I designed and developed this beautiful Casino Chip Badge that Avnet will give away at Autodesk University 2026 in Las Vegas.We wanted to create a memorable souvenir that people can assemble by themselves and also show how it was designed using Fusion Electronics.
Since Autodesk University 2026 is taking place in Las Vegas, we wanted the badge to reflect its surroundings.
A casino chip was a natural choice: its circular shape makes for a distinctive PCB, while the RGB LED gives us the opportunity to turn a simple souvenir into an interactive one.
The goal was not only to create something that looks like a casino chip, but something people could actually assemble, program, and take home as a functional piece of Avnet hardware.
Before we can solder it together, let's take a look at how it was designed in Fusion Electronics, shall we?
As our first step, I created the schematic, placed the component symbols, and connected everything together. I also added notes so anyone who downloads the design can understand how it was developed, along with useful information and comments about the design. This is something that we do with all the designs available on the Avnet App for Autodesk Fusion.
The STM32G0 family from STMicroelectronics was selected for its combination of low power consumption, compact package size, PWM capabilities, and the peripherals required for this project. The chosen one was the STM32G031J6M6 because it provides enough processing power to drive the RGB animations while keeping the design compact and battery-friendly, all in an easy-to-solder SOIC package.
Almost all of the passive components are from TE Connectivity, whose high quality, compact components helped us maintain the circular PCB layout while keeping the design easy to assemble. Their superb quality makes them also a great choice for the button and the battery clip. Since these components need to be durable in the field.
The capacitor used in this design is from Vishay, and it's an excellent choice for MCU power supply decoupling.And last but not least, the butterfly clutch can be easily found at most craft or sewing supplies stores, this is a generic one.Keep in mind that our component selection was based on easy to solder SMD packages, so don't worry. I bet that you will be able to do it without issues.
PCB LayoutAfter I have the schematic I proceeded to create the PCB, since this is a Casino Chip we designed a circular board with 39mm diameter, and I made a small hole on the top, so you can also use it as a keychain, necklace or even earrings!Then I placed the components and routed everything together, it's easy since I already have the schematic. Fusion Electronics has a lot of tools for making this process super easy and we can check if we are doing it right since it gets validated against our schematic. Also you can define the manufacturing specs of your board and Fusion will help you check if everything is right before production.
For this specific board we are going to use a thickness of 2.4mm to give it that feeling of a poker chip. I also defined some design rules to make sure that the factory can make them. Also we wanted to obtain a super cool graphic design so our boards are going to be printed with images at top and bottom. How cool, eh?For this reason we use the desired images as components, this way Fusion can render the final look. They contain an empty footprint linked to the symbol, and in the 3D model is a thin wafer with the solder pad openings. And on top of that we have the images placed as a decal.
3D ModelOne of the pretty advantages of Fusion is that we can create pretty cool realistic models of the boards. We just need to go to the 3D PCB from our 2D board. This is the most exciting step for me, since it allows us to see how our board should look in real life even before manufacturing.
And also we can use Fusion 360 mcad tools to create all kind of complements, for example you can design a case for our badge. So you can add some protection to the edges of the board. And the best part is that you can make it in home with your favorite 3D printer. Try to design a ring around the board and then print it using TPU. I bet that you can do it!
If you wish to download the project and see it by yourself (and of course play with it), or even make your own version, you will need the Avnet App plugin installed on Fusion 360. You can get it here: https://marketplace.autodesk.com/apps/8f537b3f-0b84-4cb5-96d8-199d7099d0bd
You will find a lot of designs in Avnet Design Library that can be used as a starting point for your electronics project in Fusion Electronics. These designs are uploaded into the tool by Avnet GDEX team, that I am proud to be part of.There is the Avnet Part Search were you can find symbols and footprints ready to use in your schematic.And also with the Cost and Availability tool you can calculate prices and lead times for the parts in your designs, from the prototype to massive production. It's easy now, and all directly from your ECAD software.Check it out:
FirmwareThe firmware was developed using Arduino IDE with the STM32 Arduino Core.
A short button press advances through the different casino-themed animations, while a long press puts the badge into deep sleep. Pressing and holding the button again wakes the MCU and returns the badge to normal operation.
The RGB LED is controlled through three PWM channels, and the firmware includes several animations ranging from individual chip values to slot-machine and jackpot effects.
The code is intentionally kept simple and well documented so it can also serve as a starting point for anyone who wants to create their own animations for our badge. Maybe you can send some cool morse code secret messages with the LED.
Your kit shall contain these components:
And of course the unpopulated PCB:
Here is a video showing how to assemble your kit, plus some tips and tricks that will enhance your soldering skills. It might seem difficult, but I can assure you that it's easier than you think.This badge can be assembled using only a soldering iron and solder wire. However, if you are new to SMD soldering, flux and solder wick are highly recommended. Flux helps the solder flow properly, while solder wick makes it easy to remove excess solder or fix mistakes.
If you have soldered SMD components before, this project should be straightforward. When using a soldering iron, first tin one pad, place the component, reheat the solder to tack it in place, and then solder the remaining pad(s). Inspect each joint as you go to ensure it is shiny, properly wetted, and free of solder bridges.
Start with the back side of the board:
- Resistors
- Capacitor
- Microcontroller (Pay close attention to Pin 1. Pin 1 is located next to the ST logo marking. Carefully inspect all pins for proper solder joints and make sure there are no solder bridges between adjacent pins.)
- Push buttom
- Butterfly clutch pin (This is one of the trickiest parts to solder. First tin both the PCB pad and the back of the clutch pin. Apply heat to the PCB pad and quickly position the pin. Continue heating briefly until the solder reflows underneath the pin, creating a strong mechanical bond.)
- Battery holder (Use the openings in the metal tabs to allow solder to flow underneath. Apply enough heat to fully reflow the solder. A strong solder joint here is important since the battery holder experiences mechanical stress during battery insertion and removal.)
Flip the board to the top side: - RGB Led (Pay attention to the Pin 1 orientation marks. Avoid applying heat for too long, as excessive temperature can damage the LED. Verify the orientation before soldering, as removing and reinstalling the LED can be difficult.)
Do a final inspection, after soldering the badge it should look like this fully assembled and with the battery installed:
Check for solder bridges, especially around the microcontroller.Verify that the LED and microcontroller orientations are correct.Ensure the battery holder and clutch pin are firmly attached.Clean any excess flux residue if desired. (with isopropyl alcohol.)If everything looks good you can insert the battery in the holder, match the positive side with the '+' in the clip.If something doesn't work remove the battery and try it again.Something must be not right in the assembly.And for the extra curious minds...
Advanced users can try their own firmware! Just grab a SOIC clamp and your ST programmer. The source code is available at the bottom of this post.You will need to connect SWD, SWC, GND and 3V pins. You have all the files with the details of how to do this, you only need to use the Avnet App on Fusion 360 to get them all and hack the badge!
I hope that you enjoy this badge as much as I enjoyed making it. And don't forget to show yours in the comments and share your experience with the Avnet App on Fusion.
Special thanks to my teammates on the Avnet GDEX team for helping make this project possible: Rhett Moore, Alejandro Mendoza, ABC (the secret engineer), Athziri Landazuri, Edgar Lara, and Eduardo Galvan.
Until next time!









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