Stylized Discrete 555 Timer PCB Plugs Into a DIP-8 Socket!
Shaped as the numbers 5-5-5 and proudly stands above the rest (of the circuit).
UK-based electronics tinkerer Kelvin Brammer has taken discrete 555 circuits two steps further than other designs. This fully functional transistorized 555 PCB is in the shape of its name and is pin-compatible with the original DIP-8 package!
Creating 555 timer circuits with discrete transistors is a familiar idea. The 555 timer is one of the most popular integrated circuits in electronic designs. These versatile devices are incredibly flexible and suitable for many applications. They are also relatively simple to understand, especially if you build a discrete version of one!
Brammer's stand-out difference with this 555 555 PCB design is that the board is in the shape of the numbers 5-5-5. This choice created a self-learning project to help Brammer understand new (to Brammer) electronic CAD tools and how to integrate drawings from mechanical CAD tools. Initially, the 555 PCB's width spanned 60 millimeters, which left far too much empty space around the surface-mount 3904 and 3906 transistors. The final design is just 42 millimeters wide.
Previously, Brammer designed a more conventional 555 PCB. It is rectangular, with sections of the timer's circuit grouped like a functional block diagram. That board has a ribbon cable to allow students to use the "timer IC" in real circuits.
With the 555 555 PCB, Brammer went a step further. The PCB connects to a small carrier, making it pin-compatible with the original IC's DIP-8 packaging! So not only is it a drop-in replacement for a "real" 555, but it proudly stands tall above the rest of the circuit!
You can download the Gerber files, bill of materials, and assembly directives from the Brammer's project page.