Learn PCB Design & Layout Techniques

Explore through hole technology for PCB assembly, including axial and radial through hole packaging, and compare its advantages like strong mechanical bonds and test-friendly prototyping with its drawbacks.

Explore surface mount technology, its packaging types, and JEDEC standards guiding package dimensions and assembly. Compare SMT with through-hole technology, noting smaller PCB size, higher density, and reflow soldering advantages.

Master soldering and desoldering techniques for PCB assembly across prototype and mass production contexts. Learn tools, materials, and various soldering methods from hand soldering to reflow and selective soldering.

Explore diode, transistor, and three-pin regulator packaging types, from axial and radial through-hole to surface-mount packages, and learn to compare dimensions and consult datasheets for layout.

Explore through-hole and surface-mount integrated circuit packaging types, including dip, sip, sop, soic, qfn, and bga, and learn how pitch and datasheets guide pcb layout.

Explore panel mount components for PCB design, including rotary potentiometers, switches, fuses, displays, and connectors, and learn to select packages, assess dimensions, and consult datasheets for reliable layouts.

Explore common pcb connectors, including dc power barrel jacks, pin headers and sockets, wire-to-board, terminal blocks, and audio-video connectors, with focus on packaging and datasheet guidance.

Explore miscellaneous components essential to PCB design, including crystals, resonators, and oscillators, push buttons, dipswitches, heatsinks, and mounting holes.

Master PCB design tools and terminology while following the PCB design flow from schematic capture to layout and fabrication data, with KiCad as the course tool.

Learn to design your first pcb using express pcb software, building a two-layer 5-volt power supply with a 7805 regulator, schematic capture, layout, checks, and export.

Master KiCad schematic editor through hands-on installation, creating a sample project, and applying schematic design guidelines, including libraries, global labels, hierarchical sheets, annotations, and electrical rules check.

Design a single-layer pcb schematic using KiCad, building an astable multivibrator with a 555 timer, and learn schematic drafting, labeling, and electrical rule checks (IRC).

Design the schematic for a dual adjustable power supply on a two-layer pcb using LM317 and LM337 regulators, from transformer to output with zero to plus or minus 30 V.

Demonstrates schematic design of a four-layer pcb using atmega 32, with nine volts DC input power, icsp, lcd, ds1307 rtc, i2c, ch340g usb, and a 4-key matrix keypad.

Learn to use the KiCad layout editor to import schematic netlists, assign footprints, and route tracks, with field zones, keepouts, DRC checks, and practical layout guidelines.

Layout a single-layer pcb for an astable 555 timer circuit, completing footprint assignment, exporting the netlist, routing with back copper jumpers, and performing a final drc check.

Advance your pcb design skills by completing a two-layer layout for a dual adjustable power supply using lm317 and lm337, with manual routing and footprint assignment.

Change a component package in KiCad by editing footprint assignments and updating the netlist. Update the pcb layout with the new bridge rectifier footprint, adjust tracks, and run drc.

Add mounting holes, fiducials, and tooling holes to the power supply PCB, update the layout, and assign footprints.

Modify pcb edges by editing the edge cuts, drawing rounded corners with the arc tool, and running a drc in KiCad to verify the layout.

Learn to auto route a power supply PCB using free routing software and KiCad, including DSN export, spectra session import, net class checks, DRC, and ground fill.

Learn how to panelize a single-layer 555 timer PCB to reduce mass-production costs and speed, using KiCad and Chi kit library, exploring Gerber panelization, manual methods, and script-based automation.

Learn to complete a four-layer pcb layout for the Atmega 32 development board through footprint assignment, schematic export, and auto routing, with power planes and mixed-signal considerations.

Generate the BOM and fabrication outputs for a four-layer PCB, including schematic and layout PDFs, drill files, and Gerber data for the Atmega 32 development board.

Learn to upgrade and manage symbol and footprint libraries in KiCad by downloading third-party libraries, creating custom schematic symbols and footprints, and assigning footprints to symbols for PCB layout.

Explore electromagnetic compatibility, outlining EMI, EMS, and EMC, and identify noise sources and propagation paths. Learn how EMC tests and safety standards guide design checklists and PCB layout practices.

Learn how ground and power planes influence EMC in PCB design, with guidelines for continuous return paths, minimizing inductance, spacing between planes, and bypass capacitors.

Master pcb layout guidelines focused on component placement to minimize emi. Apply high speed design concepts, including transmission lines, impedance matching, and plane and track planning.

Master mixed signal PCB layout by keeping analog and digital grounds separate, using a ground plane, and applying a star ground to minimize EMI and noise.

Apply power supply layout guidelines to minimize EMI, using star ground, avoiding loops, placing decoupling capacitors near chips, and separating subsystems; reduce SMPS noise with capacitors, ferrite beads, and shielding.

Apply circuit design guidelines to improve electromagnetic compatibility by placing multi-layer ceramic decoupling capacitors close to integrated circuits, using appropriate values, and implementing LC or Pi filters to reduce EMI.

Explore cabling guidelines and shielding techniques to enhance electromagnetic compatibility and reduce radiated emissions. Learn about shielding mechanisms, Faraday cages, enclosure openings, and shielded cables with filters to manage EMI.

Learn how electrostatic discharge endangers electronics and how to protect circuits with ADC input protection, TVS diodes, gas discharge tubes, optocouplers, relays, and digital input safeguards.

Learn how to route a ball grid array package (BGA) on multi-layer PCB boards, covering dimensions, pad types, layer requirements, routing techniques, and a KiCad demonstration.

Design a four-layer carrier board for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 Plus, powered by micro USB, with GPIO on a 2.54 header and HDMI, USB, and MIPI camera connections.

Learn to design a Raspberry Pi compute three plus carrier board by building schematics, labeling power pins, and performing ERC, footprint assignment, and netlist export for layout.

Design a four-layer carrier board for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3, detailing component placement, differential-pair routing for USB, camera, and HDMI signals, DRC checks, and fabrication outputs.

Conclude the pcb design program by revisiting packaging types, soldering techniques, and pcb flow. Explore single to multi-layer designs, routing strategies, and EMC/ESD concepts, including Raspberry Pi compute module project.