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Keep shoppingHigh-Speed design with KiCad
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High-Speed design with KiCad
Design a professional high-speed computer carrier board using KiCad.
Created byDr. Peter Dalmaris
Last updated 7/2026
English
What you'll learn
- Understand the architecture and capabilities of the LattePanda Mu compute module, including its power, data, and high-speed interface requirements
- Design a complete carrier board that transforms the LattePanda Mu into a functional, stand-alone computer.
- Use KiCad professionally to create multi-sheet hierarchical schematics and manage complex PCB projects.
- Apply proper component selection and footprint management for connectors, power circuits, and high-speed interfaces.
- Configure and optimize PCB stack-ups for signal integrity and controlled impedance.
- Design and route high-speed differential pairs for USB 3.0, HDMI, and gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
- Implement best practices for grounding, shielding, and power distribution to minimize noise and interference.
- Perform impedance and length-matching calculations for high-speed traces using KiCad and online tools.
- Integrate protection and filtering circuits, including ESD, transient suppression, and signal conditioning.
- Design and verify power delivery networks (PDN) for stable voltage regulation across multiple voltage rails.
- Apply design rules and constraints that meet manufacturing and assembly standards for professional PCB production.
- Prepare complete fabrication and assembly documentation, including Gerber, drill, pick-and-place, and BOM files.
- Use DRC and DFM tools to verify manufacturability and identify potential design issues before production.
- Collaborate effectively with PCB manufacturers by interpreting stack-up specifications and impedance reports.
- Evaluate and test the assembled board, verifying signal integrity, power performance, and interface functionality.
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Course content
7 sections • 106 lectures • 23h 21m total length
Requirements
- Basic electronics principles – voltage, current, resistance, and Ohm’s Law.
- Electronic components and symbols – resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, and ICs.
- Schematic design fundamentals – how to read and create circuit schematics.
- Basic PCB design workflow – component placement, routing, and generating fabrication files.
- Familiarity with KiCad – basic use of schematic and PCB editors, as taught in KiCad Like a Pro.
- Experience designing simple boards – such as Arduino shields or Raspberry Pi hats.
- Understanding of digital logic signals – high/low logic, pull-up/pull-down resistors, and bus lines.
- Basic power supply concepts – voltage regulators, current limits, and decoupling capacitors.
- Comfort with reading datasheets and reference designs – interpreting pinouts and electrical specifications.
- General computer literacy – file management, using Windows/macOS/Linux applications, and handling design files.
Description
Update: January 2026
New lectures have been added covering the complete repair and bring-up of both the custom and reference LattePanda Mu carrier boards. I document real-world PCB rework, including buck converter replacement, hot air and drag soldering, solder bridge removal, and fine jumper wire repairs. The series concludes with successful power-up and boot of both boards, validating the power subsystem and confirming that the custom carrier board is fully operational and ready for further testing.
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In this course, you will learn how to design a professional, high-speed computer carrier board from the ground up using KiCad. The project is based on the LattePanda Mu, a powerful Intel N100 compute module, and you’ll build a fully functional custom carrier board that brings out its interfaces — USB, HDMI, Ethernet, GPIOs, and power — into standard connectors.
Through a structured, hands-on approach, you’ll gain a deep understanding of both the theory and practice of modern PCB design for high-speed digital systems. You’ll use the LattePanda Mu Lite Carrier board as a focal resource. You will create a multi-sheet custom schematic design, move through board layout and differential pair routing, and learn how to design for signal integrity, impedance control, and manufacturability.
Along the way, you’ll explore key engineering concepts such as stack-up configuration, controlled-impedance routing, ESD protection, and grounding strategies. You’ll also see how to use KiCad’s advanced design tools to manage hierarchical schematics, net classes, and differential pairs, and how to prepare your project for manufacturing with design rule checks and DFM verification.
By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a working high-speed carrier board ready for fabrication, but also the confidence to design complex, real-world PCBs that meet professional standards. Whether your goal is to create your own single-board computer, prototype a new embedded system, or simply advance your skills as an electronics designer, this course provides the complete roadmap.
Who is this course for?
If you’ve ever wanted to move beyond Arduino or Raspberry Pi projects and learn how real computers are designed, this course is for you. It’s made for makers, engineers, and students who want to understand the full process of turning a compute module into a fully functional computer.
You don’t need to be an expert in high-speed design to join — we’ll start from familiar ground, building on your existing knowledge of electronics and PCB design. Together, we’ll explore how professional engineers approach modern board design, from schematic capture to manufacturing and testing.
If you’ve worked with KiCad before, this course will help you take your skills to the next level. And if you’re new to high-speed concepts like differential pairs, impedance matching, and controlled stack-ups, you’ll see how these ideas fit into a real, practical project: a custom carrier board for the LattePanda Mu.
By the end, you’ll not only understand how to design a complex board, but also why certain design decisions matter — skills that you can apply to any advanced hardware project.
Knowledge prerequisites
This course is designed for learners who already have some experience with electronics and PCB design, but want to take the next big step — into high-speed, professional-grade board design. Because the LattePanda Mu carrier board involves complex interfaces such as USB 3.0, HDMI, and PCIe, a solid foundation in KiCad and general PCB design principles will help you get the most from this experience.
If you are new to KiCad or PCB design, I recommend starting with my foundational course, KiCad Like a Pro. In that course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to become comfortable with KiCad — from schematic creation and footprint management to layout and fabrication. It’s the perfect starting point if you’ve never completed a full PCB project before.
If you already know your way around KiCad and have designed simpler projects such as Arduino shields, sensor breakout boards, or Raspberry Pi hats, then you’ll benefit from reviewing my intermediate course, Advanced PCB Design with KiCad. This course introduces more advanced concepts like multilayer design, differential pairs, and power supply integration — skills that will directly support your success in this high-speed computer carrier board project.
Hardware & Software
All you need to complete this course is a computer capable of running KiCad — no additional hardware is required. We’ll use the publicly available LattePanda Mu documentation and the Lite Carrier Board reference design as our foundation. You will learn how to replicate and extend these designs using real engineering data, without needing to own the actual hardware.
For the software, you’ll use KiCad, the industry-leading open-source PCB design suite, to create schematics, manage hierarchical projects, and design your high-speed PCB layout. You’ll also use the NextPCB DFM tool (Windows downloadable version) to perform design-for-manufacturing checks and impedance calculations — both of which are essential steps in producing professional, manufacturable boards.
Both KiCad and the NextPCB DFM tool are completely free to download and use. Together, they provide a powerful environment for designing advanced, production-ready circuit boards from your own computer.
Follow along with the exercises, and gain real-world design experience using professional tools — without any special hardware investment.
Who this course is for:
- Electronics hobbyists ready to move into advanced, high-speed PCB design.
- Engineers who want hands-on experience designing x86 carrier boards.
- Educators and students exploring real-world computer hardware design.
- Makers who want to turn modular compute platforms into complete systems.