This document provides an overview of the printed circuit board (PCB) design process using EAGLE CAD software. It covers the main stages of PCB design including schematic capture, component placement, routing traces, generating output files, and sending designs for fabrication. Key aspects of each stage like adding components, rules for trace routing, and file formats are discussed to help new designers understand the full workflow from initial design to a finished manufactured PCB.

1. WELCOME TO VIBRANT TECHNOLOGIES AND
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2. VIBRANT TECHNOLOGIES AND COMPUTERS

3. ∗ 1)WHAT IS PCB ?
∗ 2)COMPONENT SUPPLIERS
∗ 3)PCB DESIGN PROCESS
∗ 3)EAGLE PCB
∗ 4)SCHEMATIC CAPTURE
∗ 5)PLACE COMPONENTS
∗ 6)ROUTE TRACES
∗ 7)GENERATING GERBERS
∗ 8)FAB
CONTENT :
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4. What is a PCB?
A Mechanical Solution to an Electrical Problem
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5. What is a PCB?
Layers, Traces, Planes, and Vias ... oh my!
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6. What is a PCB?
Essentially, you’re job is this ...
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7. ∗ For the “weird & wonderful” -
∗ For the “inexpensive everyday” -
∗ For the board itself -
Component Suppliers
Where do we get the goods?
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8. The PCB Design Process
From Vision To Reality
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PlacePlace
ComponentsComponents
Route TracesRoute Traces
Fab!Fab!
Iteration
Generate GerbersGenerate Gerbers
SchematicSchematic
CaptureCapture
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9. Eagle PCB
A CAD Tool For Designing a Board
SchematicSchematic
CaptureCapture
LayoutLayout
Control PanelControl Panel
LibraryLibrary
Symbol Footprint
Project
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10. Eagle PCB
Symbol + Footprint + Device = Component
DeviceDevice
DevDev
SymbolSymbol
SymSym
FootprintFootprint
PacPac
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11. ∗ A Plan
∗ Block Diagram / Napkin Sketch
∗ Component Selection
∗ Connections and Testing Considerations
∗ Power and Performance Considerations
∗ A New Project
∗ Access to Libraries
Eagle PCB
Stuff I Need To Get Started
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12. Eagle PCB
It’s all about the planning.
ComponentsComponents ConnectionsConnections
Power &Power &
PerformancePerformance
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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13. 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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14. 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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15. 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.
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16. Schematic Capture
Adding Components
•Click the Add icon
•Find the
component in the
library
•Set values
•Don’t see the
library? Try Use ->
Library
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17. Schematic Capture
Adding Global Symbols
•Click the Add icon
•Find the global
symbol in the
library (supply1)
•Place as if it were
a component
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18. Schematic Capture
Adding Traces (aka Wires)
•Click the Wire icon
•Have at it!
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19. 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!
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20. 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
DIP LQFP, QFP, TQFP QFN BGA
Thru-Hole (TH)Thru-Hole (TH) Surface Mount (SMT)Surface Mount (SMT)
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21. Place Components
Creating a new board design
• From the schematic,
choose File ->
Switch to Board.
• “Create From
Schematic”? You bet!
• Board window
automatically opens.
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22. 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
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23. 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.
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24. 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.24
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25. 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.
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26. 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.
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27. Generating Gerbers
Some General Tips
• Using Advanced Circuits? Have I got a script for you ...
• This involves the “CAM Processor” ...
• Generate critical layers.
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Easier
than spit!
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28. 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.
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29. 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.
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30. Fab
Before you hit “the button” ...
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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.
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31. 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.
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32. The PCB Design ProcessA Summary of a Lot of Information
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PlacePlace
ComponentsComponents
Route TracesRoute Traces
Fab!Fab!
Iteration
Generate GerbersGenerate Gerbers
SchematicSchematic
CaptureCapture
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