Maker grid macropad

The Maker Grid Macropad

The Maker Grid Macropad is a 9-key macropad with a rotary encoder and an OLED Display. It uses KMK firmware on a Seeed XIAO RP2040.

It serves as a dedicated hardware tool to make designing custom robotics chassis, brackets, and mechanisms in CAD much more efficient!

Features:

• 3D printed sandwich-style case. looks awesome doesn't it??
• 128x32 OLED Display to show active tool layers
• EC11 Rotary encoder for zooming and panning across the canvas
• 9 Keys for all my most-used CAD shortcuts

CAD Model:

Everything fits together using M3 Bolts and heatset inserts. It has 2 separate 3D printed pieces. The bottom shell where the PCB sits, and the top plate with the cutouts for the switches.

Made in Fusion360. Nifty

PCB

Here's my PCB! It was made in KiCad.

Schematic

PCB

I used a COL2ROW diode matrix for the keyswitch footprints to prevent ghosting. I think in retrospect, routing the I2C traces for the OLED was the trickiest part.

Firmware Overview

This hackpad uses KMK firmware (CircuitPython) for everything.

• The rotary encoder zooms in and out on the canvas.
• The 9 keys currently act as macros for my most used Fusion 360 tools, dynamically changing based on whether I am Sketching, Solid Modeling, or Assembling.
• The OLED displays exactly which layer I am currently on!

I might add more in the future! That's it for now

BOM:

Here should be everything you need to make this hackpad

• 9x Cherry MX-style Switches
• 9x Blank DSA Keycaps
• M3 Heat-Set Inserts & M3 Socket Cap Screws
• 9x 1N4148 Through-hole Diodes
• 1x 0.91" 128x32 OLED Display
• 1x EC11 Rotary Encoder + Knob
• 1x XIAO RP2040
• 1x Case (2 3D printed parts)

Extra stuff

Oh fun fact: I designed this specifically because clicking through menus while designing our base robot for FTC Team 7082 was taking way too long LOL