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CanadaMyself, since I am playing with developing an ESC, I tend to utilize inexpensive but very useful tools. I try to keep my good ones away so they do not get damaged by mistake. In power electronics there is no need for $5k tools when you can use one or more $50 tools to do the same job (during development).
I am currently in the process of assembling my tools for this project, so I will add details as I acquire them, source and approximate cost. Maybe this will help others!
As a start, I am using Eagle for my EDA, Hobby license is $165 USD, many sources for this and now owned by Newark/Farnell/Element14.
My programming IDE of choice is Eclipse, currently have 6 compilers supported (none for ST Micro).
I have no clue what my power supply is, I will try to pull a board number off it.
I have not decided on which meter to use (have 3).
OpenBench Logic Sniffer by the guys at GadgetFactory.net Good for 50MHz on 32 channels and ~$60
Agilent U1604A on standby if I need it, way too expensive to cook! Still contemplating something like the Xprotolab or the larger Xminilab from gabotronics.com $50 and $65
And a very useful infrared oven since I mainly use surface mount parts.
Edited by Caustic, 31 January 2012 - 07:30 PM.
Germany
