PIC Literature and General Information

See also:

PIC Support Products

MicroEngineering Labs’ PicBasic Pro Information

Semiconductor and Electronics Information and Ordering

I/O Devices and Useful Project Components and Accessories (see Digikey for product info)

For good general mechatronic project component advice, see the following video: Essential Electronics Components that you will need for creating projects!

For example designs using many of the components below, see the Threaded Design Examples (and components used) in Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems

  • basic required components
  • buffer/line-driver to boost current and send signals over larger distance
    • 74240 Octal 3-STATE Buffer/Line Driver/Line Receiver
  • digital I/O expansion
  • Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) module for character display (HD44780-based)
  • keypad interface
  • motor/load drivers and controllers
  • Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), custom-designed:
  • sensor interfaces
  • Example components used by past student groups in MECH307:
    NOTE – the part numbers below were provided by students, and the vendors sometimes discontinue and change part numbers; therefore, some of the info might be inaccurate. Regardless, the information is still useful to let you know the sorts of things students purchased along with where they purchased them. These vendors are good places to start if you wish to search for similar components.
    • accelerometer
      • triple-axis SEN-12728, SEN-12756, LIS3DH, ADXL335, SEN-09652 from Sparkfun
      • 3-axis GY-61, GY-521, MPU-6050 from Amazon
      • 28017 from Parallax
      • SEN-00849 from Sparkfun
      • MMA7260QT from Pololu
    • barcode scanner
      • Symbol LS-1902T PS/2 from Ebay
    • buffer (for added output current)
      • CD4050 from Circuit Specialists
    • compass/magnetometer
      • HMC5883L from Adafruit
    • D/A converter
      • AD557JNZ-ND from Digikey
    • coin acceptor
      • COM-11719 programmable coin acceptor from Sparkfun
    • color
      • TCS34725 RGB sensor from Adafruit
      • SSB-06649 TCS230 RGB sensor from Elecfreaks
      • QTR-84 reflectance sensor array from Pololu
    • controllers
      • Arduino UNO R3 board with DIP ATmega328P from Adafruit
      • Arduino SainSmart MEGA 2560 from Amazon
      • 43W5302 Raspberry Pi from Newark
    • displays
      • YSD-1100AR7B-15 and COM-08530 large 7-segment displays from Sparkfun
      • 7SR23011AS large digit display from Futerlec
      • LCD-09351 graphical dot-matrix LCD from Sparkfun
      • SM671801B large 7-segment displays from Auspciouse via Ebay
      • HDSP-713A LED matrix from Digikey
      • Sun7 LCD Touch Screen
      • ILI9340 TFT LCD screen from Adafruit
      • uOLED-128-G1(GFX) OLED display with CB-128-G1 mounting board with joystick from 4D systems (donated)
      • see also: LED and LCD
    • flex sensor
      • SEN-08606 flex sensor from Sparkfun
    • force sensor
      • SEN-09375, SEN-09673 and SEN-09376 from Sparkfun
      • 1075, 166 force-sensitive resistor from Adafruit
      • FSR402 force-sensitive resistor from Sparkfun
      • 1027-1002-ND from Digikey
    • GPS
      • GPS-12751 EM-506 GPS receiver from Sparkfun
    • H-bridge
      • L293D from Adafruit and Mountain States
      • L293DNE, 386337 from Jameco
      • SN754410, COM-00315 from Sparkfun
      • L6205 from STMicroelectronics
      • LMD18201 from National Semiconductor
    • I/O
      • MCP23017 I2C I/O expander from Adafruit
    • IR beam break
      • 2167 from Adafruit
      • LTE-302 , SEN-00241, SEN-00242 IR pair from Sparkfun
      • SEN-00241, SEN-00242, LTE-302 IR pair from Sparkfun
      • 1070238 IR LED and 372710 IR transistor from Jameco
      • ROB-09453 retro-reflective from Sparkfun
      • GP1A57HRJ00F interrupter from Sparkfun
      • NTE 3031/3017 photo-optic pair from Mountain States Electronics
    • joystick
      • 480 from Adafruit
      • COM-09182, COM-0932 from Sparkfun
      • Parallax 27800 from All Electronics
      • 5-button directional pad COM-10411 from Sparkfun
      • 27800 from Parallax
    • keyboard
      • computer keyboard from CSU surplus
      • ATKBD2 AT keyboard decoder from K1EL Systems
    • LCD
      • 12C/SPI LCD controller from Adafruit
      • multi-color backlit LCD display (499) from Adafruit
      • HD4478OU backlit (white on blue) from Ebay – Gravitech
      • LCD-09052 serial backlit LCD from Sparkfun
      • 1585979 Tinsharp parallel backlit LCD from Jameco
      • see also: displays
    • LEDs and lighting
      • 1138 digital RGB LED strip from Adafruit
      • COM-12023 RGB LED strip from Sparkfun
      • B01GH10HMQ LED strip from Amazon
      • B005VMDROS RGB LED from Amazon
      • high-intensity LEDs 828-OP265A from Mouser
      • COM-09853 RGB LED from Sparkfun
      • MAX7219CNG LED matrix driver from Sparkfun
      • 540R2GBC-CA tricolor LEDs from Buy LEDs Online
      • COM-10194, COM-10201 electroluminescent wire from Sparkfun
      • see also: displays
    • light sensor
      • SEN-09088 from Sparkfun
      • ID:161 photoresistor from Adafruit
      • GL5528 and SEN-09088 from Sparkfun
      • CDS276-1657 photoresistor from Mountain States Electronics
      • G18187 FPT100 phototransistor from Electronic Goldmine
      • H8-LIGHT-SENSOR from Acroname
      • 276-1657 photoresistor from Radio Shack
      • 276-124 solar panel from Radio Shack
    • linear actuator
      • LA-6439-9 from E-bay
      • 93964P1 car-door lock solenoid from American Science and Surplus
      • high-power door-lock actuator from Amazon (iPodCarParts)
      • LAD8 (0461) from mypushcart
    • microphone
      • BOB-09964 from Sparkfun
    • moisture
      • SEN-13322 soil moisture from SparkFun
      • Uxcell rain sensor from Amazon
    • motion detector
      • 2111935 from Jameco
      • passive infrared (PIR) motion detector
        • MS-360 from IR-Tec
        • 555-28027 from Parallax
        • 276-033 from Radio Shack
    • motor
      • ROB-12285 micro gearmotor from Sparkfun
      • 1104 gearmotor from Pololu
      • 1101 DC gearmotor from Jameco
      • PN 4Z454 reversible AC gearmotor from Grainger
      • Integy pro-lathe 55T DC motor from Hobby Town
      • MS-16574-050 gearmotor from BaneBots
      • MT-050 gearmotor from Batterspace.com
      • Pittman motors from E-bay
      • cheap drills from local pawn shops or Harber Freight
    • motor controller
      • BTS7960B dc motor controller from AliexPress
      • 18v15 high-power dc motor controller from Pololu
    • multiplexer
      • SN74LV4051AN data selector from Mouser
    • pneumatic cylinder
      • 6498k514 from McMaster Carr
      • CJ2B16-60SR cylinder from Coast Pneumatics
    • power supply
      • Newstyle 12V/30A universal power supply from Amazon
      • V-500 computer power supply from Tigerdirect.com
      • MAX6846 power management/switching from MicroChip Direct
    • position sensor
      • NEO-6M GPS sensor from Amazon
      • ID:377 small knob digital encoder from Adafruit
      • 10k audio taper motorized slide pot from CanaKit
      • membrane linear potentiometer (178) from Adafruit
      • 318-ENC130175F-12PS digital rotary encoder from Sparkfun
      • 2123631, 1164074 rotary shaft encoder from Jameco
    • pressure sensor
      • BMP183, BMP180, BMP085 from Sparkfun
      • MPX5500DP Motorola from Digikey
    • proximity sensor
      • ROB-09453, SEN-12728 short range IR from Sparkfun
      • Shartp GP2Y0A02YK0F long-range IR from E-bay
      • SEB-08958 hall-effect sensor from Sparkfun
      • 365-1001-ND, AH175-PL-A-ADICT-ND hall-effect sensor from Digikey
      • TSOP38238 IR sensor from Adafruit
      • COM-09312 Hall effect from Sparkfun
      • GP2Y0A02YK0F from Sparkfun
      • TS-011-000 IR from superdroidrobots.com
      • 513261 magnetic sensor from Jameco
      • COM-10601 magnetic reed switch from Sparkfun
      • see also: IR beam break
      • see also: ultrasonic range finder
    • pump
      • EWP-250212VHT from Lightobject
    • RC servomotor
      • 154 continuous-rotation from Adafruit
      • ROB-11965 high-torque from Sparkfun
      • SM-S4306R high-torque continuous-rotation from Banana Robotics
      • 31311S from Tower Hobbies
      • EX1 S1123 from HobbyParts
      • Hitec TD-008-000 from superdroidrobots.com
      • FUTABA S3003, 3004, HRC32645S, HS625MG, ST126MG, ST47BB from Hobby Town
      • ROB-09347 continuous rotation servo from Sparkfun
      • 900-0008 continuous rotation servo from Parallax
    • RC servomotor controller
      • ROB-09347 from Sparkfun
      • EDE-FT639 from Paladin (formerly eLab)
      • SSC-32 from Lunxmotion
      • XL5 speed controller from Traxxas
      • Micro Maestro Pololu 1350 6-channel servo controller from Sparkfun
    • relay
      • R57-6D from Mountain States Electronics
      • R40-11D2-5 from NTE
      • 30-10074 mercury tilt switch from LKG Industries
    • remote control
      • remote control relay selector from Tmart
    • servomotor (see RC servomotor)
    • slip ring
      • ID:736 from Adafruit
    • solenoid
      • 70155K49, 69905K77, 70155K5, 70155K76, 70155K43 from McMasterCarr
      • ROB-11015 from Sparkfun
      • 0837L door lock from Adafruit
      • GA0032 door lock actuator from Amazon
      • Amico a12120600ux0144 from Amazon
      • 413 from Adafruit
      • 9SIA27C1F20582 from Newegg
      • 001540-022 from Virtual Village
      • inexpensive solenoids from Electronics Gold Mine
      • SMT-2551L24A, 1919203 Ledex from Jameco
      • SH9543 and SOL-58 from All Electronics
      • 6SC N3 and 6SC M3B from C&S Sales
    • sound and music
      • WIG-13720, WTV-020SD, WIG-12897, WIG-11125, WIG-09715 MP3 sound card from Sparkfun
      • Arduino Wave Shield from Adafruit
      • 2210, 2342, 2220, 2217 sound board from Adafruit
      • Vmusic2 VNC1L, ISD17240 chipcorder from Digikey
      • USB-drive music player Vinculum VNC1L module from Mouser
      • voice record module 276-1323 from Radio Shack
      • SOMO-14D Saelig micro-SD sound module from 4D systems, Sparkfun
      • 141671 single-chip voice recorder/playback device from Jameco
      • 2130 audio amplifier from Adafruit
      • LM386 audio amplifier from Mountain States Electronics, Radio Shack, Jameco
      • NTE823 audio amplifier from Mountain States Electronics
    • stepper motor
      • ROB-12779, ROB-10551, ROB-09238, ROB-10846 from Sparkfun
      • 324 from Adafruit
      • 0090, 0059, 0043 from StepperOnline
      • 42BY48406 from Jameco
      • 15Y102S-LW4 from Anaheim Automation
      • STP-42D217 from All Electronics
      • 155460 from Jameco
      • 1200, 1209, SY35ST28-054A from Pololu
      • 4017-871 from Applied Motion Products
      • M-200-ROB-09238 from Trossen Robotics
    • stepper motor driver/controller
      • EasyDriver from Sparkfun
      • ROB-12779, ROB-11897, ROB-10267, ROB-10735 from Sparkfun
      • 2448 from Adafruit
      • 1182 from Pololu
      • 28BYJ-48 from Amazon
      • EDE1200 from Paladin (formerly eLab) or Jameco (141532)
      • 25216 from Jameco
      • 1201 from Pololu
      • 120782821719 from Virtual Village
    • tactile force/bend/pressure sensor
      • SEN-09375 force/pressure sensor from Sparkfun
      • SEN-08606 bend sensor from Sparkfun
    • tilt
      • GY-291 ADXL345 from AliexPress
    • time
      • DS1307 real-time clock from Sparkfun
      • DS1307 (ID:264) real-time clock from Adafruit
      • BOB-00099 from Sparkfun
    • temperature sensors
      • DS18B20 one-wire digital IC temp sensor from Adafruit, Sparkfun, or Digikey
      • MAX31855 thermocouple amplifier from Adafruit
      • Vktech DS18B20 from Amazon
      • BST180 from Adafruit
      • TMP36, SEN-10988 ROHS from Sparkfun
      • RB-Plx-86 from Robotshop
      • TTCo5101 thermistor from Ebay – Thaishine
      • DS1822 digital thermometer from Maxim
      • 155192 National Semiconductor LM34DZ temperature sensor from Jameco
      • LM35DZ/NOPB temperature sensor from Allied Electronics
      • SHT11 temperature and relative humidity sensor from from Parallax
      • 527-MC65Y104C thermistor from Mouser
      • 2381-640-10103 thermistor from SparkFun
      • TC622CPA8PDIP thermistor from Microchip
      • 28130 AD592 thermistor from Parallax
      • thermocouple from Virtual Village
      • Maxim MAX6675 thermocouple digital converter from Sparkfun
    • touch screen
      • Arduino touch-screen shield (376) from Adafruit
      • arLCD for Arduino from EarthMake
      • Nintendo DS, LCD-08977, BOB-09170 from Sparkfun
      • GMD12864B from Circuited.com
    • transistors
      • NTE 2388 MOSFET from Mountain States Electronics
    • ultrasonic range finder
      • SL062 from Amazon
      • HC-SR04 from Virtualbotix
      • LV-EZ1 and LV-EZ4 from Sparkfun
      • SEN-08502 from Sparkfun
      • 276-0342 and 276-031 from Radio Shack
    • valve
      • 2W-160-15 solenoid valve from Adafruit
      • ROB-10456 solenoid valve from Sparkfun
      • SOL-58 solenoid valve from All Electronics
      • 169835 solenoid valve from Jameco
      • 2W04008KN from Dudadiesel
      • A205 solenoid valve from Ebay – Virtual Village
      • 001540-022 solenoid valve from Virtual Village
      • EHCOTECH BBFT-CD-12VDC solenoid air valve from Valves 4 Projects on Ebay
      • V1B04-AW1 solenoid air valve from MSC Direct
    • voice processing
      • 30080 Say-It voice recognition module from Parallax
      • Speakjet R225-SPEAKJET voice synthesizer from Acroname Robotics
    • wireless RF communication link
      • WRL-10534/10533, WRL-10532, WRL-08945, WRL-08947, WRL-08948 from Sparkfun
      • HiLetgo HC-05, B00TNOO438 Bluetooth module from Amazon
      • NRF24L01 from Amazon
      • RF M4 key fob and receiver for 4 digital inputs from Adafruit
      • XY-MK-5V transmitter and receiver from Amazon
      • RB-See-11 from Robot Shop
      • Xbee WRL-08665/11373 from Sparkfun
      • Xbee 8666 with Arduino Fio 11016 from Sparkfun
      • RXM-418-LR-S/TXM-418-LR-S, TWS-434A/RWS-434 from Reynolds Electronics

See Also

Mechatronics Resources (links to information on actuators, sensors, semiconductors, electronics, controllers, hobby robotics components, etc.). The Robotics section is particularly useful for small projects. Many of the components above are offered by the hobby robotics suppliers.