Monotype Composition Caster Computer Control Initial PCB Test

In this video I do an initial test of a PCB I made to allow a Monotype Composition Caster to be controlled by a computer.
This Caster was made to cast type for letterpress printing, generating composed text (that is, text formed into lines ready for printing) from individual letters. The system was originally designed to include a separate keyboard unit which punches a 31-channel paper ribbon, which in turn is used to control the caster.
By using a computer interface the keyboard and all necessary accessories become unnecessary, and the software allows more versatile control of the caster than the keyboard allows.
This PCB is the interface: It is controlled via a USB connection using software on the computer which reads a digital form of the old paper ribbon, and uses pneumatic solenoid valves to provide compressed air to drive he caster controls. It is intended to replace the proto-board and tangle of wires seen in my previous video    • First run—Monotype Computer Control (loud?)  

This is my first attempt at making a PCB using surface-mount devices, and for a first try it turned out pretty well.

This particular test uses the indicator LED's on the board to test basic functionality. The remaining work is to solder on the connectors for all the pneumatic valves and do a live test on the caster.

A bit more information is available on our blog at https://papertrail.ca/blog/new-monoty...