1. How to Design
Printed Circuits
Boards
... and live to tell about it.
Bob Kressin, Instructor
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
2. Overview
•What is a Printed Circuit Board?
•How do you design a PCB?
•How do you order a custom PCB?
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3. What is a PCB?
A Mechanical Solution to an Electrical Problem
Photo from www.sparkfun.com
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Photo from hephaestusaudio.com
4. What is a PCB?
Layers, Traces, Planes, and Vias ... oh my!
Image from www.elkosoft.com
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5. What is a PCB?
Image from www.gettyimages.com
Essentially, you’re job is this ...
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6. Component Suppliers
•For the “weird & wonderful” -
•For the “inexpensive everyday” -
•For the board itself -
Where do we get the goods?
www.sparkfun.com
www.mouser.com
www.4pcb.com
7. The PCB Design Process
From Vision To Reality
Eagle PCB
www.cadsoft.de
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Place
Place
Components
Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
Fab!
Fab!
Iteration
Generate Gerbers
Generate Gerbers
Schematic
Schematic
Capture
Capture
8. Eagle PCB
A CAD Tool For Designing a Board
Schematic
Schematic
Capture
Capture
Layout
Layout
Control Panel
Control Panel
Library
Library
Symbol Footprint
Project
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9. Eagle PCB
Symbol + Footprint + Device = Component
Device
Device
Dev
Dev
Symbol
Symbol
Sym
Sym
Footprint
Footprint
Pac
Pac
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10. Eagle PCB
•A Plan
•Block Diagram / Napkin Sketch
•Component Selection
•Connections and Testing Considerations
•Power and Performance Considerations
•A New Project
•Access to Libraries
Stuff I Need To Get Started
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11. Eagle PCB
It’s all about the planning.
Components
Components Connections
Connections
Power &
Power &
Performance
Performance
Passives: 0805,
0603, etc.
IC Packages:
QFN, TQFP, etc.
Libraries
Mechanical
Connections
Bus Connections
PC Connections
Power Ratings
Battery
Performance
High-Speed /
High-Sensitivity
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12. Eagle PCB
Creating a New Project
•Launch Eagle
•File -> New -> Project
•Enter Project Name
•Directory structure taken care of automagically.
•Active project is shown with a green light.
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13. Eagle PCB
Accessing Libraries
•Full view of libraries available via Control Panel
•Download more from the web and place in the
Eagle installation directory in /lbr
•Sparkfun has an incredible library of more
advanced parts (accelerometers, etc.)
•Caution! Just because you see the library in
Control Panel doesn’t mean you can access it in
your schematic.
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14. Schematic Capture
Creating a New Schematic
•File -> New ->
Schematic
•Save it right away.
•Don’t worry about
creating a Board
just yet.
•Keep the 100-mil
grid.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
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15. Schematic Capture
Adding Components
•Click the Add icon
•Find the
component in the
library
•Set values
•Don’t see the
library? Try Use ->
Library
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
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16. Schematic Capture
Adding Global Symbols
•Click the Add icon
•Find the global
symbol in the
library (supply1)
•Place as if it were
a component
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
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18. Schematic Capture
Some General Tips
• Avoid changing the grid unless absolutely necessary.
• Free Eagle version does not allow “sheets”.
• Free Eagle version requires that schematic drives the
layout ... not vice-versa.
• Groups, Info, and Layers icons are useful.
• Pan, zoom, niceties easy to use.
• Really care about that “net”? Label it.
• Keep it clean - don’t be lazy.
• Document!
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
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19. Place Components
But before you do ...
• Passives - 0805 means 0.08” by 0.05”
• Connectors - beware of physical fit
• Actives - lots of packaging alternatives
• Give thought to testability and troubleshooting
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
DIP LQFP, QFP, TQFP QFN BGA
Thru-Hole (TH)
Thru-Hole (TH) Surface Mount (SMT)
Surface Mount (SMT)
Place Components
Place Components
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20. Place Components
Creating a new board design
• From the schematic,
choose File ->
Switch to Board.
• “Create From
Schematic”? You bet!
• Board window
automatically opens.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
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21. Place Components
Some Common Tasks
• Right-click on top of
component, select
Move to reposition.
• While moving, right-
click to Rotate.
• Use “Group” wisely.
• Right-click to Mirror
(change to other side
of board)
• Use Move to change
outline
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
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22. Place Components
Thinking ahead
• Take your time.
• Untangle flight lines.
• Think about planes.
• Consider testability.
• Mechanical Fit?
• Hard stuff first.
• Keep silkscreen.
• Think hard about components
on 2-sides.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
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23. Place Components
Some General Tips
• Are your Design Rules setup correctly?
• Run the Design Rule Check (DRC) often.
• Run the Electrical Rule Check (ERC) often.
• Save a snapshot of your placement file.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
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24. Route Traces
Adding “Waaaahrs” To Your Layout
• You want to route, not
wire.
• You want to ripup, not
delete nets.
• Are you on the top or the
bottom?
• Vias are on top and
bottom. Easy to add.
• DRC often!
• Iterate like mad.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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25. Route Traces
Some General Tips
• Two layers? Have an x-
layer and a y-layer.
• Don’t forget mounting
holes, other nice things.
• Add testability features.
• Do the “what if?” dance.
• Do the cardboard
mockup.
• Pour Copper.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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26. Generating Gerbers
Some General Tips
• Using Advanced Circuits? Have I got a script for you ...
• This involves the “CAM Processor” ...
• Generate critical layers.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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Gen Gerbers
Gen Gerbers
Easier
than
spit!
27. Generating Gerbers
Sanity Checking The Result
• You’ll need an account with Advanced Circuits.
• Email will be sent confirming design rule checking.
• Advanced Circuits even gives you a discount.
• Squash any errors, review all warnings. Look for open vias, closed vias, etc.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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Gen Gerbers
Gen Gerbers
freedfm.com
28. Generating Gerbers
Reviewing The Result
• ViewMate - Free Gerber Viewer for Microsoft Windows (link on Dr. Wickert’s site).
• Review planes, drill holes, and “obvious” defects. Not usually any surprises here.
• Biggest error - not exporting the proper layers.
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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Gen Gerbers
Gen Gerbers
29. Fab
Before you hit “the button” ...
Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
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• Generate a Parts List
(aka “The BOM”) using
Export -> Partlist.
• Generate a Pin List (aka
“The Netlist”) using
Export -> Netlist.
• Sanity check both.
Gen Gerbers
Gen Gerbers
Fab!
Fab!
30. Fab
Some General Tips
• Do you have all of your components? Lead time?
• Find out what file format your PCB Vendor wants.
• Advanced Circuits - GERBER_RS_274X (no, really)
• Consider routing it yourself at UCCS.
• Consider barebonespcb.com. Really cheap.
• Sleep on it. Follow my tradition -
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Schematic Capture
Schematic Capture
Place Components
Place Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
Gen Gerbers
Gen Gerbers
Fab!
Fab!
31. The PCB Design Process
A Summary of a Lot of Information
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Place
Place
Components
Components
Route Traces
Route Traces
Fab!
Fab!
Iteration
Eagle PCB
www.cadsoft.de
Generate Gerbers
Generate Gerbers
Schematic
Schematic
Capture
Capture