This Budapest, Hungary-based electronics lab is loaded with a wide variety of tools for design and testing, including an LCR meter, impedance analyzer, curve tracer, AMD workstation, and drill press. Curious about the kinds of projects designed here?
Tam Hanna’s Budapest, Hungary-based electronics lab is loaded with a wide variety of tools for design and testing, including an LCR meter, impedance analyzer, curve tracer, and drill press. The innovator, book author (Microcontroller Basics with PIC, Elektor 2020), and self-proclaimed “Director of F*king Up Things” shares details and images of equipment and work area, which is situated in an historic building located in one of Europe's most enchanting cities.
Tam Hanna's electronics workspace
How would you best describe your electronics lab?
Underground facility. Seriously.
Where is your lab located?
Historically listed building in Budapest.
How long have you had your electronics workspace?
I've been out of electrical engineering for almost a decade. But then duty called, and I initially resumed working in a smaller facility in Bratislava. The current facility is being actively used for about one year as of this writing.
When you designed and/or set up your workspace, what were your requirements and goals?
We had a multitude of plans. First of all, we wanted the property to be owned and to be paid for outright (aka, without any kind of loan). Secondarily, we wanted to be in a country with secure long-term ownership rights, so that we can place heavy machines. Finally, we wanted extremely robust floors so that large and heavy machines can also be placed without significant concerns.
Tell us about your technical interests. What sort of projects do you work on in your space?
Tamoggemon Holding k.s. and its associated companies are a bit of a mongrel, or as we would call them in Austria, a mixed goods store (Gemischtwarenhandlung). We had a strong media and consulting arm which, among other things, supplies Elektor with content. But we also work on a variety of hardware-software-interfacing projects. One system which we really like is SpotMyBus. We designed a unique piece of tracker hardware which allows the customer to run Java code even right in the school bus being tracked. But we are always open to both civilian and military engineering projects. If you have something interesting, do not hesitate to get in touch-and keep in mind that we also can be paid in equity.
What sort of equipment and tools do you have in your electronics workspace?
Literally tons of stuff. Probably, the smartest way is to give you this list which was compiled for a customer some years ago:
Custom-built workstation
Lenovo Thinkpad notebook
Xerox Phaser printer
RenkForce RF100v2
CNC3040 Router
Avtomat Guede drill press
LeCroy 9354AM DSO
Iwatsu DS-6612 Combiscope
HP 6624A linear power supply
HP 53310A MDO
HP 4195A spectral network impedance analyzer
HP 4262A LCR meter
Fluke 415 HVPSU
Danaher 577 Curve tracer
Danaher 754D DPO
Danaher Japan AWG2021
Unigor 6e multimeter
Präcitronic MV40
Solartron 7150 transfer standard
Keithley 177 Microvolt meter
Olympus E520 SLR
Regarding software, the following will see use:
Ubuntu Linux
Target 3001!
LibreOffice
In addition to that, Tamoggemon also keeps stock of miscellaneous consumable items which are used up during the processing of consulting jobs. In particular, some of the followings might see use:
Paper and ink
Process computers (e.g. OrangePi)
Sensors (e.g., pressure sensors)
Active components and linear ICs
Logic ICs
Passives (resistors, capacitors, inductors)
Various wires
Soldering tin, hydrophobe colophonium
Hanna uses pegboards and Stanley boxes to store his equipment and keep his space tidy.
What do you consider to be your most important or valued piece of equipment or tool and why?
I really dislike these kinds of questions. If you are an airline specialized in supersonic flight transport, and you only have a Tupolev 144, does that mean that all other airplanes are bad? I do not think so. But the machine I use the most, most definitely, is my AMD workstation. Oh, and I do find myself using the Iwatsu DS-6612A a lot. Its roll mode is total dope.
Is there anything special or unique about your space?
Many things. First of all, the very efficient we of the use of the walls. We got these Stanley boxes very cheaply, and put them to good use. Secondarily, almost all of the wood and the shelves were purchased cheaply at the home improvement store-this, alone, saved us a lot of money.
Are you planning anything new for your space? Perhaps you are planning to purchase new equipment or tools? Or maybe you are going to build a new workbench or install improved lighting?
We have a few open questions. First of all, we are currently trying to figure out how to get the pick-and-place machine into the property. The historically valuable external doors are too small for it to fit through. Secondarily, we also wanted to improve part of the lighting, especially on the machinist’s workbench. Finally, we need to sort the calibration question and fix some test equipment. There always is a lot on fire.
Tell us about your favorite electronics-related project. What did you build and why? What components did you use? Did you learn anything interesting?
Definitely my upcoming HygroSage humidor hygrometer. I really like the 3D-printed cases, where the customer can select the color.
A next-generation hygrometer for a cigar lover.
Do you have a dream project or something you'd love to tackle?
Now you catch me off-guard. Maybe a return to some kind of military or private militia project. No, actually, I’m very satisfied with the upcoming products, which I sadly cannot really talk about. But yes, I would be happy if more people would subscribe to my YouTube and Instagram channels.
Do you have any advice, tips, or encouragement for other engineers or makers who are thinking of putting together a workspace?
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