From Idea To Schematic to PCB – The Ultimate PCB Beginners Guide To Make A Prototype Out of Your Idea
Creating a custom printed circuit board design for the first time can be intimidating for some beginners, but it is more straightforward than it may seem. Not so long ago, PCB design had a reputation for exclusivity, with complicated software, expensive order minimums, and manufacturers that were difficult to communicate with. However, many people don’t realize that the printed circuit board industry has undergone a transformation and these barriers are a thing of the past.
Today, the PCB industry offers intuitive software solutions, low volume orders, and free learning resources. This has created a new wave of innovation as hobbyists, students, educators, makers and professionals have the exciting ability to create custom prototypes of new products and inventions. With enough determination, anyone can create a custom PCB design to create a prototype of their unique idea.
1. Determine Your Total Budget
Every project should begin with a budget in mind. With a nearly infinite number of configurations and components, PCBs can quickly go from affordable to extravagant. Determining your budget before you begin digging into your design keeps you on track. For beginners, the cost of design software, educational materials and courses should also be included as part of their overall budget.
2. Begin By Structuring Your Schematic
PCB schematics are essentially blueprints for your printed circuit board design. Modern PCB design software choices include intuitive, drag and drop options, as well as complex, 3D applications that allow you to keep your printed circuit board designs as simple or intricate as your needs and skill level require.
For beginners, starting with uncomplicated designs is recommended so you are able to fully understand the basic concepts of circuitry before moving on to more complicated projects with more layers and components.
3. Put Together a Master List of Necessary Components and Materials
Once you create a preliminary schematic for your design, the next step is to make a master list of the components and materials needed to create your circuit board. This is called your Bill of Materials, often called a BOM. Your bill of materials is used to assess where printed circuit boards costs are too high, and which components you could afford to improve. Many PCB design softwares create BOMs automatically for your schematic, even highlighting items that you may want to swap out.
4. Refine Your PCB Layout and Design
After you have created a draft of your printed circuit board schematic and bill of materials, take the time to refine your PCB design. This may include adjusting the layout, spacing, weight distribution, trace angles, heat dispersion, or board materials and components. New, state-of-the-art materials are always being developed, allowing for novel design elements such as flexibility, smaller sizes, rapid temperature changes, and resistance to vibration.
Don’t be afraid to save multiple versions of your printed circuit board design, so that you can choose the best fit for your prototype after evaluating all of your options.
5. Reveal Pitfalls of Your PCB Design by Running Software Simulations
Modern PCB design software is able to run computer simulations so that you can be confident your printed circuit board will work properly. As you create and refine your PCB design, you should periodically run software simulations to ensure it continues to follow circuit design logic. Finding errors early, ideally as soon as they occur, allows you to save an immense amount of time, as trying to determine the source of an error down the line can be difficult and upsetting. Most PCB design software will even tell you possible reasons why a certain error code may be showing up in your design. Software simulations ensure that your design is mathematically sound before taking your file to your PCB manufacturer.
6. Save Your Gerber File
In the printed circuit board industry, Gerber files are used as the industry standard format for PCB designers and manufacturers. When you’re happy with your printed circuit board design, you should save it as a Gerber file so that you can send it off to be manufactured.
7. Reach Out to Your PCB Manufacturer
Leading PCB manufacturers are happy to help beginners, and they are enthusiastic about helping you bring your ideas to life. They are usually able to answer your questions and address your concerns, as well as offer advice and insights that come from industry experience and expertise. PCB manufacturers usually have staff engineers who are available for consultation, sometimes for a small fee.
Once you are comfortable with your design and bill of materials, you submit your Gerber files to your PCB manufacturer so they can begin printing your custom circuit boards. If you are printing a large order of circuit boards, now is the time to ask to have a prototype board tested to make sure everything functions as it should.
Author Bio: Arthur Weng
Arthur is one of four Co-founders and Engineering Manager of Gerber Labs, an Orange County based engineering startup that is currently rolling out a platform that makes custom printed circuit boards (PCB’s) accessible to electrical engineering students, hobbyists and small businesses.
