# PCB design ###### tags: `tutorial` `electrical_system` `NTURT` ##### Author: @solarLiterature, ## Prologue <!--- When using electronic components, it is often mandatory to design and order PCB(printed circuit boards) on our own. Since readily made modules, sensors and development boards don't always fit our particular requirements. In Electrical System Group, we use the online software called EasyEDA to draw the schematics and circuit layout for the needed PCB ourselves. In this part of the course, there's a few videos showing how to use the software. If you are new to the software, it is always nice to mess around with all the functionalities before actually building something rigorously just to see what works and what doesn't.🔌 --> When working with electronic components, there are instances where we must design and order our own PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) since off-the-shelf modules, sensors, and development boards may not always meet our specific requirements. In the Electrical System Group, we rely on an online software called EasyEDA to create the schematics and circuit layouts for the custom PCBs we need. In this section of the course, you'll find several helpful videos that demonstrate how to effectively use the EasyEDA software. For those who are new to PCB designs, you might find it difficult to start with. That's what I experienced When I started A year ago. Now That I have been working in this area for 1 year. To be Honest, I don't know how to teach, all I could do is provide resources and answer questions when a new comer couldn't understand something. Below I will provide some resources for studying. As a fundamental concept, and a hint for you to understand. Keep in mind that traces, vias, wires, filled zones etc. should not be considered just a ideal voltage node (Kirchhoff’s law) and that they all hold the same voltage. In real world, they all hold inductance and capacitance. ## Youtube - [PCB design Playlist from Phil's lab](https://youtu.be/PMEpQZ90f34?si=dpMTF6LkAuwCCC39) is a list of video made by Phil's lab, dedicated in PCB design. - [How To Learn PCB Design (My Thoughts, Journey, and Resources) - Phil's Lab #87](https://youtu.be/aODkA2mrimQ?si=DSDCxogrFcHpqON_) among hundreds of videos from Phil's lab, I recommend starting from this video. This video is made for someone just started to learn PCB design. ## Topic (homework) <!--- Below is a crude design of a shield for the blue pill. Try to recreate the schematic and layout the PCB. Use a two sided PCB and keep the board size within 100mm\*100mm. --> Please find below a basic design of a shield for the blue pill microcontroller. Please recreate the schematic and lay out the PCB. For the PCB design, please use a two-sided board, and ensure that the board size remains within the dimensions of 100mm*100mm. ![](https://i.imgur.com/QTOdDhR.png) :::info Note: It is not necessary to use the same blue pill footprint as this one. ::: :::danger If you have done PCB desins in the past, you can submit the one you have done instead the task mentioned above. ::: ### How to hand in After finishing, archive the project, compress to zip and upload to NTU cool. ## Further Readings So far, we have talked about how to design circuits and make PCBs, but we didn't talk about how to design PCBs. For simple circuits or demos PCB layout isn't too critical, but it can be in noisy or sensitive environments. If you would like to know more about PCB design, I recommend: [Phil's Lab](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilsLab) This channel talks about PCB design, DSP, STM32, FPGA and many more. The tutorials are very thorough and clear. [Altium](https://www.youtube.com/@AltiumOfficial) [Altium Academy](https://www.youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy) Altium is an commercial EDA for PCB design. Their official channel contains great webinars and tutorials that is surprisingly easy to understand. [Texa Instruments](https://www.youtube.com/@TexasInstruments) search for ==**designe guides**== and ==**application notes**==. Especially those from ST Microelectyronics and Texasinstruments. also most of the IC datasheets have very detailed description. many of them even got typical application in it.