List of Hardware Tools that Engineers use to deal with Electronic Projects

For almost any electronic project, it becomes important for professionals to use the right kind of tools. The need for hardware tools will depend on the type of project that the engineers are carrying out. If you are a new aspiring electronic engineer and want to acquire all the necessary tools to start taking up projects, this article will educate you on some of the most important hardware tools to count on.

1. Hand Tools

It is one of the most common categories of tools that are recommended in most electronic projects. All of these tools are operated manually and are operated without the use of any power source. Some of those tools include:

Driving Tools

Driving tools are considered mostly in electronic projects where the engineers need to loosen, tighten or remove some screws. You will need a stubby, Phillips, or flat screwdriver to handle different types of screws.

Cutting Tools

Cutting tools in electrical projects are important in order to turn, shape, or deform certain materials. Some of such tools include utility knives, hacksaws, wire strippers, and pliers.

2. Fasteners

Different types of screws are mostly preferred for diverse electronic projects, which include:

Self-Tapping Screws

The self-tapping screws are mostly used in all types of electronics or electrical installations. Engineers prefer to use these screws for mounting the electrical panels, switches, outlets, or boxes to the walls or other such surfaces.

Self-Drilling Screws

Self-drilling screws are yet again a commonly used screw type that’s used in the electronics industry, ideal for joining metal with metal in HVAC applications.

Cap Screws

The cap screw being used in the electronics comes with a flush mounting potential and a compact size. Thus, it enables the engineers to use them over the circuit boards, computer hardware, and electronic devices.

Spring Washer

Spring washer comes with axial flexibility, which prevents the loosening or fastening of the hardware by vibrations. These washers are used mostly for assembly applications to eliminate all kinds of rattles that hold onto the assembly tension, provide controlled reactions, and absorb shocking loads.

Brass Stud Bolts:

Brass-embedded stud bolts are mostly used for electrical applications, because brass is a good conductor of electricity.

3. Soldering Tools

In electronic projects, the engineers are bound to work with breadboards and circuit boards, which demands the use of quality soldering tools for connecting circuits with components or wires. Therefore, the use of soldering or de-soldering tools is important!

Soldering Iron

A soldering iron is a commonly used device that is used for applying heat to melt the solder and form a physical or electrical connection between the two surfaces. It comes with an insulated handle and a metal tip that heats.

Soldering Station

A soldering station is more like a stand for the soldering iron to be placed safely away from the flammable materials while it is being used. The soldering station comes with a sponge for cleaning the tip of the iron before it can be reused.

Desoldering Tools

The desoldering tools are used for removing the soldered components or wires over the printed circuit boards if they need some repair or troubleshooting. These tools make use of a quick vacuum action for drawing the solder away from the components.

4. Measurement Tools

Irrespective of what kind of electronic project is being approached, every engineer must measure specific parameters that are associated with the circuit or device, like the voltage, current, resistance, or other such signals. Some of the preferable measurement tools being used are:

Multimeter

A multimeter is one of the most important measurement tools, which helps electronics engineers measure current, voltage, resistance, and others. These tools are quite small in size, come with digital displays, and run on batteries. There is a specific knob on this tool for you to change the measurement function, alongside two test leads for connecting the multimeter to any circuit.  

LCR Meter

LCR meters are used for measuring the capacitance, resistance and inductance that's involved within the electronic setup. There are two types of LCR meters available in the market, which includes low-cost or high-cost versions. The low-cost LCR meters measure the component’s total impedance, while the high-cost meters measure not just the impedance but also the ESR and Quality factor of the components.

Oscilloscope

Electronic engineers make use of oscilloscopes for troubleshooting the circuits. This device displays the voltage waveform patterns over the screen, enabling the engineers to understand the circuit functions.

5. Prototyping Tools

When dealing with electronic components, beginner engineers often require the use of some prototyping tools to prepare the circuits, test them, and execute the connections.

Breadboard

Breadboards are flat plastic bases with matrix holes where the components and wires will be connected. It is used for building prototype versions of complex electronic circuits by plugging in resistors, wires, capacitors, and other such devices. Practising the connection is easier with breadboards in place.

Jumper Wires

Jumper wires are used mostly on the breadboards for making the connections among diverse components. These wires can be used to connect two different breadboards to complete the circuits.

Zero PCB

Zero PCB is just like the breadboard but comes with copper patches that are free from any type of connection. For the engineers to work over these boards, it is required for them to either solder the wires or components to the PCB grooves.

Conclusion

There are a lot of other tools that come into use for executing electronics projects, depending on the specific applications. But the ones listed above are staples in almost all of them. So, if you are an electronics engineer and are willing to take on your own projects, it is important for you to get the right set of tools for handling diverse, complex work processes.

Hippo Homes brings to you a wide collection of electrical tools and hardware essentials to help you get started with working on your electronics projects. Apart from the beginner engineers, if you are either learning or teaching electronics, you will still need some of these tools to take forward your initiatives. So, explore the store of Hippo Homes, and get your electronic hardware tools right away!