1
Printed Circuit Board
Daniel Miller
Joe Quesada
Justine Lazo
http://saturnpcb.com/pcb_services.htm
2
Overview
• What is a PCB?
• Why use a PCB?
• How do I make a PCB?
3
Printed Circuit Board


Circuit connects components through board
Made of alternating layers of conducting and
insulating materials
http://www.seilpcb.co.kr/products/images/2_1_img5.gif
4
Why PCB?
• Features
• Surprisingly Affordable
• Highly reliable
• Compact
• Drawbacks
• Requires more layout than other board types
• Higher initial cost than wire wrap or point-topoint construction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Breadboard_complex.jpg
5
PCB Design Steps
1
2
3
4
Design the circuit
Place the components
Route the wires
Manufacture
6
EDA Software
• PCB design software package
• Design the circuit (Schematics editor)
• Place the components (PCB editor)
• Route the wires (Autorouter module)
• Examples:
• EAGLE
• ExpressPCB
7
Schematic Capture





Pin in/outs
Components
Interconnections
Easily Readable
High-Level Block
Diagram
All pictures of schematics and EAGLE screenshots from http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/108
and http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/109
8
Placement of Components
• Rat’s Nest
9
Placement of Components
• Place big components first- e.g. microcontroller
• Place components in separate functional groups
• Put a ground plane under all components
10
Signal Routing Component Placement
• Surface mount
• Top and bottom planes
• Minimal routing area
• Through-hole mounted
• All components on same side
• Reduces routing area on all planes
http://www.ehow.com/how_8306661_solder-mini-components.html
http://blog.amal.net/?p=188
11
Signal Routing
• Traces are wires connecting components
• Traces can be routed through multiple layers
12
Vias and Pads
• Vias are connections between layers
• Pads are copper areas for pin connections
13
Manufacturing Files
• Gerber Files
• Industry standard file format to describe circuits
• Generated by PCB design software
• Contains all necessary info to manufacture a
circuit board (Traces, Pads, Silkscreen, etc.)
• Drill Files
• Describes the location and size of holes
• Zipped with Gerber files and sent to
manufacturer
14
Viewplot Check
15
Cost Estimate
•www.pcbfabexpress.com
16
Cost Estimate
•www.sunstone.com
17
Summary
• PCBs allow for portable and reliable circuits
• Designed in EDA Software
▫
▫
▫
▫
Design the circuit
Place the components
Route the wires
Manufacture
• Price varies based on size and urgency
18
References
•
•
•
•
•
•
http://saturnpcb.com/pcb_services.htm
http://www.seilpcb.co.kr/products/images/2_1_img5.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Breadboard_complex.jpg
http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/108
http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/109
http://www.ehow.com/how_8306661_solder-minicomponents.html
• http://blog.amal.net/?p=188
• http://www.pcbfabexpress.com/preview_specs.jsp
• http://www.sunstone.com/products-services/quickturnproto-boards/pricing.aspx
19
Questions?