What is this printed circuit board symbol?

sniffy · 30 Oct 2006 at 20:39

Ello lads

I just have a little question about this circuit board design. My lecturer hasn't mentioned this so I'm a little stumpted. In the picture below, you can see I have added arrows pointing to arrows drawn on the CB design. I'm just curious as to what they actually are and how they effect the circuit. The resistors 1-8 use these arrows yet the resistors 9-11 don't. There's an arrow going into R13 too. I'm sure it's very simple, I just haven't been told.

I know this thread is a little random for GD but I looked around the net for popular electronic forums and didn't have much luck. I thought I'd post it up here as I imagine a few of ya are in the electronics industry or hold an interest in it. I can't really think of what to search on google for...it's just an arrow on a PCB design lol.

Thanks for any help and I do apologise for the slightly dumb question.

divine` · 30 Oct 2006 at 20:44

Variable Resistor / Potentiometer i'd imagine

sniffy · 30 Oct 2006 at 20:45

Ta very much mate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_resistor

Feel free to delete this dons.

Welshy · 30 Oct 2006 at 21:40

Damn, i was going to say variable resistor and look clever

Meridian · 30 Oct 2006 at 21:48

divine_madness said:
Variable Resistor / Potentiometer i'd imagine

Commonly known as a "twiddly-pot". Every piece of apparatus built for scientists to use has at least four of them on it. These are not actually connected to anything, but are designed to give said scientists something to play with, to stop them taking the cover off to fiddle, and thus really doing some damage.

M

sniffy · 30 Oct 2006 at 22:06

Meridian said:
Commonly known as a "twiddly-pot". Every piece of apparatus built for scientists to use has at least four of them on it. These are not actually connected to anything, but are designed to give said scientists something to play with, to stop them taking the cover off to fiddle, and thus really doing some damage.

M

Interesting

Does anyone have a site where all PCB symbols and their descriptions are presented? I believe I remember now the lecturer drawing a PCB using a variable resistor but he used a different symbol, it should have clicked in my head what that was though.

divine` · 30 Oct 2006 at 22:18

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/symbol.htm

Though it won't help for old style symbols like those resistor ones you posted originally

sniffy · 30 Oct 2006 at 22:30

Thanks again

Psycrow · 30 Oct 2006 at 23:57

What degree/course you doing?

Dr.EM · 31 Oct 2006 at 00:03

It appears to be a basic oscillator wired up to be played as a keyboard. Each pot can be used to tune its connected key to a note such that an instrument can be produced. Quite a popular starter project. I'd call them schematic symbols/schematic diagrams, though many programs can create a PCB layout from these (eagle). This is a good electronics forum if you need it:

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/

sniffy · 31 Oct 2006 at 00:28

Psycrow said:
What degree/course you doing?

AS level Electronics

Dr.EM said:
It appears to be a basic oscillator wired up to be played as a keyboard.

Yeah that is what it is.

I'd call them schematic symbols/schematic diagrams, though many programs can create a PCB layout from these (eagle).

Oh right, thanks mate. I did notice when reading through wikipedia I used the wrong term but kept it quiet

This is a good electronics forum if you need it:

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/

Thanks for that

Very handy