Tutorial–https://electronoobs.com/eng_arduino_tut77.php

Common Applications
1. Used to detect orientation of mobile phones.
2. Used in digital compasses.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a compass using magnetometer YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/k6ccH8QYGK8)

Safety Measures
1. Any sort of external magnetic force would distort the readings of the magnetometer.

Important Links

1. How does a magnetometer work YouTube Video

66 ATL Equipment Manual


MQ Series Sensors

MQ Series are a set of gas sensors that are used to identify different types of gases. They are very useful
in measuring the gas concentration and can be used in sensitive areas such as chemical industries. Each
type of MQ sensor is designed to detect specific gases. We’ve a lot of MQ sensors. Some most commonly
used ones are:

Sensor Used in the detection of


MQ-2 Combustible gas, smoke
MQ-3 Alcohol
MQ-4 Methane, propane, butane
MQ-5 Natural gas, LPG
MQ-6 Propane, LPG
MQ-7 Carbon monoxide
MQ-8 Hydrogen
MQ-9 Carbon monoxide, methane
MQ-135 Ammonia sulfide, benzene vapour

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 67


A MQ sensor has 4 pins and many other components, depicted in the image below:

How to Use
Tutorial–https://randomnerdtutorials.com/guide-for-mq-2-gas-smoke-sensor-with-arduino/

Common Applications
1. Used in factories to monitor chemical exposure level.
2. Used in smoke detectors.
3. Used to check alcohol levels.

Some Example Tasks


1. Checking alcohol level using MQ-2 and Arduino YouTube Video (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=yWKfuP9BhhI)

Safety Measures
1. Don’t release poisonous gases in excess just for the sake of testing them.

Important Links

1. A brief intro on MQ sensors YouTube Video

2. How to make a smoke detector alarm YouTube Video

68 ATL Equipment Manual


IR Transmitter/Receiver
IR transmitter and Receiver are commonly used
in devices which can be controlled with the help
of remote. TV remotes are the best example
for IR transmitters. IR Led emits infrared rays
which cannot be seen with normal open eyes
as its wavelength is very low (700nm – 1mm) as
compared to visible light. The transmitted light
then can be detected with a receiver. There’s a
very cool trick if you want to observe IR lights.
Although our eyes can’t see them, cameras of
many mobile phones can. All you have to do is
open the camera, and then light up the IR light,
you can use a TV or AC’s remote for that. And
then, you shall be able to see how it lights up on button press.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mOF1JXo1DU

Common Applications
1. In Tv remote and Ac remotes.
2. For simple remote controlling applications & small data transfers.

Some Example Tasks


1. How to Use IR Receiver Module with Arduino Raspberry Pi (Youtube link) (https://youtu.be/
GnvHHZTJmv4)
2. Lighting a Led with the help of IR transmitter and Receiver (Youtube link) (https://youtu.be/
fsBCGnKgrFg)

Safety Measures
1. The module contains delicate parts so it should be handled with care. Be careful to not bend
the LEDs

Important Links

1. IR transmitter and receiver circuits–Article link (https://www.electronicshub.org/


ir-transmitter-receiver-circuits/)

2. Guide to Infrared Communication–https://youtu.be/gADIb1Xw8PE

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 69


Ultrasonic sensor
module HC-SR-04

This is the HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor. This economical sensor provides 2cm to 400cm of non-
contact measurement functionality with a ranging accuracy that can reach up to 3mm. Each HC-SR04
module includes an ultrasonic transmitter, a receiver and a control circuit. It is used to measure the
distance of the obstacle in front of it. An ultrasonic wave is sent from the transmitter of the module,
and then the wave is reflected back and received at the receiver.
The module consists of 4 pins:-
1. VCC–Power
VCC supplies power to the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor. You can connect it to the 5V output
from your Arduino.
2. Trigger
Trig (Trigger) pin is used to trigger ultrasonic sound pulses. By setting this pin to HIGH for 10µs,
the sensor initiates an ultrasonic burst.
3. Echo
Echo pin goes high when the ultrasonic burst is transmitted and remains high until the sensor
receives an echo, after which it goes low. By measuring the time the Echo pin stays high, the
distance can be calculated.
4. GND–Ground
It is the ground pin.

70 ATL Equipment Manual


How to Use
Tutorial–https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/ultrasonic-sensor-hc-sr04/

Common Applications
1. To measure speed as well as the direction between two objects
2. Depth measurement

Some Example Tasks


1. Make an automatic motion sensor dustbin using ultrasonic sensor (https://projecthub.arduino.cc/
lakshyajhalani56/05bbdccb-93e6-4828-b2a0-a719573892b4 )
2. Ultrasonic glasses for visually impared (https://projecthub.arduino.cc/snehiludrhj/3eb6495b-620a-
4acd-b542-dce83fb93407 )

Safety Measures
1. The module contains delicate parts so it should be handled with care
2. Do not use a voltage in excess of the operation voltage range.

Important Links

1. Basics of Ultrasonic sensor module HC-SR-04 Article Link

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 71


Triple Axis
Accelerometer
Have you ever wondered how your smartphone
knows which way is up? It’s one of the most
innovative features of today’s smartphones. They all
have a tiny device called an accelerometer built into
the circuitry that detects when you tilt the device
from side to side. That’s how your smartphone
knows when to switch from portrait to landscape
mode. An accelerometer is a tool which is used to
measure proper acceleration of anything it is fit into.
Accelerometers are widely used in low-power,
low-cost motion and tilt sensing applications such
as mobile devices, gaming systems, disk drive
protection, image stabilization, and sports and
health devices. Few commonly used accelerometer
modules are ADXL335, ADXL 345 and MPU 6050
(accelerometer and gyroscope sensor)

How to Use 3. Make a gesture control robot using


accelerometer Tutorial Link (https://
Full Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers. www. i n st r u c t a b l e s .co m /G e st u re -
com/adxl335-accelerometer-arduino- controlled-robot-using-Arduino/ )
tutorial/

Safety Measures
Common Applications
1. The module contains delicate parts so
1. To measure vehicle acceleration. it should be handled with care and
2. To measure vibration on cars, machines, overheating needs to be avoided
buildings, and etc. 2. The module should be properly
3. Smartphones and Gaming Consoles calibrated before use

Some Example Tasks Important Links


1. Accident Alert System Project Using
ADXL335 Accelerometer Arduino 1. How Accelerometers work
SIM800L and GPS Module–https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=71gWgVlSRm8 2. How to track object orientation
2. Make a virtual tennis game using an using accelerometer sensor and
accelerometer Tutorial Link (https:// arduino YouTube Video
www.hackster.io/gatoninja236/virtual-
arduino-tennis-3700ce )

72 ATL Equipment Manual


PIR Motion Detector
Module

PIR sensors allow you to sense motion & to detect whether a human has moved in or out of the sensor’s
range. They are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use and don’t wear out. PIRs are basically made of
a pyroelectric sensor, which can detect levels of infrared radiation. PIR sensors use a pair of pyroelectric
sensors to detect heat energy in the surrounding environment. These two sensors sit beside each other, and
when the signal differential between the two sensors changes (if a person enters the room, for example), the
sensor will engage. That may mean it triggers an alarm, notifies authorities, or maybe turns on a floodlight.
IR radiation focuses on each of the two pyroelectric sensors using a series of lenses constructed as the
sensor’s housing. The detection range is generally between 5 meters and 12 meters.

How to Use
Tutorial – https://www.tutorialspoint.com/arduino/arduino_pir_sensor.htm

Common Applications
1. Lighting Controls.
2. Thermostats And HVAC Systems.
3. Smart Home And IoT.
4. IP Cameras And Surveillance Systems.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 73


Some Example Tasks
1. Make a LED buzzer system using PIR motion detector module YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/
odvXvw9lc3o)
2. Advanced Home Security System using PIR Sensor, Arduino and GSM Module–https://studytronics.
weebly.com/projects/advanced-home-security-system-using-arduino

Safety Measures
1. The module contains delicate parts so it should be handled with care
2. The module should be properly calibrated before use

Important Links

1. How PIR sensor works

2. More about PIR sensor

74 ATL Equipment Manual


Pulse Rate Heart Sensor
Almost all of us know about those fancy and cool
smartwatches that can measure our heart rates. There’s this
sensor which is solely responsible for making them work.
It’s the pulse rate heart sensor. An optical heart rate sensor
measures pulse waves, which are changes in the volume of a
blood vessel that occur when the heart pumps blood. Pulse
waves are detected by measuring the change in volume
using an optical sensor and green LED.
A pulse sensor or any optical heart-rate sensor, for that
matter, works by shining a green light (~ 550 nm) on the
finger and measuring the amount of reflected light using a
photosensor.This method of pulse detection through light is
called Photoplethysmogram.
The oxygenated haemoglobin in the arterial blood has the characteristic of absorbing green light. The redder
the blood (the higher the haemoglobin), the more green light is absorbed. As the blood is pumped through
the finger with each heartbeat, the amount of reflected light changes, creating a changing waveform at the
output of the photosensor.As you continue to shine light and take photo sensor readings, you quickly start
to get a heart-beat pulse reading.
The pulse rate heart sensor has 3 pins, namely:
1. (Signal) is the signal output. It is connected to analog input of an Arduino.
2. (VCC) is the VCC pin. It is connected to 3.3 or 5V.
3. (GND) is the Ground pin.

How to Use Safety Measures


Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers.com/
1. The module contains delicate parts so
pulse-sensor-arduino-tutorial/
it should be handled with care

Common Applications Important Links


1. Smart watches, wristbands to read the
pulse and heart rate of the human. 1. For more Info you can read this
article Article Link

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a heart rate sensor using Pulse
Heart Rate Sensor module Tutorial Link
(https://microcontrollerslab.com/pulse-
sensor-arduino-tutorial/ )

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 75


Relay Module
A relay almost works like a switch, which can be electrically
controlled. It can be turned on or off, letting the current go
through or not, and can be controlled with low voltages, like
the 5V provided by the Arduino pins. This relay module has
two channels (those blue cubes). There are other models with
one, four and eight channels. This module should be powered
with 5V, which is appropriate to use with an Arduino. There
are other relay modules that are powered using 3.3V, which
is ideal for ESP32, ESP8266, and other microcontrollers.
There are two different types of relays that are usually
available, based on the number of channels present:-
1. Single channel
This type of relay module can only be connected
to one schematic at a time.
2. Double channel
This type of relay is just like a collection of two single channel relays put together, and can be
connected to two schematics at a time.
A relay has 3 pins like a lot of other modules, namely:-
1. VCC
2. Ground
3. SIgnal
On the other side, it has a connector with 3 sockets,common (COM), normally closed (NC), and normally
open (NO).

76 ATL Equipment Manual


^a How to Use
Tutorial–https://randomnerdtutorials.com/guide-for-relay-module-with-arduino/

Common Applications
1. To control circuits such as a lamp.
2. In complex appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners.

Some Example Tasks


1. Use 5V Relay with Arduino to turn ON and OFF AC bulb or DC load–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=58XWVDnB7Ss

Safety Measures
1. Do not touch the terminal section (charged section) of the Relay while power is being supplied.
2. Do not drop or disassemble Relays. Doing so may reduce Relay characteristics and may result
in damage, electric shock, or burning.
3. Working with relay should be done under expert supervision.

Important Links

1. What is a relay module, in detail YouTube Video

2. How relays work

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 77


Soil Moisture Sensor
Module
A soil moisture sensor is used to
measure the moisture content in soil
and send it as output, so that the
required steps can be taken after
that accordingly. It is used widely
in today’s world and serves its
purpose pretty well. A soil moisture
sensor module has 2 probes, a cable
connecting them to the board, a
comparator, an output LED, a power
LED, potentiometer and 4 pins

How to Use
A step-by-step tutorial –
YouTube Video (https://
youtu.be/pdKgvUGH4HY)

Common Applications
1. Used in smart agriculture.
2. Can be used to automate the plant watering process.

Some Example Tasks


1. Design an Automatic Plant watersing system using Arduino–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=iwkE_HWU-6M

Safety Measures
1. Ensure that the probes are put correctly into the soil.
2. Try to avoid exposure to water for prolonged periods of time.

Important Links

1. How does a soil moisture sensor work YouTube Video

78 ATL Equipment Manual


Metal Touch Sensor
Module

This sensor is used to detect touches. It emits a signal if the front metal tip of the sensor is touched.
The sensitivity of the sensor can be adjusted by means of a controller. It is ideally suited for threshold
measurement. This means that the sensor emits a digital high signal as soon as a threshold value set by the
user is exceeded. However, this also means that the analog measured values are not suitable for conversions,
as the analog signal is also influenced by the rotary potentiometer.
The KY-036 sensor module has a power LED, a touch detection LED, touch sensor plate, and 4 pins. The
pins are as follows:
1. GND
2. VCC
3. AO (analog output)
4. DO (digital output)

How to Use Some Example Tasks


Tutorial–https://www.phippselectronics. 1. Alarm Device Using a Human Touch
com/using-the-metal-touch-sensor-ky-036- Sensor–https://www.instructables.
with-arduino/ com/Prototype-Alarm-Device-Using-a-
Human-Touch-Sensor-/

Common Applications
Safety Measures
1. Alarm Devices
1. Do not put excessive or sharp force on
the sensor part as it may get damaged.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 79


Rain Drop Sensor
Raindrop sensor is
a board on which
nickel is coated in the
form of lines. It works
on the principle of
resistance. The rain
Sensor module allows
measuring moisture
via analog output
pins and it provides a
digital output when a
threshold of moisture
exceeds.
A rain drop sensor has
4 pins, a sensing pad
and connectors. The
pins are as follows:-
1. VCC: Connects supply voltage- 5V
2. GND: Connected to ground
3. D0: Digital pin to get digital output
4. A0: Analog pin to get analog output

How to Use Safety Measures


Tu t o r i a l – h t t p s : //w w w.yo u t u b e .c o m /
1. Do not use a Sensor in an environment
watch?v=pj8wtib_ItQ
where there are explosive or inflammable
gases
Common Applications 2. The sensor should be checked regularly
to remove dust, mud and other material
1. Automobile sectors to control the that may get stuck on it.
windshield wipers automatically.
2. Smart agriculture systems.
Important Links
Some Example Tasks 1. Introduction to the rain drop
1. Create a raindrop sensing system Tutorial sensor module YouTube Video
Link (https://microcontrollerslab.com/
raindrop-sensor-arduino-detector/ )
2. Automatic Rain Sensing Car Wiper
System Using Arduino–https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=RxWD_-h7O8Y

80 ATL Equipment Manual


Flex Sensor
A flex sensor or bend sensor is a sensor
that measures the amount of deflection
or bending. Usually, the sensor is stuck to
the surface, and resistance of the sensor
element is varied by bending the surface.
It is very useful when we’re required to
measure the extent of bending in anything.
As the sensor bends, its resistance increases
and that is how it measures the amount of
bend applied.
A flex sensor has a flexible material which
is bent to find out the extent of bending,
and two terminals that are connected to
the circuit.

How to Use
A flex sensor basically works with varying resistance as the flexible material is bent.
Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers.com/flex-sensor-arduino-tutorial/

Common Applications
1. Gaming gloves.
2. Security systems.

Some Example Tasks


1. Arduino Flex Sensor controlled Robot Hand–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvg-v8FPcjg
2. Sign Language to Speech Conversion using Arduino With Flex Sensor–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=-4o4_8AjrpA

Safety Measures
1. Do not bend the sensor beyond its limit and along different axes.
2. Do not connect it to very high current as it may get damaged.

Important Links

1. Basics & working of a flex sensor YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 81


Temperature Sensor
A temperature sensor is a very useful sensor and
has many uses in the real world. It works on a
basic principle. The output voltage of the pin is
proportional to the temperature that the sensor
detects. It is used to measure the temperature
of the surrounding area using this property of
proportionality.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9czGfmporjs

Common Applications
1. To measure the temperature of the
surroundings.

Some Example Tasks


1. Test the room temperature using the temperature sensor.
2. Study the variation of temperature using a temperature sensor on supplying heat.

Safety Measures
1. Do not test the sensor in an environment beyond its limits.

82 ATL Equipment Manual


Temperature and Humidity
Sensor Module
The DHT11 sensor is a very economical, simple
temperature and humidity sensor available in the
market, It uses a capacitive humidity sensor and a
thermistor to detect the values and show them in
digital output. Its compact size and sampling rate
made this sensor popular among hobbyists. Some of
the sensors which can be used as an alternative to
DHT11 sensor are DHT22, AM2302, SHT71.
The DHT11 also measures relative humidity. The relative
humidity is the amount of water vapour in air vs. the
saturation point of water vapour in the air. At the
saturation point, water vapour starts to condense and
accumulate on surfaces forming dew.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OogldLc9uYc

Common Applications
1. To measure the humidity of surroundings.
2. To measure the temperature.

Some Example Tasks


1. Measure Temperature and Humidity using Arduino Tutorial Link (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QZSY7lnp3zg )
2. Arduino Weather Station–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgOvNURUoT0

Safety Measures
1. Consider Time Drift and Temperature Drift errors while measuring the values.

Important Links

1. Introduction to DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 83


Force Pressure Sensor
Force pressure sensors, also
called force sensitive resistors are
sensors that are used to detect
physical pressure, squeezing
and weight. FSRs are basically
resistors that change their
values when they’re subjected
to pressure. The amount of
pressure can be shown as an
output to the user by measuring
its instantaneous resistance. A
force pressure sensor consists
of a force sensing plate where
the pressure is applied, and
connectors that are connected
to the circuit.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ44h-jy0p4

Common Applications
1. To measure frictional forces between surfaces.
2. For fluid monitoring applications, dialysis machines, etc.

Some Example Tasks


1. Measure force and pressure and display it on Arduino Serial Monitor–Tutorial Link (https://
lastminuteengineers.com/fsr-arduino-tutorial/)
2. Glow pillow project using force pressure sensor Tutorial Link (https://www.hackster.io/rachel-
fagan/glow-pillow-with-force-sensing-resistor-904229 )

Safety Measures
1. Verify that the supply voltage variation is within the rating.
2. Make sure that stress by forcible bend or pulling is not applied directly to the sensor cable joint.

Important Links

1. Basics of force pressure sensors YouTube Video

84 ATL Equipment Manual


Colour Recognition
Sensor
A colour recognition sensor
works by emitting light through
a transmitter, and then detecting
the reflected light by using a
receiver. It is used to detect the
received light intensity for red,
blue and green respectively,
making it possible to determine
the colour of the target object,
since most of the colours can be
devised through a combination of
red, blue and green. The sensor
is designed in such a way that 4
bright LEDs light the object and
then the light reflecting from that
is used by the sensor to detect
the colour.
It has 4 LEDs, photodiodes and 8 pins as described in the image below:

How to Use
Tutorial–YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/CPUXxuyd9xw)

Common Applications
1. In scanners to distinguish coded markings
2. In manufacturing industries.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 85


Some Example Tasks
1. Make a colour detection project Tutorial Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsjrcjRNFwk )
2. Colour Sorting Machine–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeyvpp_-dkk

Safety Measures
1. Avoid the interference of external light during colour recognition, otherwise it will affect the
result of colour.

Important Links

1. Introduction to colour sensor–YouTube Video

86 ATL Equipment Manual


Water Flow Sensor
Monitoring the water supply is very essential
in places like industries or schools/universities.
To monitor the amount of water being supplied
and used, the rate of flow of water has to be
measured. Water flow sensors are used for this
purpose. Water flow sensors are installed at the
water source or pipes to measure the rate of
flow of water and calculate the amount of water
flowing through the pipe. Rate of flow of water
is measured as litres per hour or cubic metres.
A water flow sensor has a connector with pins,
and a tube through which the water may flow,
of whose pressure and flow rate we’ll calculate.

How to Use
Here is a step-by-step tutorial of How to
Use a water flow sensor to detect the
flow rate YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/y841yf-WjqE)

Common Applications
1. Agriculture sector systems.
2. Food processing.
3. Water management.

Some Example Tasks


1. Measure the water flow rate using water flow sensor and arduino–https://circuitdigest.com/
microcontroller-projects/arduino-based-water-flow-senso
2. DIY Water, Juice & Milk Filling Machine–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEDG2ZaAdgk

Safety Measures
1. Do not use a voltage that exceeds the power supply voltage range.
2. Mount the Sensor appropriately.

Important Links

1. Basic principle and usage of water flow sensors YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 87


Sound Sensor

Ever wanted to make something that could be controlled with sound? Like, controlling the ON/OFF state
of a LED by clapping, or changing the turn direction of a remote controlled car by producing sound. Well,
all of this is possible through this amazing sensor. A sound detector module is used to detect sounds and
use them as inputs to carry out specific functionalities. This module consists of a sensitive capacitance
microphone for detecting sound and an amplifier circuit. The output of this module is both analog and
digital. The digital output acts as a key, and it activates when sound intensity has reached a certain threshold.
The sensitivity threshold can be adjusted via the potentiometer on the sensor. The analog output voltage
changes with the intensity of sound received by the microphone. You can connect this output to Arduino
analog pins and process the output voltage.
A sound sensor consists of a voltage comparator IC, power LED, sound detect LED, microphone and a 10k
pot. It has 4 pins, namely:-
1. VCC–Power
2. GND–Ground
3. D0–Digital Output
4. A0–Analog Output

Specifications
1. Operating voltage: 3.5V
2. Operating current: 4~5 mA
3. voltage gain: 26 dB
4. sensitivity of the microphone: 52 to 48 dB
5. impedance of the microphone: 2.2k Ohm

88 ATL Equipment Manual


How to Use
Tutorial–(https://lastminuteengineers.com/sound-sensor-arduino-tutorial/)

Common Applications
1. Used in sound control remote control cars.
2. Used in home automation.
3. Used in general sound detection.

Some Example Tasks


1. Make a system to detect sound using arduino and sound sensor–(https://automationroboticsarduino.
com/pages/how-to-use-the-sound-detection-sensor-with-arduino )

Safety Measures
1. The sensor might not work properly in noisy areas. For that, selective sound proofing can be
done depending on the environment.

Important Links

1. Controlling an LED using sound sensor

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 89


IR Sensors Array module for
line following robot
Many of us might have seen those robotic
cars that are able to follow a colored line on
the track, which means they can take turns
accordingly and stay on the defined line. That
behaviour of those cars is achieved through
IR sensors array module for line following.
A line follower IR sensor array module consists
of 8 different proximity sensors arranged in a
row, and 4 pins, as named below:-
1. VCC–power
2. GND–ground
3. A0–Analog output
4. D0–Digital output

How to Use
Tutorial- (https://www.instructables.com/IR-LINE-FOLLOWING-ROBOT-USING-IR-SENSOR-ARRAY8-
INP/ )

Common Applications
€ To build line following robots.

Some Example Tasks


1. Line follower robot using IR sensor Array–https://www.instructables.com/Line-Follower-Bot-Using-
IR-Sensor-Array-1/

Safety Measures
1. Do not use a Sensor in an environment where there are explosive or inflammable gases.
2. Do not use the Sensor in environments where the cables may become immersed in oil or other
liquids or where liquids may penetrate the Sensor.

Important Links

1. Overview of IR sensor Array module–(https://youtu.be/stBPJZbK-AE )

90 ATL Equipment Manual


Power Bank
A power bank helps to charge devices in absence
of any power source. It is a very handy and useful
tool which acts as a life saver in situations where
the power sockets are not in proximity or there is
any sort of power cut.
A power bank of minimum 10,000 mAh and 5 volts
is preferred in the ATL lab.

How to Use
To use a power bank, just connect a USB connector to the charging port of the power bank and
the other end to the device that needs to be powered. To a power bank, use a DC power adapter
with a USB cable and connect it with the input port of the power bank.

Common Applications
1. For charging devices such as mobile phones.
2. Powering Raspberry Pi , Arduino boards and other projects

Safety Measures
1. Don’t overcharge the powerbank
2. Don’t try to charge it with undefined ways.
3. Power banks are electronic devices, and therefore they do not like water, or even moisture.
One key piece of advice when using power banks is to keep them dry at all times.

Important Links

1. How does a power bank works YouTube Video

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 91


RFID Reader & Tags
For most of the RFID based Arduino
projects, the RC522 RFID reader/
writer module is a great choice. It
is low power, low cost, very rugged,
easy to interface and extremely
popular among hobbyists.
An RFID or radio frequency
identification system consists of two
main components, a tag attached to
the object to be identified, and a
reader that reads the tag.
A reader consists of a radio
frequency module and an antenna
that generates a high frequency
electromagnetic field. Whereas the
tag is usually a passive device (it does
not have a battery). It consists of a
microchip that stores and processes
information, and an antenna for
receiving and transmitting a signal.

How to Use Safety Measures


Tutorial–https://lastminuteengineers.com/
1. There shouldn’t be a very high exposure
how-rfid-works-rc522-arduino-tutorial/
to radio frequencies.
2. The module is delicate and should be
Common Applications handled with care.

€ Inventory management.
Important Links
€ Asset tracking and equipment tracking.
€ Inventory control.
1. Different types of RF modules
€ Cargo and supply chain logistics. YouTube Video
€ https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Gtu-kZ24O0oehicle tracking. 2. How does RF modules work
YouTube Video

Some Example Tasks


€ RFID Attendance system–https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=Gtu-kZ24O0o
€ RFID based Smart Door Lock–https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fGbT-
sn6r8

92 ATL Equipment Manual


Stepper Motor with
Driver Board

There are many places where we need to perform rotary work but with very high precision, like in
manufacturing units, the robotic arms need to work very precisely in order to achieve the goal. That is
when a stepper motor comes into play, which got its name from the fact that it rotates in steps.
We also use a motor board while using the stepper motor. The board has a connector that mates the motor
wires perfectly which makes it very easy to connect the motor to the board. There are also connections for
four control inputs as well as power supply connections.
The motor board for 2 channels consists of 6 pins, namely:-
1. A1
2. A2
3. VCC
4. GND
5. B1
6. B2
The stepper motor has a motor with connector pins to make the connections.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 93


How to Use
Tutorial–Tutorial Link. (https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/electronics/stepper-motors )

Common Applications
1. Most commonly motors in 3D printers
2. Devices like Disk drives, scanners, computer printers, plotters, slot machines, image scanners,etc

Some Example Tasks


1. Control the rotational speed of a stepper motor Tutorial Link (https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/
LibraryExamples/StepperSpeedControl)
2. CNC Plotter–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s47uF0DVW1g&ab_channel=ChronicMechatronic

Safety Measures
1. Do not use the driver or the motor under conditions that exceed the specification values.
2. Make all connections as small as possible

Important Links

1. How does a stepper motor work YouTube Video

94 ATL Equipment Manual


Servo Motor Tester

A servo motor tester, as the name suggests, is used to test servo motors. It is a small device with input and
output pins, a knob for adjusting the values and light indicators. Although, servos can be tested through
arduino boards, but its not always feasible. That is when servo motor testers come in play.

How to Use
The servo tester first needs to be connected to the DC voltage source through the pin in its input
header. Once done, the light indicator of one of the modes would be ON. Then, you can connect
at most 3 servo motors together. The motors should be connected to the horizontally lined up pins.
Then, there are three modes of testing that could be toggled by pressing the mode selection switch.
The modes are as follows:
1. Automatic
This mode makes the motor rotate to and fro on its own. It can be used to check if the motor
is rotating to its complete potential or not.
2. Manual
In this mode, the user can rotate the motor according to their choice by adjusting the knob.
This also serves the same purpose as the automatic mode, except the fact that this is manual
3. Neutral
This mode brings the servo motor to its neutral position, which can be used to determine if its
alignment is proper in neutral position.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 95


Tutorial on how to test servo motors YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/gaBfIGPyGxk)

Common Applications
The major application of servo motor testers is to test servo motors to see if they’re working desirably.

Some Example Tasks


Take two or three servo motors and test them using the servo motor tester.

Safety Measures
1. Only use compatible voltage supply with the tester.

96 ATL Equipment Manual


3D Printer Kit and tools
3D Printing is a process for making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by
laying down many successive thin layers of material. It brings a digital object (its CAD representation) into
its physical form by adding materials layer by layer. The input is the model design of whatever you want
to make, and the output is its real life 3D model, present in the 3D space. 3D Printing can be done using
different types of 3D Printers. 3D printing allows students to experience their projects from the model stage
to the actual model creation. This creates both excitement and a better understanding of the design process
as they gain hands-on experience from conception to creation.
The individual features are seen more clearly as the student builds the project layer by layer. Excitement also
stems from the ability to explore real details, not just on a screen or in a textbook. 3D printing also brings
the world of theory to the physical world where students can see and touch, opening up new possibilities
for learning and activities. Apart from fun activities, 3D printers are very useful for making components of
devices, in organ synthesis, and recently even a whole house was built using huge 3D printers.

Let’s now look at some components of a 3D Printer and learn in detail about them

Components
A common printer has these major parts:-

Printer frame
A printer frame is essential to provide support to all the components that carry out the printing process.

Nozzle
It is the part of the 3D printer which extrudes the filament. It heats the cartridge and melts the filament,
which is then used to start the printing process.

98 ATL Equipment Manual


Cooling fan
The fan used in the 3D printer is directed towards the plastic that comes out from the hot end, to cool it
down and solidify it properly. It is essential to make sure that the model isn’t deformed.

Printing bed
A 3D printer bed is a flat surface on which a 3D printer builds the model. It is required to keep the surface
flat and on horizontal level for printing the model successfully.

Display screen
A small display screen is a multipurpose screen present in 3D printers to show all the relevant information
that might be required to be shown to the users

Motherboard
The motherboard on 3D printer, just like on every electronic device serves as the brain of the device, and
all the components of the 3D printer are connected with the motherboard to coordinate the task

Material Specifications for a suggested FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer


160mm *160mm *160mm Build Size or 4 litre Build
Minimum dimensions
Volume
Nozzle 0.3mm to 0.4mm nozzle diameter
Slicing Software Free or open source
Material compatibility PLA, ABS, and derivatives of PLA
Common repair kit with spare springs, screws, keys,
Repair Kit
tweezers, etc

How to Use
1. Prepare your design for 3D printing
First of all, to get a 3D model printed, you’ll need to have a 3D model. There are two ways to get
it. You can either use some free model available on the internet and print it, or you can make your
model. Some free models can be found on websites such as Thingiverse, Free3D (https://free3d.
com/) and Sketchfab (https://sketchfab.com/features/free-3d-models). Or, if you want to make your
own models, there are many cool software and websites such as Tinkercad (https://www.tinkercad.
com/) and Blender (https://www.blender.org/).

2. Getting the design ready to print


Once you have the 3D model ready, it’s time to get it printed with the use of a 3D printer. One
thing to observe is that the printer doesn’t work with the common .stl or .obj model files. Instead,
the model needs a slicer to convert it to g-code which can then be used by the printer to print
the model. Cura is preferred for those purposes, which can be installed on computers from their
website–https://ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura.

3. Send your file to the printer


Once downloaded, load your model file into it and edit the profile of your model accordingly. Then,
using the given options, the file can be stored on the laptop storage or the SD card. If you prefer

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 99


an SD card, make sure to inject it into the computer slot before transferring. Once done, it’s time
to print it. Plug the SD card into the printer in the slot near the motherboard. Select the option to
print from an SD card and start the print. Alternatively, you can plug in your laptop directly with
the printer and transfer the file that way. But in this case, make sure that the laptop doesn’t go to
sleep as it will probably interrupt the printing process.
4. Start 3D Printing
Now you can sit back, relax and watch your creation come to life. Printing times vary depending on
your printed object’s size, detail level and 3D printer type. On some 3D printers, a small component
or rough prototype may only take a few hours. Most parts will be ready the next day if you leave
the printer running overnight. And if you need a very large, detailed print, you may have to wait a
couple of days.
5. Final Steps
When the print is finished, remove it from the printer. Depending on your chosen material and printing
process, some final manual steps may be needed before it’s ready to use. In most 3D printers, this
‘post-processing’ is just peeling off a small brim of material around the 3D printed part.

Common Applications
1. Printing 3D models for education and research
2. Printing synthesised organs and micro equipment for medical sciences
3. Automotive industry
4. Construction, home development
5. Art and Jewellery
6. Printing designs for decorative purposes.

Some Example Tasks


1. Create your own imaginary 3D model on Tinkercad a print it.
2. Design a keychain for yourself with your name written in 3D
3. Print out historical artefacts and 3D models of molecules

Safety Measures
1. Never obstruct the flow of printing with mechanical force.
2. Ensure that there is a constant power supply throughout the printer’s usage.
3. Ensure that the environment in which you’re using the printer isn’t very hot.

100 ATL Equipment Manual


Important Links

1. How to use a 3D printer

2. How does a 3D printer work

3. Tutorial - Learn 3D Design using TinkerCAD

4. Tutorial - Learn 3D Design using Blender

5. Lesson Plans for teachers

6. Sites to get free 3D Designs - Thingiverse

7. Free3D

8. Sketchfab

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 101


Dedicated UPS/Power
Backup
3D printing is a very complex and time taking process. Even printing a simple 3D model through a 3D printer
might take hours to complete. It is so important to ensure that the power supply is uniform and available
all the time to carry out the printing process, or else it gets aborted in between. That is where a backup
supply or UPS comes into play. A UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) when connected with a 3D printer
ensures the regular power supply to the printer for carrying out the 3D printing process.

Indicator lights and their significance:-


1. Green: Normal operation
2. Orange/Yellow: Operating on battery power.
3. Red: Power low, requires charging

How to Use
Plug in the 3D printer to the UPS and the UPS to power supply and you’re done!

Common Applications
UPS are used for power backup purposes in case of power cuts.

Important Links

1. How to connect a UPS to 3D printer

102 ATL Equipment Manual


Filament for 3D Printer
Filament is an important requirement for 3D printing. Filaments used in 3D printing are thermoplastics, which
are plastics that melt rather than burn when heated, can be shaped and moulded, and solidify when cooled.
The filament is fed into a heating chamber in the printer’s extruder assembly, where it is heated to its melting
point and then extruded (squirted) through a metal nozzle as the extruder assembly moves, tracing a path
programmed into a 3D object file to create, layer by layer, the printed object.
The two most common filaments are standard diameters of 2.85 mm and 1.75 mm. They usually look like
wire and are fitted such that they can be fed to the printer while in use.

How to Use
Open the loose end of the filament, and cut a very small part to make sure that the end is plain
and angled. Then, push the filament straightly into the hole that takes it towards the nozzle. Once
the filament reaches the nozzle, it’ll start oozing out a bit. Pull off the extra part of the filament and
done, the filament is now loaded into the printer.

Safety Measures
1. Keep the filament away from hot or humid environments.
2. Make sure that the filament is not twisted to ensure smooth flow.

Important Links

1. Different types of filaments

2. How to load filament in a 3D printer

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 103


Filament Storage Box
A filament storage box is a simple plastic box which can be used to store the filaments for a 3D printer. It
can also have an opening from where the filament can be fed to the printer for usage. Ideally, such a box
is preferred with a place for fitting the filament holder. Moisture in the filament can lead to its degradation.
If the lab is set up in a humid area, then it is very much suggested to use the filament storage box.

How to Use
The usage is very simple. Just put the filament holder with the filament inside the storage box. If
the storage box has an opening for filament, It can directly be used to feed the printer. Take a small
part out from the opening and use it whenever required.

Important Links

1. Types of filament storage boxes and relevance

104 ATL Equipment Manual


HACKSAW
Hacksaw is a very useful tool used for cutting materials
like wood, plastic and steel. The tool is derived from
the traditionally used hand saws that were primarily
used by craftsmen to cut pieces of wood. Hacksaw
is very handy in ATL labs to cut and craft pieces
accordingly for the purpose of making models and
prototypes. Majorly, there are 2 parts that are present
in all Hacksaws:-

Hacksaw Frame
The part of the hacksaw which had a handle to be held
by the craftsperson and a frame to hold the blade is
called the Hacksaw frame.

Hacksaw Blade
The other part is what serves the main purpose of cutting materials. It’s a specialised blade which can be fit
onto the Hacksaw frame and once done, make sure that the fittings are tight enough, and you’re good to go!
Then again, there are two different kinds of Hacksaws, used for different tasks and purposes:-

Normal Hacksaw
It is designed in a way such that the length of the blade is 12 inches, or 300 mm. It provides a greater
cutting edge.

Mini Hacksaw
It is designed in a way such that the length of the blade is 6 inches, or 150 mm. It is mostly useful if you
need to carry out lighter operations and if the space is compact.

How to Use
Using a hacksaw is very straightforward, just make sure that the usage is safe and correct. First
of all, it is important to attach the blade to the frame. To do this, first loosen the wing nut a little
bit by rotating it counter-clockwise such that the blade is easily insertable. Make sure that the
sharp teeth side of the blade is facing outwards to deliver the proper desired impact. After that,
put in the blade and attach it to the hooks on both sides, and tighten it by rotating the wing nut
in clockwise direction. Ensure that the connection is tight enough. After enough usage, the blade
will become blunt and would need to be replaced. The procedure is the same. First loosen the
wing nut, remove the old blade, put the new blade, tighten the wing nut, and yay, you’re done!
While using the hacksaw to cut any material, the handle should be held with the dominant hand.
The other hand should hold the surface or the material to make sure it doesn’t slip while applying
force. Thereafter, start cutting the material by applying almost horizontal push and pull force. Make
sure to use the maximum length of the blade to cut the material for feasibility. Once done, wipe off
the filings from the blade if any.

106 ATL Equipment Manual


Safety Measures
1. Do not apply excessive pressure while cutting as it might break the blade.
2. Do not use it when the blade becomes loose on the frame.

Common Applications
1. To cut and shape their prototypes properly.
2. To cut PVC pipes of right length if the project is utilising them
Basically, anything related with cutting pieces of plastic, metal or wood, Hacksaw comes into play

Important Links

1. How to use a Hacksaw

2. Basics of Force

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 107


PLIERS: 4.5 INCH SIZE
While crafting things and sorting out electrical connections, pliers come in very handy. Pliers can serve a
huge number of purposes, but it is mostly used for holding grip or cutting small pieces of wire and similar
material. A plier is generally made of sturdy steel alloys that are used for making the body of it. The handle
side is usually covered with thick plastic or rubber, to provide insulation and also to provide a better grip.
There are many kinds of pliers, each of them for specific functions, but there are 5 most common ones that
we’ll usually deal with. They are:-

External straight nose circlip plier


These pliers are used for installing or removing circlips on shafts and boards. A circlip is a small locking
device which has two holes where a plier needs to be put and then made to work.

Long nose plier


These pliers have elongated jaws and are used to grip small objects and reach tough places easily.

Combination mini plier


These pliers are a combination of pliers and can be used to carry out multiple tasks such as stripping wires,
cutting wires and materials, gripping objects and more.

Wire stripping pliers


As the name suggests, these pliers are used to strip wires and then make connections with the open ends
of wires.

108 ATL Equipment Manual


Bent nose pliers
The main reason bent nose pliers are used is that they don’t come in the line of sight and are very useful
in some situations where it needs to access hard-to-reach places. These kinds of pliers are also used for
opening and closing circlip.

How to Use
All types of pliers are used in a similar fashion. They are meant to be used with one hand, your
dominant hand preferably. Hold the plier handles with your hand, and grip it tightly. Put the jaws in
between the material that you want to twist/cut/flatten out, and then hold it tightly. Now, depending
on the type of plier, you can perform various operations.

Safety Measures
While using pliers with some electrical components, always make sure that you’re not touching the
metal part.
Hold a strong grip on the plier so that it doesn’t slip which might be hazardous.

Common Applicationss
There are potentially a lot of things that pliers can be used for:-
To strip wires for making connections
To tighten nut bolts.
For cutting wires, as well as for twisting them together.

Important Links

1. Types of pliers in detail 

2. Theory about circlips

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 109


TWEEZER SET
Tweezers are small tools that are used to grab very small things that
are usually tough to grab through hands. They are used for tasks
such as PCB repair and microelectronics, where a lot of precision
is required. The material of the tweezer could be magnetic or anti-
magnetic. It is always preferred to use anti magnetic tweezers
such that they won’t interfere with the properties of the material
they’re being worked on. One more thing to notice is that even anti-
magnetic tweezers gain some amount of magnetism over time, so
it should be made sure to replace them once it happens.

Types
The tweezer set should have at least these 6 types of tweezers in it:-
1. ESD 10–120 mm ESD safe straight tip single
2. ESD 11–140 mm straight tip single
3. ESD 12–135 mm straight tip single
4. ESD 13–120 mm spade tip single
5. ESD 14–120 mm super fine straight single
6. ESD 15–120 mm curved tweezers

How to Use
Hold the tweezer frame with fingers on each side, applying a very small pressure to keep it in grip,
then use its tip to hold small pieces, apply further pressure to just hold it enough, and then use it
to transfer pieces and do whatever is needed to be done.

Common Applicationss
To take out small pcb and microcontroller parts that are difficult to be handled by hand.
For makeup purposes and also in medical procedures.

Safety Measures
Avoid using tweezers that have gained magnetic properties.
Handle tweezers with care and make sure you don’t poke it on your skin.

Important Links

1. How does a RGB LED work YouTube Video

110 ATL Equipment Manual


Hammer
Hammers are very common tools that are used for a variety of
purposes such as carpentry, framing, nail pulling, finishing, bending
or shaping metal and more. The material is made of hard metals or
alloys such as steel or cast iron. The handle of the hammer could
be of different materials like wood, metal or metal with rubber grip.
There are many types of hammers, out of which 2 of them are
essential for ATL labs, they are:

Ball Pein Hammer


This kind of hammer is generally used in metalworking. It has two heads, one is the flat one and the other
is rounded, also called the ball pein part. The pein head is used in surface peening, which means to deform
the surface by applying force.

Steel Shaft Claw Hammer


This hammer has a claw on one head which is very useful while picking out the nails that are struck into
walls, metal or wood pieces.

How to Use
The hammer should be held tightly with one hand on its handle, gripping the handle firmly. Then,
the head part is used for putting the impact. For striking purposes, the head of the hammer should
be struck upon the material that needs to be striked. It can also be used with a chisel to care for
shapes by striking the chisel which is held over the material. For putting nails, The opening of the
claw should be put on the nail through its neck, and then the hammer should be pulled and twisted
with power to get the nail out from the surface.

Common Applicationss Some Example Tasks


Strike nails to fit them on surfaces. Putting the nail on a wooden board through
Taking out nails from the surfaces. a hammer and then taking it out.

Deforming the surface through peening.


Important Links
Safety Measures
Always strike normally (90°) on the surface. 1. Types of hammers and their uses
Always wear safety goggles while using a
hammer as the small chips that come out
while hammering could put damage to your 2. How to use a claw hammer
eyes.
Wear gloves if required and make sure that 3. Use a ball pein hammer with a
you don’t strike on your hand. chisel

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 111


C-Clamp
A C-clamp, also known as G-clamp is a device which
is used as a clamp to hold metal and wood pieces,
especially for welding and carpentry purposes. It
takes a firm grip on the material so that it won’t slip
while doing the carpentry and welding work. They are
generally made of steel or cast iron. C clamp consists
of a fixed jaw which is attached to the clamp frame,
and a movable jaw which is attached to a screw that
is tightened into the clamp frame through a handle
present over its top edge.

How to Use
Put the material (wood/metal pieces) between the jaws. A small piece of wood can be used as
a buffer to protect the main wood piece from getting marks of the C-Clamp. After putting them,
tighten the jaws to make sure that the grip is firm and it is tightened well. After that, the material
can be cut or welded accordingly with other tools such as a hacksaw and welding machine.

Common Applicationss
For holding metal for cutting/welding
To hold wood materials for carpentry

Safety Measures
Remove clamps as soon as the job is finished. Clamps serve only as temporary devices for holding
work securely in place.
Keep all moving parts of clamps lightly oiled and keep tools clean to prevent slippage.
Store C-clamps by clamping them in a rack, not in a drawer.

Some Example Tasks


Take a wood piece, hold it with a C-clamp and cut it.

Important Links

1. How to use a clamp

112 ATL Equipment Manual


Allen key set
Allen key, also known as allen wrench is a basic driver
which is used to tighten or loosen bolts and screws that
have internal hexagonal recesses (sockets).

Hex Size Length of long arm Length or short arm

1/16 inch 91 mm 15 mm
3/32 inch 112 mm 19 mm
7/64 inch 119 mm 20 mm
1/8 inch 123 mm 21 mm
9/64 inch 130 mm 22 mm
5/32 inch 137 mm 27 mm
3/16 inch 154 mm 34 mm
1/4 inch 185 mm 34 mm
5/16 inch 195 mm 37 mm
3/8 inch 224 mm 42 mm

How to Use
Take the allen key, and put its face into the screw that needs to be tightened or loosened. To tighten
it, rotate the allen key clockwise till the point it becomes tight, and similarly to loosen it, rotate the
allen key counter clockwise till it becomes loose and comes out.

Common Applicationss
Tightening and loosening internal hex bolts.

Some Example Tasks


Take some device with internal hexagonal socket, loosen the screw and then tighten it back using
allen keys

Important Links

1. https://youtu.be/sGu-eFH02Go

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 113


Drill Machine
Drill machine is a very useful machine which is
used when we need to make holes in materials
and surfaces such as bench, wood, wall and
more. They come with different attachments of
bits (the metal rod) which is used to make the
hole. It is a gun-like machine which is handy and
can be used anywhere. It has a power button,
a speed regulator and a chuck to fit the drill
bits. It is used to make holes in materials such
as wood and walls.
Drill bits are metal rods that have twists on them
and are attached to drill machines to carry out
the drilling process. There are different types of
drill bits for different target materials.
A drill machine set may also consist of other accessories like hammer, key and screws.

How to Use
A drill machine usually has two modes to select from, one for drilling into wood/metal and other
for concrete materials. Select a drill bit of required size and tightened it using the key. Once done,
make sure the fitting is tight enough. Then take the material you need to drill into. Point the bit
towards it and press the red button. The rotational speed of the bit would depend on the strength
with which the button is pressed. Slowly, put the drill bit into the surface of the material, don’t put
a lot of force, just enough force to keep the drill bit intact.

Common Applicationss
To make holes in walls for screws.
To make holes in other materials such as metal and wood.

Some Example Tasks


Drill a hole into a wood piece.

Important Links

1. How to use a drill machine

2. Parts of a drill machine

114 ATL Equipment Manual


Drilling Workstation
A drilling workstation refers to the whole setup where the process of drilling can be carried out. An ideal
workstation should have a drill press setup, a drill holder for holding drill machines/multitools over it, and
a rotary tool.

How to Use
The Drilling workstation has a drill press which takes the drill holder downwards to easily carry out
the drilling process without having to exert much pressure. The rotary tool or drill machine can be
attached to the setup, with their drilling points facing downwards. Once done, a drill bit can be
attached to it and can be used to get it to work.

Common Applicationss
Making holes in comparatively small and mobile materials like a block of wood.

Safety Measures
€ It uses very high power devices, so a socket with appropriate voltage and current ratings should
be used.
€ Don’t put your hands near the drill bit while it’s in use.

Important Links

1. How to use a drill machine

2. Parts of a drill machine

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 115


Spanner set and Wrench

Many times we require to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts for opening or closing the parts of devices for
various purposes such as repairing, modification and more. This is where spanners come in handy. A spanner
is a tool made of hard metal or alloys such as steel which has a shaped jaw designed to tighten or loosen
nuts and bolts. A spanner set contains spanners with different sizes of jaws to use on different nuts and bolts.
A universal wrench is a tool, pretty much like the spanner, but with movable jaws, to avoid using multiple
different tools for different bolt sizes. It is used to loosen or tighten bolts and to hold grip over them. The
space between the jaws can be changed by using the worm screw.

How to Use
To use the spanner, find the correct size of spanner required for the specific bolt. Put the spanner’s
jaw over the bolt, making sure that it fits well and is interlocked. Then, to fasten it, rotate the spanner
clockwise, and to loosen it, rotate the spanner in counter clockwise direction.
To use a wrench effectively, loosen its jaws a bit by rotating the worm screw, put the wrench over
the bolt, and then tighten the jaws to make them fit. Once fit, rotate the wrench in the clockwise
direction for tightening it, and in the counter clockwise direction for loosening it.

Common Applicationss
Tightening or loosening bolts.

Safety Measures
€ Do not use a bent or damaged spanner.
€ Don’t apply excessive force as it might break the material on which the bolt is tied.

Important Links

1. How is a spanner manufactured

116 ATL Equipment Manual


Vice normal
Vice, also spelled as vise, is a device which consists of two jaws, one fixed and one movable, which is used
for holding a workpiece. It is usually permanently attached to a bench to carry out the work. The length of
the workspace jaw is varied by using the movable jaw, and ranges between 4 to 12 inches generally.

How to Use
To use a vice, it is advised to first install it on a bench with enough space around it. For installation,
the screws need to be tightened into the bench. Once done, the vice is ready to be used. For using
it, take the workpiece, wood or metal, and put it between the jaws. Then, tighten the jaws and make
sure that the workpiece is held firmly. Now, you can go ahead and perform the task on the wood.

Common Applicationss
Used for holding wood pieces for cutting with hacksaws.
Used for holding metal for performing welding.

Safety Measures
€ Do not use a bent or damaged spanner.
€ Don’t apply excessive force as it might break the material on which the bolt is tied.

Some Example Tasks


Cutting a piece of wood by putting it on vice by using a hacksaw.

Important Links

1. How to install a vice

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 117


Screw driver set
Screw drivers are an amazing tool that are used
to tighten or loosen screws of different head
patterns. A screwdriver usually has 2 major parts,
a handle which is held by the person using it, and
a shaft with a tip. A multipurpose screwdriver set
has so many types of screw drivers that vary in
their size and the shape of head. Generally, we
use 3 major types of screwdrivers:-

Simple manual screwdriver


These screwdrivers are used with manual
mechanical force and have a simple design

Electric screwdriver
It is an electric tool which is used when power is required to loosen or tighten the screws. It looks like a
drill machine and makes the process of screwing/unscrewing almost effortless.

Precision screwdriver set


These screwdrivers are used to tighten or loosen relatively small fasteners that require more precision to
be used.

How to Use
For using a screwdriver, it should be held with the handle. Choose a screwdriver with the desired
shaft tip based on the screw that needs to be tightened or loosened. Then, fit the tip into the screw,
and rotate it clockwise to fasten it, and anti-clockwise to loosen it. Electric screw works in the same
way, just that it has a button which needs to be pressed for rotating the shaft.

Common Applicationss
Dismantling some electronic devices for repair purposes.
Changing old rusted screws.

Safety Measures
€ Do not use a bent or damaged screwdriver.
€ Don’t apply excessive pressure while turning the screws.

Important Links

1. How to crimp an alligator clip into a wire YouTube Video

118 ATL Equipment Manual


Cordless rotary multitool set
A rotary tool is a versatile, handheld power tool with a fast-spinning motor tip that is used for grinding,
sanding, honing and polishing a variety of materials. Rotary tools have a large assortment of attachments
designed for different tasks, making them a staple in many toolboxes.

Specification
A rotary tool with adjustable rotation speed till 30,000 and voltage/current range of 8-10V, 0-2A is preferred.

How to Use
Attach the bit that you would need to use for your purpose. Put the plug into the socket and turn
it on. Set the speed at which you want the rotation through the regulator present in the multitool.
Once done, you can switch the button and start working with it. The rotational speed is very high
so only a small impact should be made while using it.

Common Applicationss
Tto make the surfaces polished.
A grinding blade attached to a rotary tool makes it work like a grinder for cutting wood, metal pieces.

Important Links

1. https://youtu.be/xx9h9hfirtw

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 119


Air blower
Air blowers are devices used to blow air. The
main purpose is to replace the contaminated
air with clean air. Almost every industry uses
air blowers for different purposes such as
drying, reducing heat levels, reducing smoke
and odours, processing and controlling
gaseous fumes. The primary purpose of an
air blower is to ensure the provision of a
steady air flow when needed.
Some blowers can also work as vacuum
cleaners by putting the blower nozzle in the
fitting from where the air is sucked.

How to Use
Plug in the air blower into the socket and power it on. There’s a speed regulator attached to blowers
which controls the amount of air that should come out from the blower. Then, there’s a push button
which is used to blow the air. It should be pressed and held to blow air out of the machine. There’s
also a small lock which when pressed would keep the blower button ON and would supply air
continuously. Once done with the blowing, turn the button off, and turn off the power supply as well.

Common Applicationss
1. Cleaning hard to reach places at home.
2. Cleaning dust from surfaces.

Safety Measures
1. Never point the blower over anyone or near the face.
2. Wear proper safety equipment such as goggles and safety mask before using it in dusty areas.
3. Make sure that the cable of the blower is not damaged.

Important Links

How to use an air blower

120 ATL Equipment Manual


File set
Files are crafting tools that are used for various purposes such as making the surface of a metal smooth,
making the corners round, putting impact for creating depth on glass, metal or wood. There are a variety
of files for different purposes. Generally, there are two types of files that we’ll be using:-
Mini file set (working length–3 inches)
File set (working length–6 inches)

How to Use
A file is usually used with both hands. Put one hand on the handle, and the other one softly on
the edge. Then, push and pull it across the surface horizontally, creating maximum friction. Do this
repeatedly and you’ll start seeing the desired result.

Common Applicationss
to make corners of materials rounded for safety.
to make the surface smoother and shinier.

Safety Measures
Hold the file properly and securely while using.
Don’t use a file if its teeth become dull.

Important Links

How to use files for metalworking

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 121


Flexible cutting mat
A cutting mat is a hard mat that protects your work surface so that it does not receive any marks from the
rotary cutter’s blade. It also prolongs the life of the blade by keeping it from becoming dull. Many cutting
mats also have grid lines or rulers, which helps you to measure as you cut.

Specification
A A3 size mat (18 inches x 12 inches) with markings is preferred to be used.

How to Use
Whenever doing some work with a rotary multitool, use this flexible mat beneath to protect the
flooring surface.

Safety Measures
Don’t roll the mat even when not in use.
Clean the mat periodically to ensure it’s longevity.

Important Links

How to clean a cutting mat

122 ATL Equipment Manual


Pegboard
A pegboard is a very useful board used to hold and hang objects on it. Generally, we use it to hang
mechanical tools such as pliers, hammers, spanners and more. The advantage of using it over a normal board
is that its customizable and can hold a lot more things as compared to common boards. A pegboard also
has hooks that can be put in the holes and then can be used to hold things.

Specification
The pegboard should at least be 24x24 inches to accommodate all the required materials.

How to Use
Just hang the pegboard on a wall using screws and you’re good to go! Attach the hooks in the
holes you want to and then you can start putting tools over it.

Common Applicationss
Storing and organising tools.

Safety Measures
Make sure to install the pegboard on the wall safely.
Don’t overload the pegboard with tools exceeding its holding capacity.

Important Links

How to install pegboards

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 123


Hot glue gun
A hot gun is a very useful tool which is used
to stick things together through the adhesive in
its stick which is used in molten form. The gun
requires electricity and melts down the glue stick
from the nozzle of the gun which is then used
to stick materials. The adhesive of the glue stick
solidifies in a few minutes, ensuring that the
materials are stuck together. It is used in small
craftings and attachments, as the method is very
cheap, fast and easy to use, and also reliable.

Specification
Glue guns compatible with standard 0.5 inch glue
sticks and with a temperature range of around
230-280 degree celsius is preferred.

How to Use
Insert glue stick into the glue gun and make sure that it’s properly fit inside. Then, turn on the glue
gun power supply and let it run for about a minute. Then, take the glue gun and press its trigger
to get the hot glue out for usage. Once the adhesive comes out, it can be put on any surface that
needs to be stuck. After putting, put another material over it and press for a while. After a few
minutes, the adhesive would solidify and provide a hard bond.

Common Applicationss
Sticking materials together while making prototype projects

Some Example Tasks


Create a DIY design using icecream sticks or any other material and use a glue gun to stick its
components together.

Safety Measures
Ensure that you don’t touch the hot part of the gun while it’s ON.
Don’t put hot glue adhesive on things that are fragile and might deform due to heat.

Important Links

How to use a glue gun

124 ATL Equipment Manual


Digital oscilloscope
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying current
or voltage signals, usually as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time. Other
signals (such as sound or vibration) can be converted to voltages and displayed. It has a display which can
be controlled with a number of controllers present in the panel.

How to Use

Tutorial–YouTube Video

Common Applicationss
Analysing the nature of electronic waveforms.
See visual representation of the variation of voltage over time.

Safety Measures
Use only shielded probes and never touch the metal part of the probes while in use.
Avoid operating an oscilloscope in an environment with a significant magnetic field as it can distort
the results.

Some Example Tasks


Design any circuit on a breadboard and find its voltage through a digital oscilloscope.

Important Links

Working principle of an oscilloscope

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 125


Soldering kit
Soldering is a joining process used to join different
types of metals together by melting solder. Solder
is a metal alloy usually made of tin and lead which
is melted using a hot iron. It is used a lot in making
connections on microcontroller boards. Precision is
highly required while working with soldering iron. The
iron is heated to temperatures above 300 degrees
celsius which then cools to create a strong electrical
bond.
A soldering kit contains multiple tools to achieve the
process of soldering, It contains:-
1. Soldering Iron
2. Desoldering pump
3. Soldering Tip
4. Soldering wire

How to Use
Take the soldering iron, turn it ON. Then take it near the metal that needs to be soldered. Put it on
the tip, and put the soldering wire’s tip at the point as well. As soon as it melts a bit, take off the
soldering iron quickly. This is the best way to do soldering as it makes the soldering wire material
stick the best. Rosin core soldering wire is most famously used for electronics.

Common Applicationss
Making connections on microcontroller boards.

Safety Measures
Never touch the element or tip of soldering iron when in use.
Always return the soldering iron to its stand when not in use. Never put it down on the workbench.

Some Example Tasks


Solder the pins on the arduino board.

Important Links

1. Basics of soldering

126 ATL Equipment Manual


Adapters
A DC adapter is used to power a device which has a DC power jack connector to power it. It is used for
such devices that can’t use the voltage that comes from the main, which is AC voltage. So, a DC adapter
converts AC to DC accordingly and helps to charge such devices.

How to Use
1. Plug in the adapter into the power socket.
2. Plug in the DC connector into the device that requires the power
3. Turn ON the switch from main power.

Safety Measures
1. Don’t touch the DC jack connector while the main power is ON.
2. Don’t put the adapters in devices that are not rated to be used with the specifications of that
adapter.

Important Links

1. Learn about adapters in detail

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 127


Dual temperature heat gun
A heat gun is a machine that blows heated air. It is used to mould things, soften materials and provide heat.
It can be used to remove oil paint from the walls, melt down the water in frozen pipes during winters in
extremely cold places, or repair furniture. In dual temperature heat guns, they’ve two modes. One is more
powerful and blows more heat, and the other mode is a bit subtle in comparison.

How to Use
To use a heat gun, put the plug into the socket and turn it on. Now, on the switch, you’ll see two
modes, higher power and lower power, switch to any mode based on needs and then the heated
air would start blowing. Point the air towards whatever material you need to use it, and rotate the
material to provide equal heat on all sides if required.

Common Applicationss
1. A much less powerful version of heat guns is what we call hair dryers, used to make hair dry
after shower.
2. It can be used to mould PVC pipes.
3. Heat guns can also be used to mould glass materials.

Safety Measures
1. Never put your hand or any part of your body in front of a heat gun while it’s on.
2. Never point it to objects that are not intended to be heated, as it can prove hazardous.

Important Links

1. How to use a heat gun

128 ATL Equipment Manual


Return measuring tape
A measuring tape is a very handy and useful tool which can be used for measurement purposes and for
longer measurements that are generally not possible through rulers. A tape measure or measuring tape is
a flexible ruler used to measure size or distance. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibreglass, or metal
strip with linear measurement markings. It is a common measuring tool.

How to Use
Using a measuring tape is simple. It has a hook slot which can be pulled to get the required amount
of measuring tape out. The ideal way is to place the hook slot at one end of whatever material needs
to be measured, and then pull the tape in the opposite direction. The thumb lock can be used to
lock the tape position, which otherwise goes into the case if left as it is.

Common Applicationss
1. It is used to measure materials such as bench, plywood, pvc pipes and more.

Safety Measures
1. Don’t pull the tape further after it has reached its limit,
2. Don’t abruptly lose its grip as its hook can hit you and cause harm.

Important Links

1. How to use a measuring tape

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 129


Stainless steel ruler

A ruler is a very common stationary and industrial essential which is used for taking measurements and
drawing lines along them. A common stainless steel ruler has two measurements written on it, in inches
and centimetres. On one side you can find the measurements in inches, and on the other side they’re in
centimetres.

How to Use
Using a ruler is very easy. Just put it on the surface of whose length you want to measure or create
lines, and then just go on with your task.

Common Applicationss
1. Drawing straight lines
2. Measuring exact lengths and mark points accordingly.

Safety Measures
1. The ruler is pointed at edges, so carry and use it safely.
2. Make sure you’re watching the scale normally to avoid parallax errors in measurements.

130 ATL Equipment Manual


Digital vernier Calliper
Vernier calliper is a measuring device which is used to reach much more accuracy and precision as compared
to a normal ruler. It is very useful for measuring small materials where the measurement needs to be
accurate. It can also be used to measure the depth and breadth of materials. Earlier the callipers required
to be measured through 2 different graduating scales and then get the actual measurement by using the
formula. But the digital vernier calliper eases out the whole process. It shows the exact values digitally on
the LCD display.

How to Use
There are 3 ways you can measure things using vernier callipers, it depends on what you are
measuring. Let’s take a simple example of a beaker. First of all, turn on the button to start measuring
and put the calliper to zero. If it shows a non zero value, then press the absolute zero button
to correct zero error, and now it’s set to be used. If the internal diameter of the beaker is to be
measured, the vernier calliper would be put into it with the internal jaws touching the ends of the
beaker, and then the value can be read. Now, suppose if you want to measure its outer diameter,
you can use the external jaws and put the beaker between it and then read the LCD display values.
Thirdly, If the depth of the beaker needs to be measured, you can just put the depth measuring
blade inside and then read the values.

Common Applicationss
1. To measure the diameter of a pendulum bob.
2. To measure the dimensions of the beaker.

Safety Measures
1. Make sure that you don’t put excess pressure on the calliper while measuring.
2. Make sure that you eradicate the zero error in final readings.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 131


Some Example Tasks
Measure the dimensions (outer diameter, inner diameter and depth) of the beaker using a digital vernier
calliper.

Important Links

1. How to use a digital vernier calliper

2. Working principle of a simple vernier calliper

132 ATL Equipment Manual


Spirit level
A spirit level is a device consisting of a sealed glass tube partially filled with alcohol or other liquid, containing
an air bubble whose position reveals whether a surface is perfectly level. The level is found to be exactly
vertical or exactly horizontal if and only if the relevant tube bubble is in the centre and opposite to the
direction of gravitational force.

How to Use
Put the spirit level on the surface for checking. If the bubble is not in the centre, that means that
the level isn’t perfectly horizontal or vertical. Thereafter, relevant changes can be made to make
the surface levelled.

Common Applicationss
1. To check if a surface is levelled

Safety Measures
1. Make sure that the tube isn’t broken.
2. Ensure that you’re viewing it in such a way that parallax is negligible.

Important Links

How to use a spirit level

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 133


Digital pen electric tester
Many times, it is required to check if there’s voltage coming in a line or not, mostly while making electrical
connections or repairing electrical appliances. That is where a tester comes into play. Looking like a
screwdriver, it is used to determine if there is any sort of voltage or not. There are two types of testers, a
manual one and an electric one. Both work in the same way, but the electric one has an edge, as it shows
the voltage in the voltage LCD display present on it.

How to Use
To use a tester, it should be held in hand. Then, the tip should be touched with the wire line or
socket or any other thing you’re testing it on. If it’s an electric tester, it’ll display the voltage of the
display if any. Otherwise, if it’s a manual one, you once need to touch the metal touch screw on
the top, and then if the light glows, it indicates the presence of voltage. One thing to make sure is
that one should never touch the metal part of the head which is in contact with the testing material.

Common Applicationss
1. Repairing electronic devices.
2. Testing the voltage on devices.

Safety Measures
1. Never touch the head part of the tester which is in contact with the voltage line.

Important Links

How does an electric tester work

134 ATL Equipment Manual


Digital Multimeter
A multimeter is a device which can be used to measure multiple properties of an electrical setup such as
voltage, resistance and current. It serves as a single device which can be used as a voltmeter, ammeter and
ohmmeter, which is why it is also referred to as volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM). There are few multimeters
that are even more advanced and can measure more properties such as temperature and inductance.

How to Use
First of all, put one probe into the jack named COM. After that, you need to point the dial on the
property that you are measuring. If you are measuring direct current for example, point the dial
towards the A label. After that, put another probe into the jack with label A. The other ends of the
probes should be connected to the wire. If all the setup is correct, you should see the readings on
the LCD display.

Common Applicationss
1. to measure the electrical properties of appliances.

Safety Measures
1. Put the probes correctly in the multimeter input jacks.
2. Don’t touch any open ends while measuring values..

Important Links

How to use a multimeter

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 135


DIY paper microscope
A microscope is an optical instrument used for viewing very
small objects, such as mineral samples or animal or plant cells,
typically magnified several hundred times. For ATL purposes,
we’ll use a simple DIY paper microscope, which can be
assembled by the user itself.

Specifications
Magnification 140X

Resolution ~2 micron
Back focal length ~0.5 mm
Depth of field ~0.01 mm
Field of view ~0.5 mm (diagonal radius)

How to Use
The setup of the microscope will be mentioned in their manual. Alternatively, users can go through
this video YouTube video (https://youtu.be/UrYrhbd0aaI)

Common Applicationss
To observe microcomponents with much clarity and zoom to understand and study them better.

Some Example Tasks


1. Students can collect a very small amount of soil and then see its composition using the paper
microscope.
2. Observe water droplets collected from different taps in school and home

Important Links

How does a microscope work

136 ATL Equipment Manual


Telescope
A telescope is a tool that astronomers use to see faraway objects. They work by using curved mirrors to
gather and focus light from the night sky. Earlier lenses were preferred for this purpose, but nowadays,
mirrors are preferred more. It’s because mirrors are lighter, and they are easier than lenses to make perfectly
smooth. The mirrors or lenses in a telescope are called the “optics.” Really powerful telescopes can see very
dim things and things that are really far away. The bigger the mirrors or lenses, the more light the telescope
can gather. Light is then concentrated by the shape of the optics. That light is what we see when we look
into the telescope. The optics of a telescope must be almost perfect. That means the mirrors and lenses
have to be just the right shape to concentrate the light. They can’t have any spots, scratches or other flaws.
If they do have such problems, the image gets warped or blurry and is difficult to see. It’s hard to make a
perfect mirror, but it’s even harder to make a perfect lens.

How to Use
Tutorial–https://optcorp.com/blogs/telescopes-101/how-to-use-a-telescope

Common Applicationss
1. To see far off things
2. In astronomy

Some Example Tasks


1. Observe the surface of the moon using a telescope.
2. Try to observe planets using the telescope

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 137


Safety Measures
1. Don’t try to look at the sun or any bright material through a telescope as it can even lead to
blindness.
2. Carry the telescope with care as it has many delicate parts.

Important Links

How does a telescope work

How to set up and align telescope

Observing moon through a telescope

138 ATL Equipment Manual


Sewing kit

A sewing kit is a kit which contains devices and materials to carry out the sewing process. The kit should
have one semi automatic sewing machine, few sets of assorted needles and few colour spools. Sewing
machine is the most complex part of the kit. It has many components such as:-
1. Feed dog
2. Pattern selector
3. Machine body
4. Bobbin winder stopper
It requires a work of precision and aesthetics to make beautiful things.

How to Use
Tutorial–(https://youtu.be/oar000HnCQQ )

Common Applicationss
1. Sewing clothes
2. Sewing covers for Air-Conditioners or microwaves.

Some Example Tasks


1. Sew a small handkerchief kind of cloth with multiple folds, one on top of another to make it
appear like a flower.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 139


Important Links

Different types of sewing machines

140 ATL Equipment Manual


Glue Sticks

While using a hot glue gun for sticking materials, glue sticks are an essential component. They serve as a
refill and should always be there attached while using hot glue guns. Glue sticks are made of polymers such
as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefins and polyamides.

How to Use
Insert the glue stick into the glue gun and make sure that it’s properly fit inside. Then, turn on the
glue gun power supply and let it run for about a minute. Then, take the glue gun and press its
trigger to get the hot glue out for usage.

Important Links

1. How to refill glue stick

142 ATL Equipment Manual


Nuts, Bolts and Screws
A nut is a small metal object with a hole in the middle that has a corrugated hole. These curved holes are
known as threads. Nuts are used as a fastening device. It is important to note that evens though nuts are
used as a fastening device, they cannot be used without bolts. Nuts and Bolts are usually used together to
fasten multiple parts together. They are put together on the opposite ends of the material that needs to be
fastened, and then tightened through tools such as screwdrivers and allen keys. Screws are a bit different in
that sense. They are only single pieces and are used to hold things together. The screw is usually tightened
into materials and makes them hold the surface.

Types of screws

How to Use
Nuts and bolts are held together by a combination of friction of their thread, a slight stretch of the
bolt, & compression of the part to join together. For nuts and bolts, they should be kept apart first,
then the bolt should be inserted into the materials that need to be fastened. Thereafter, the bolt
should be inserted from the other end and should be tightened with the bolt. The nuts come with
a separate locking mechanism that prevents machine parts from loosening due to the vibration of
the parts or parts that they joined. The nut has internal threads so that it can be tightened easily
on the bolt. Screws can directly be impacted upon a surface and then tightened enough to ensure
they’re fixed properly. The parts connected with the screw have less strength than the bolt.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 143


Common Applications
1. All types of industrial equipment
2. Solar thermal plant & Nuclear power plant
3. Sewage Treatment plant
4. Pumps and valves
5. Transportation and storage, pressure vessels, tanks, piping, & heat exchangers

Some Example Tasks


1. Tightening the screw on a ply
2. Fasten two plies together with nut and bolt

Important Links

1. How to use nut and bolts

2. Difference between Bolts and screws

Safety Tips and Precautions


€ Tighten Bolts For Maximum Strength – The users see the tensile force only, not the comprehensive
force. The bolt has an internal reaction force for which it is itself in the tension, which is equal
to the amplitude of compression force.
€ Avoid Over-Tightening – It is difficult to determine the load that a fastener is bearing during
clamping, but it is necessary to stay away from the point of over-tightening. It is important to
manage the right balance for the perfect clamping.
€ Change The Melted Head Screws – At the time of sudden uncertainties, removing the melted
screws is nothing but calling the fires for your own. Therefore, it’s better to be prepared; replacing
these with new ones can save you from blunders.

144 ATL Equipment Manual


Cable Tie
Cable ties are used for fastening and holding items together, mostly electrical components like wires. It is
used to properly organise the components, keeping the setup tidy. They are also known by other names
such as hose, zip, or tie wrap. They come in different sizes, lengths, materials and even colours. The different
uses of cable ties vary across industries, but they all have in common that they’re the most effective way
to manage your cables.

How to Use
Take a cable tie, wind it around the materials you want to wrap together, and then fasten the cable
tie. Once fastened, you can cut the excess part if required.

Common Applications
1. Locking food items bag
2. Fastening group of cables in servers
3. Group together things in an organiser

Important Links

1. Types of Cable ties and their applications - A guide to cable ties

2. Video Tutorial to use a Cable Tie - How To Use A Zip Tie-With A Bonus Zip Tie
Trick

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 145


Sand Paper
Sandpaper is a kind of hard paper with sand or another abrasive stuck to it, which is
helpful in polishing surfaces. In ATL labs, it can be used to polish surfaces of 3D models
generated through 3D printers or ply or wood materials after cutting them.

How to Use
Hold the sandpaper from the plain side, and then run the other side on the material that you want to
make smooth. Rub and change its position accordingly to give the shape and smoothness as required.

Some Example Tasks


1. Create a 3D model and smoothen it out using sandpaper.
2. Get some plywood and smoothen it out using sandpaper.

Common Applications
1. Polish rough surfaces
2. Smoothen the finish of a 3D printed objects

Important Links

1. Video Tutorial - How to use sandpaper

146 ATL Equipment Manual


Power Strip Adapters
Power strip adapters come in very handy if you want to use multiple sockets for different devices but don’t
have enough sockets available. Also known as an extension or multiplier, it creates multiple sockets from
one socket that can be used as single sockets. It has a cable, a power plug, and multiple sockets on its
strip. The minimum number of suggested sockets is 5, but it can differ slightly.

How to Use
Using a Power strip adapter is very easy. Just plug in the power plug to the socket, power it on and
there you go! Now you have multiple sockets to utilise.

Safety Tips and Precautions


1. Don’t put fingers around the socket when the switch is turned on.
2. Don’t overload the power strip with heavy usage devices as it might fuse out.

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 147


Bulb Holders
Bulb holders, as the name indicates, are used to hold bulbs and are usually connected with a power source
to light them up. They are used everywhere around us. The power source could be a dedicated switch with
internal connections to the holder, or it can be as simple as a power plug which is portable and can be
attached to a socket for power. The kind of bulb holders we’ll need for ATL purposes are regular hanging
bulb holders.

How to Use
The holder should be placed in the right spot, ensuring that the wires are not getting twisted and
that they’re insulated throughout. If they are not insulated at some parts, make sure to provide
insulation first and then move on to the next step. Thereafter, take the bulb and place it in the holder.
For doing so, find the entry points in the holder on the edge, push the bulb barely, and then rotate
it to lock it there. After doing this, you can put the plug in the socket and turn on the power. The
bulb should start glowing!

Safety Tips and Precautions


1. Don’t put in the bulb when the holder power is on.
2. Avoid using rusted bulbs as they’re not safe and the rust filings can cause short circuits.

148 ATL Equipment Manual


Electric Wires
Electric wires are one of the most used components in the electrical and electronics domain. Wires are
present all around us, and they power up almost everything in one way or the other. Electric wires can be
used to make electrical connections between devices, in cables that are used to send information or for
charging purposes, in internal machinery connections, and more. Many conducting materials are used to
make wires such as copper, aluminium, steel, nickel alloys and more. Generally, we use the twisted red-black
wires. In DC, the positive pole is mostly connected to the red wire and the negative pole with black wire.
It’s not compulsory to do so, but it is nice to follow the standard conventions.

How to Use
Connect the ends of wires to components/wires. Twist or solder them as required, and ensure that
nothing carrying high voltage should be open. If there is anything with high voltage, it should be
adequately insulated. Once the connections are made, ensure they’re strong enough, and yay, you’re
done!

Some Example Tasks


Making a series bulb connection - YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0iErNYdtKI)

Important Links

1. Types, components, features, tutorials) Understanding Wires

Safety Tips and Precautions


1. Don’t touch the open part of the wire if it’s connected to some sort of power supply.
2. Always insulate open wires properly

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 149


USB to DC Jack Cable

A USB to DC jack cable is very useful as it enables powering DC devices through the standard USB 2,0
ports present in laptops or power adapters. On one end, the cable has a USB 2.0 type connector; on the
other, it has a DC jack.

How to Use
Plug the USB connector of the wire into your laptop or power adapter. Plug the DC Jack into your
device that you want to power through the cable, and you’re done!

150 ATL Equipment Manual


First Aid Kit
First aid kit is a box which has all the necessary equipment
needed to give immediate medical care to someone in
case of an emergency. The emergency could be of any
sort, such as a cut, fire burn or shock. It is very important
to have first aid boxes in ATL labs. Some equipment should
be present in all first aid kits:-
1. Plasters
2. Gauze dressings
3. Sterile eye dressings
4. Bandages
5. Safety Pins
6. Sterile gloves
7. Tweezers
8. Antiseptic wipes
9. Antiseptic liquid
10. Latex gloves

How to Use
The most important part is to identify what equipment from the first aid kits should be used to
treat and provide medical care in case of emergencies. Then, make sure that the usage is correct
and safe and always try to do that in a safe and secure place.

Safety Tips and Precautions


1. Any used disposable item such as bandages shouldn’t be used again.
2. Antiseptic wipes and liquid should be applied in right amounts.

Important Links

1. How to use a First aid kit

2. First aid kit contents

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 151


Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguisher is a fire protection device which is very useful
to control or diffuse small level fires that may be caused due to
several reasons. It is a very essential item that should be present in
all sorts of labs or places that have chances of catching fire. There
are different kinds of fire extinguishers for different kinds of fires.
Fires are classified into 5 categories, with the top 3 being the most
common ones:-
1. Type A fire
Fires in ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, cloth,
paper, rubber, and many plastics.
2. Type B fire
Fires in flammable liquids, combustible liquids, petroleum
greases, tars, oils, oil-based paints, solvents, lacquers, alcohols,
and flammable gases.
3. Type C fire
Fires that involve energised electrical equipment.
4. Type D fire
Fires in combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium, and potassium.
5. Type K fire
Fires in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats).

How to Use
Fire extinguisher should be used if and only if there’s a case of fire. Always follow the acronym
P.A.S.S (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep):-
1. Pull the pin to unlock the fire extinguisher to be used.
2. Aim the extinguisher discharge nozzle towards the fire from at least 6-8 feets away.
3. Squeeze the discharging lever to discharge the content of the extinguisher.
4. Sweep the nozzle back and forth to cover a larger area until the extinguisher empties out.

Safety Tips and Precautions


1. The nozzle shouldn’t be pointed towards any human as it is toxic.
2. Once opened, an extinguisher should be completely used.

Important Links

1. How to use a fire extinguisher

2. How fire extinguishers work

152 ATL Equipment Manual


Safety Goggles

While cutting pieces of ply, plastic, PVC and similar things, dust is released in the air that might enter in
your eyes causing irritations and in some cases permanent damage. But with the proper care, it can be
easily avoided using safety goggles. Wearing them before performing any sort of cutting, grinding or filing
protects the eyes from dust.

How to Use
Before starting the cutting/grinding process, the goggles should be worn such that the eyes are
completely covered. Ensure that the visibility is proper and you can see things correctly. In case of
any uneasiness, the task should be aborted.

Important Links

1. How to put on safety goggles and use them

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 153


Safety Gloves Pair
Safety gloves are used to protect hands while working with things that might be corrosive, abrasive or
chemicals.

How to Use
The gloves should be worn on hand like normal gloves. Always ensure that you wear gloves before
coming in contact with abrasive or corrosive materials. Also, some people might have a latex allergy.
It is strictly advised not to use gloves if you’re allergic to latex, and ask your teammate or teacher
to help you out with your work.

Important Links

1. Learn more about latex allergy

154 ATL Equipment Manual


Safety Mask
While cutting pieces of ply, plastic, pvc and similar things, a lot of dust is released into the air, which could
be in the breathing range of the people doing it. It is essential to ensure the dust isn’t being inhaled as it
can prove hazardous. That is the reason why we’ve safety masks in ATL. We should always ensure that we
wear them before doing some work that might release dust.

How to Use
Before starting the cutting/grinding process, the mask should be worn such that the nose and mouth
portion is totally covered. Ensure that you are not running short of breath while wearing it. In case
of uneasiness, the task should be aborted.

Important Links

1. How to wear a mask

Lets Start Tinkering – ATL Equipment Manual 155

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