My Top 10 PCB Design Tips

If you have some tips, be sure to leave them in the comments section below and consider making your own video and submitting it to PCBWay to win some awesome prizes!

Get in touch with me:
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[davidgood]

A few extra tips :

1 . After you are done routing, Inspect you gerbers using a different tool . I use gerbv which is free software . Look at each layer one at a time for things that look too close or other "weird" stuff . You will be amazed what using a different viewer will expose .

2 . Check the mask layer and the silk layer together as the silkscreen will get clipped anywhere these two layers intersect .

3 . As an extension to one of the tips in the video, bring unused pins of ICs out to free pads or vias if at all possible . It will be very useful if you forgot to connect something or want to use the unused i/o pins of your mcu for something you didn't think of on the initial layout . Be sire to also put extra ground pads near some of these extra pads too, so that if you need to wire up a connector, you have an easy ground connection to go with them .

4 . Add extra ground pads around the board to have an easy reference while probing signals .

glhf !

[td]

Tip... Home printers very often do not print a true 100%, AKA 1:1 scale. This is a well know problem. The scaling may be wrong on the X, or Y axis, or both. For instance, my inkjet printer prints to about 98%, even though I have the scale set to 1:1. Here is my work-around... I draw two 100mm lines on the comments layer of the PCB page, just outside of the edge cut lines, on both the X and Y axis. When I print the PCB page, I include the comments layer, so that the lines print. Then, I measure both lines with a good ruler. Mine generally measure 98mm. So, I reprint the PCB at 1.02:1. Then, the scaling is true and I can test my component footprints.

[cantinasongband]

My tip is to hide ground and power nets when routing. Only unhide them after signals are routed. Makes it so much easier to see through the puzzle.

[dekutree]

Tip: After doing rough placement of components, grab the MCU or whatever has the most connections and move it in a circular pattern so you can see if there are many ratlines crossing over eachother. Try rotating it to all the 90 and 45 degree angles until you find the one where the most ratlines run parallel.

[elecrain]

As a college student, it's quite good to see that I'm already using all of these tips in the video.

[YoutubeBorkedMyOldHandle_why]

I'd kill to have your last name ;-)

I don't mean to trash your sponsor, especially considering you seem to be only starting, and they're probably paying you a pretty penny. However ...

Based on lots of ads and recommendations, I thought I'd try PCBWAY. As I have done many times before, I included multiple designs on some of my boards. Not to be confused with panelizing etc., these are designs which I intended to cut by myself. I was simply trying to Maximize the default 100x100mm board space. But PCBWAY cried foul and made it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR that they don't allow this. Meaning: they attempted to charge the FULL PRICE for each and every 'design' on my boards. Total price (in Canadian dollars) $420 for this order (5 copies of 5 different boards.) We couldn't resolve the dispute, so I cancelled my order and submitted EXACTLY the same order to JLCPCB. JLCPCB had no issue with my submission. Total cost ... $72 delivered. The PCBs were perfect. I can't vouch for PCBWAY's quality ... but I'm perfectly happy with all of my JLCPCB orders.

[JJSnel-uhby]

Usually using a 4 layer pcb is only slightly more expensive then using a 2 layer pcb. depending on the manufacturer and if/what PCBA you use. This can help to add a completely seperate Ground plane or even a powerplane to your design making it easier to run you signal and data lines much faster and with less use of Via's. However there are some EMI considerations here a proper GND plane for example has some rules to follow and a powerplane is not always the best use of the space. A powerplane can also cause interference if used incorrectly.

[ChunkySteveo]

Good set of tips Dustin! Always liked the 1:1 paper print to show the ACTUAL board and how your components just won't fit it! 1 piece of paper and 5 mins will save you a couple of weeks delivery and board costs 👌🏻

[ChauBui-ly]

I summaize:
+ Use reference design
• Datasheets for example feature typical application
• Open source design
• Development board
+ Work in block
+ Move, rotate, repeat
+ Importance trace first
+ Trace width calculator
+ Use net label
+ Printing on paper
• Print layout on paper with ratio 1:1, check with reality footprint components
• Check the components relationship, eg. USB stick can be plug in in the same time or not.
+ Extra footprint: make test point
+ Use the 3D viewer
+ Use the DRC

[justdoingodswork]

Test pad would be really helpful, I'll use it from now on

[CallistoPili]

very good recommendations and I love you done it using KiCAD. I usually apply these rules on daily basis and these design rules applies also to other ECAD programs. Good to see nice videos about that stuff, especially for people that have to start this career.
However there are different set of rules, Design rules to sketch the idea and concept that leads into simulation first. Design rules like these on the video especially for making concice and consistent schematic, Design rule for standard PCBs, and also for Analog o Mixed signals, and RF only.
The content is so vaste btw.
:)

[naidol]

Good quick tips ... I like the one to provide for extra components that may be needed later.

[TinyHardware]

You probing that CP2102N chip gave me flashbacks.... Thanks again for all the help in discord I now have 3 working Touchdown units and they are great. I'm thinking of modifying your design to make the pads longer for probing and hand soldering since there is a lot of room to play with. Thanks again and great video!.

[ampnics]

I already use these steps while designing the PCB

[kyleolson]

I like the 3D viewer, but remember it's not always right. You might be trusting someone who attached the wrong model.
For example, I have a board I with a USB-B 3.0 connector, and the 3D model I got in EasyEDA from JLCPCB for the part was USB-B 2.0. It game me a pretty nice view of how a similar B 2.0 connector would still fit in the 3.0 footprint, but it was the wrong size.
In this case the error was obvious for a couple reasons. I was able to look at the photo and datasheet in the catalog and verify I had the right part and footprint. Many parts aren't going to be as clear as this one so keep an eye out.

[TheTinkerDad]

Great video with a very nice collection of tips!

[MegaTechno]

These are some useful tips, thanks a lot! Will make a drone pcb any tips for that?

[TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

Nice video, good to see your printing the gerbers to check footprints and spacings been doing that for years. I know that pcbs are cheap now but p&p is a killer! WHY wait until you get the pcb to find the faults.

[yudhahamdiarzi]

Thankyou for the tips, help me so much

[oly]

Great info and very professional video.