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Mains Blade Interface

A project log for WiFi Wart

The WiFi Wart is a wall charger with a monster inside.

machinehum-ryan-walkerMachinehum (Ryan Walker) 07/27/2021 at 17:430 Comments

I've been scouring the internet trying to find an off-the-shelf part like this...

The part circled above it is a through-hole stamped part that makes contact with the blade connector, it's the power entry connector for the board. It's an extremely low-cost connector that has to be done right. If the component is to fail it could short against other components causing a fire. The component that actually plugs into the wall is custom as well and is "insert moulded" directly into the case itself. As I couldn't find any existing component I would have to draw one up myself, being new to FreeCAD and mechanical engineering I knew this one would be a challenge. Poking around enough, I found the Sheet Metal Toolbox to be the tool. This toolbox is for sheet metal, you lay out a flat design and add bends where you please. As a starting point, I desoldered a contact from the board above and flattened it out...

Then sketched it flat...

To make bends you sketch a line, then click the line and face. You define a bend angle and bend radius.

I then integrated it into the board file in Kicad exported a step file and reimported it into the FreeCAD assembly, there is still some alignment to be done but it's good enough for now.

Until next time ;) !

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