Replacing the Arduino in project with other components

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello,

I wasn't sure whether to post here or in general electronics.
I've read you can replace the Arduino in a project with various other discrete components once you move beyond the prototyping stage.

What components would be used for this?
How does programming aspect of projects work for this?
Is it much cheaper for one off projects or only feasible in larger batches?

2

what you think of as an Arduino is really a platform, just a bunch of chips and parts all based around a microcontroller.

the basic chip needs some fundamental parts, a crystal, some caps, etc.
the arduino UNO and the like have a USB interface, two power supplies 5 and 3.3v

if you only need a few I/O's you can use a small chip. the ATTINY85 or some such.

google one chip arduino and get a feel for what can be done.

it might be much easier and much less frustrating to buy a bunch of mini's or nano's or micros's from e-bay and plug them in.
that way, you can program them, and just insert them. and they are complete.

3

The micron-controller interprets
ATTINY85 is the micro-controller part like the atmega328? This is the 'brain' of the Arduino right?

"One chip Arduino" is exactly what I needed. Wasn't sure what to Google for initially.

Thank you very much, given me plenty to search up on now

4

krustie92:
ATTINY85 is the micro-controller part like the atmega328? This is the 'brain' of the Arduino right?

yes. the atmega328 is only one of the types. the ATTINY have fewer pins and less memory.
if you only want to read one temperature and control one device, it is pleanty.
The ATmega1280 has 54 I/O's and lots more memory.

the Ardweeny might serve you well. you only have to stuff the board.

5

krustie92:
"One chip Arduino" is exactly what I needed. Wasn't sure what to Google for initially.

Also google "standalone arduino".

6

As crOsh says, you can do a stand alone Arduino.
I bought enough components to make 10 of them as some parts are cheaper if you buy 10 or more.
See what I did here - Standalone Arduino | Electric Projects
Basically I ended up with a $13 - $14 Arduino instead of a more expensive one.