Kitronik January 2016 Update

41 BRAND NEW PRODUCTS INSIDE!

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY:

JANUARY 2016 UPDATE

THE NEW LOW COST, PROGRAMMABLE MODULE FOR CREATING INTERACTIVE WEARABLE DESIGNS

ALSO INSIDE

NEW PRODUCTS

Kitronik turn 10 years old!

BBC micro:bit update DATA campaign 3D printed memory stick resource

Add on boards for the BBC micro:bit Perspex sheets Extended plywood range Solar cells

Igloo programmable module for e-textiles Extended Electro-Fashion range Robox 3D printer starter pack Speciality 3D printer filaments

Here at Kitronik we recently celebrated our 10th birthday. This significant anniversary has been a landmark year for the company which has seen us celebrate our 1 millionth kit sale, hire new staff and work alongside some of the biggest names in technology such as Samsung and Microsoft as one of the partner organisations in the BBC’s micro:bit project.

We started life in Geoff’s front room in 2005 and since then the company has grown steadily over the last 10 years to reach a turnover of over £1,000,000, work with 3,000 UK schools, distribute its products worldwide via its website and employ 24 members of staff.

Kitronik was initially born through its Geoff’s voluntary work teaching electronics to young people and continues to be one of the founding principles of Kitronik.

You can learn more about our journey over the last 10 years at...

www.kitronik.co.uk/10thbirthday

DATA CAMPAIGN – DESIGNED AND MADE IN BRITAIN...?

D&T education makes a unique and valuable contribution to the education and preparation for life for every child – at work or leisure. For some it can be the start-point for highly satisfying and successful careers in industries that bring increasing economic benefit to the UK. Even so, D&T is currently facing many challenges. These include: teacher recruitment, reducing curriculum time, decreasing GCSE entries, access to professional development. Unless we can address this now; the subject of design and technology will be marginalised!

For more information and to sign up to support the campaign visit...

www.data.org.uk/campaign 2

BBC micro:bit UPDATE As this January update went to print over the Christmas holidays, the BBC were putting plans in place ready to send out BBC micro:bits to ICT teachers in the New Year. The initial delivery is for ICT teachers, but there will be one BBC micro:bit for teachers in the D&T department supplied with the student delivery, which is still on scheduled for early 2016.

If you are keen to give it a go before you get your hands on a BBC micro:bit the website is now live and allows you to code and simulate what will happen on the BBC micro:bit hardware. Kitronik have also produced a number of tutorials specifically aimed at D&T. To stay up-to-date with the latest BBC micro:bit news, check out the following links:

www.microbit.co.uk www.kitronik.co.uk/microbit

NEW! – EDGE CONNECTOR BREAKOUT BOARD FOR THE BBC MICRO:BIT This breakout board has been designed to offer an easy way to connect additional circuits and hardware to the pins on the edge of the BBC micro:bit.

It provides access to a large number of the BBC micro:bit processor pins allowing a lot of extra functionality to be added. Requires soldering. www.kitronik.co.uk/5601 Code

1+

10+

5601

£2.50

£2.00

NEW! – MOTOR DRIVER BOARD FOR THE BBC MICRO:BIT This board provides a simple way to add motor driving capability to a BBC micro:bit. It allows two motors to be driven with full forward, reverse & stop control. It has terminal blocks to connect four input devices and a regulated 3V supply is fed in to the 80 way connector to power the inserted BBC micro:bit. www.kitronik.co.uk/5602 Code

1+

10+

5602

£9.58

£8.00 3

NEW! – PERSPEX SHEETS 5MM OPAQUE SHEETS

Nominal 1000 x 600mm

Our great range of opaque (solid) coloured PERSPEX branded sheets are now available in 5mm sheet thicknesses. They are ideal for D&T projects that require the extra strength and rigidity these thicker sheets offer.

600 x 400mm

Description

Code

Sheet

Code

Sheet

Red

43201

£19.50

43261

£7.85

Blue

43202

£19.50

43262

£7.85

Yellow

43203

£19.50

43263

£7.85

Green

43204

£19.50

43264

£7.85

Black

43205

£19.50

43265

£7.85

Orange

43206

£19.50

43266

£7.85

Pink

43207

£19.50

43267

£7.85

White

43208

£19.50

43268

£7.85

Purple

43209

£19.50

43269

£7.85

Bulk pack 43200-SP £170.00 (One of each colour)

43260-SP £67.50

MIDNIGHT BLACK & MOONLIGHT WHITE FROSTED PERSPEX SHEETS Midnight black and moonlight white frosted Perspex sheets are an interesting alternative to our standard black and white opaque sheets. The surface of the sheet has a double-sided matt surface which gives an effect similar to that of sandblasted or etched glass and reduces reflections.

Description

Code

Sheet

Midnight black frosted 3mm Perspex sheet – 600 x 400 mm

43137

£5.80

Moonlight white frosted 3mm Perspex sheet – 600 x 400 mm

43138

£5.80

OUR FULL PERSPEX RANGE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE www.kitronik.co.uk/perspex 4

TRANSPARENT 600 X 400 MM SHEETS This popular range of transparent Perspex sheets is now available a in 600 x 400mm sheet size. This makes them ideal for users with laser cutters that have an A2 (or larger) laser bed size.

Description

Code

Sheet

Red

43221

£4.95

Blue

43222

£4.95

Green

43223

£4.95

Amber

43224

£4.95

Neutral (grey)

43225

£4.95

Bulk pack (One of each colour)

43220-TP

£24.00

LASER PLYWOOD Plywood is a fantastic material that is ideal for a wide range of projects. It is low cost and can machined or laser cut. Poplar plywood in particular is ideal for laser cutters as its lower density means it can be cut at a lower power level than Birch plywood. We have recently introduced extended price breaks on our Poplar ranges making them even better value.

NEW! PRICE BREAKS

Description

Code

1+

10+

3mm Birch Laser Plywood - 600mm x 400mm sheet

3201

£2.70

6mm Birch Laser Plywood - 600mm x 400mm sheet

3202

£3.75

3mm Birch Laser Plywood - 297mm x 210mm (A4)

3207

£0.75

£0.40

6mm Birch Laser Plywood - 297mm x 210mm (A4)

3208

£0.97

£0.62

3mm Poplar Laser Plywood - 600mm x 400mm sheet

3209

£2.50

£2.30

£2.05

6mm Poplar Laser Plywood - 600mm x 400mm sheet

3210

£3.75

£3.55

£3.00

3mm Poplar Laser Plywood - 800mm x 600mm sheet

3217

£4.75

£4.35

£4.00

Don’t forget there is a once per order delivery charge on all Perspex, plywood and MDF sheets. In most UK locations this is £6.50, see www.kitronik.co.uk/delivery-info for more information. Standard delivery applies to A4 sized sheets.

100+

5

NEW! – IGLOO, PICAXE WEARABLE MODULE This PICAXE control board offers an easy introduction to the world of wearables. The board can be used to control inputs and outputs like switches, sensors, LEDs, buzzers and many more to add another dimension to your next wearable project!

It is packed full of features and like all of our Electro-Fashion PCBs is double sided and has large connection points for conductive thread making the connection very reliable.

On-board there is a PICAXE 14M2 programmable IC, a dimmable white LED, a momentary push switch, a 3.5mm stereo socket for ease of programming, and a JST connector for attaching a battery pack. There are also 6 sewable I/O pins, making this a really versatile control board.

Pins C0, C1, B5, B4, B3, B2 (the on-board LED) can be used to fade LEDs (using Pulse-width modulation) and Pins C0, C4, B5, B4, B3 can be used to read analogue inputs.

It can be powered either by the JST connector, or the clearly marked ‘+’ and ‘-‘ connections via conductive thread, from a power source between 3V and 5.5V. The board can be programmed via the official PICAXE software (in Blockly, Basic or flowcharts) to make programming accessible even to complete beginners. Just download the free software from www.kitronik.co.uk/picaxe, and connect the board to a PC via a PICAXE USB download cable.

Dimensions: L44 x W20 x H7mm.

Key features:

– – – –

Built in PICAXE 14M2 programmable IC On-board dimmable white LED On-board switch 6 sewable I/O pins

For more information about the Igloo & to see a video explaining its features, please visit the following link...

6

– JST connector & sewable '+' and '-' pads – 3.5mm stereo jack for programming – Low profile and compact

www.kitronik.co.uk/igloo

Description

Code

1+

10+

Igloo, PICAXE Wearable Module

2751

£5.78

£4.75

IGLOO RESOURCES Are you still unsure about what Igloo can do for you or about E-Textiles in general? Then why not take a look at our E-Textiles resource section. This contains a wide selection of step by step guides and videos to get you started.

For the Igloo module we have created a number of short videos that will guide you through the examples covered in the Igloo starter guide. In these you can watch and learn how parts are connected to the board and the software is created using the simple ‘drag and drop’ Blockly software. You will be amazed how simple it is.

To view our Igloo and other E-Textiles resources please visit... www.kitronik.co.uk/etextilestutorials Clips leads can be used to test designs

SEWABLE LIGHT LEVEL DETECTOR Designed for use with our Igloo module, this specially designed light level detector allows you to activate other equipment based on day or night conditions. As the light level increases so does the output voltage supplied by the Out pin. This light level can then be read by the Igloo module. Connecting it is easy using the three large clearly marked double sided connection points.

Dimensions: L20.5 x W12 x H2.6mm.

Description

Code

1+

10+

Sewable light level detector

2754

£1.36

£0.95 7

NEW! – ELECTRO-FASHION PARTS In addition to the Igloo module we have also added a number of other parts to our Electro-Fashion E-Textiles range. Here are a selection of the recent additions.

SEWABLE BUZZER

LATCHING SWITCH

This sewable buzzer allows you to add an alarm or alert sound to your textiles project.

The buzzer has a built in drive circuit, so you just need to connect power (3V) to the buzzer for it to sound.

This switch latches meaning you press once to turn the power on, and again to turn the power off. Simply connect the 'input' side to a power board and the 'output' side to the parts you want to turn on. Pressing the button toggles the power state on the output side.

Dimensions: L24.5 x W10.5 x H6.3mm.

Dimensions: L19.5 x W19.5 x H4mm.

Code

1+

10+

Code

1+

10+

2745

£2.50

£2.00

2753

£1.60

£1.20

THROUGH HOLE LED HOLDERS These sewable LED holders make it easy to add a compatible 5mm through hole LED to an e-textiles project. The boards have two large sewable pads to which the conductive thread can be connected and these are clearly labelled with '+' and '-' symbols. Just slide the legs of the chosen LED through the holes in the middle of the board (making sure it matches the outline on the PCB) and solder into place. Supplied in a panel of 10. Requires soldering.

Dimensions: L18 x W7.5mm

Description

Code

1+

10+

Through hole LED holders - 10 pack

2746

£3.25

£2.65

MAGNETIC FASTENERS – 5 PACK These magnetic buttons/fasteners make great of creating a simple ‘on/off switch’ in an E-Textiles project. Just connect (sew) conductive thread to each half of the fastener using the two mounting holes on each part. When they magnetically snap together your circuit is completed allowing you to active parts such as LEDs or buzzers.

8

Description

Code

1+

Magnetic Fasteners – pack of 5

2755

£4.00

We have been working hard to improve the quality of the resources in the Kitronik University resource section of our website. Here are a couple of the subjects that we recently created video tutorials for.

UNDERSTANDING OHM’S LAW

LED – CALCULATING RESISTOR VALUES

www.kitronik.co.uk/ohmslaw

www.kitronik.co.uk/ledcalc

NEW! – POLYCRYSTALLINE SOLAR CELLS We have extended our range of solar cells with these great high efficiency units. They are resin encapsulated (IP54), meaning they can be used in outdoor designs and come pre-fitted with 200mm connecting wires. Units can be fitted in series or parallel to obtain a wide range of voltage or current outputs.

Dimensions:

3606 – L60 x W90 x H3mm 3607 – L120 x W62 x H3mm 3608 – L110 x W56 x H3mm

Description

Code

1+

1.5V 400mA polycrystalline solar cell

3606

£3.15

2.0V 400mA polycrystalline solar cell

3607

£4.15

5.0V 130mA polycrystalline solar cell

3608

£4.35 9

NEW! – ROBOX® 3D PRINTER STARTER PACK

www.kitronik.co.uk/robox

The Robox is a desktop 3D printer which marks a new level of innovation in 3D printer development. The Robox 3D printer has all the features that you would expect from an extrusion-type 3D printer, with the addition of a number of unique features. For this reason we think the Robox is the ideal choice for any education or hobby 3D printer user.

This great value pack is a fantastic way to get started with 3D printing. The pack includes the Robox RBX1 3D Printer and 10 reels of ABS filament. You will get at least 9 different colours and the 10th reel is the one supplied with the printer (this colour may be a duplicate).

Save £49.50 when compared to buying the items separately

WHAT IS SUPPLIED?

10

• RBX1 Robox® 3D printer

• USB stick & cable

• 10 Reels of ABS Filament

• Tweezers

• Instruction manual

• High temperature lubricant

• 2 Year Warranty

• Tools

• AutoMaker software

• Tote bag

Description

Code

1+

5+

Robox® 3D printer starter pack

5425

£950.00

£930.00

NEW! – SPECIALITY 3D PRINTER FILAMENTS Here are some of the recent additions to our exciting range of Robox SmartReel 3D printer filaments.

COLORFABB_XT FILAMENTS

HIPS NATURAL COLOUR FILAMENT

ColorFabb_XT prints with a low odour, excellent dimensional stability and is styrene free. The finished parts are easy to process, have enhanced aesthetics with great clarity and gloss and have a greater toughness and temperature resistance than traditional 3D Printing materials.

Weight = 700g, length = 240m.

HIPS is a unique high quality material that is as strong and stiff as ABS, but is much easier to print as it is less likely to shrink or warp. It is a dissolvable material that is frequently used as support material for 3D prints because it is easily removable when using Limonene as a solvent.

Weight = 800g, length = 240m.

Colour

Code

1+

Code

1+

Clear

5429

£33.00

5428

£23.00

Black

5430

£33.00

White

5431

£33.00

THERMOCHROME PURPLEPINK PLA FILAMENT

WOODY BEECH EFFECT PLA FILAMENT

ThermoChrome PLA filament prints just like normal PLA however it has a colour-changing feature. When the material is cold it is deep purple, but as it warms it changes colour to light pink! This filament is a perfect choice for creating heat responsive designs.

Weight = 950g, length = 240m.

This product contains no actual wood – but you wouldn’t know it. Instead a foamed structure is activated during the printing process which mimics wood aesthetics – it is the only 3D printable foam material currently on the market. You often cannot tell a part has been 3D printed due to the foaming agent which conceals the laminate layers.

Weight = 750g, length = 240m.

Code

1+

Code

1+

5426

£29.00

5427

£31.00

More details on our full range of 3D printer filaments can be found at:

www.kitronik.co.uk/3d-printing/filament 11

FREE RESOURCE www.kitronik.co.uk/memorystick

A resource designed to show how you can use our uncased memory stick modules as the basis for a 3D printing project.

Uncased memory sticks available from ÂŁ3.30 each. www.kitronik.co.uk/4115

3D PRINTED MEMORY STICKS FREE SAMPLES Request your free sample Kitronik project kit by phone, email or online at:

www.kitronik.co.uk/samples

The samples service is available for any self assembly electronic kit which is marked as exclusive to Kitronik (excludes any kit where the price for one is over ÂŁ8)

All prices shown are exclusive of VAT, delivery charge may be applicable.

T: 0845 8380781 A: Kitronik Unit 3a, Shipstones Business Centre, North Gate, Nottingham, NG7 7FN W: www.kitronik.co.uk E: sales@kitronik.co.uk

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