Memory Element PCB
- Components: 342
- Dimensions: 200x133mm
- Layers: 4
- Thickness: 1.6mm
- Material: FR-4
The job of the memory element is to store information for the computer. This includes the memory itself and the circuitry required to directly maintain it when given commands by the memory control element. While the original computer had a large three-dimensional ferrite core array to store information, technical limitations warranted a change for this project. Instead, an Arduino Mega was used as an emulator for the memory and some of the memory address driver circuitry.
- An onboard MRAM chip is used to store data between power shutoffs
- Breakout pins on the Arduino emulator allow for easier modifications should the need arise in the future
- 12V power supply for logic
- Onboard NTC thermistors output temperature-controlled voltages similar to that of the original computer.
- Uses connectors that allow identical boards to be stacked and function in parallel, a feature favored due to there being eight of these boards being used on the project
Fun Fact: Before the implementation of the Arduino, a much more hardware-intensive equivalent was being developed. With the introduction of the Arduino board, the PCB removed over 200 components that would have been used in place of the memory address drivers and parts of other circuits.
NOTE: This was the first PCB of the project to be made in Kicad. The migration from Eagle to Kicad halted development on the board for several days until Kicad was setup.
TBD