Picture of one of my PCB projects, a breadboard power supply
Introduction
Just because I have completed my undergraduate studies at UBC doesn’t mean I stopped learning! In an effort to further expand my circuit knowledge and skills in the electronic design automation space, I decided to learn KiCAD. While I also considered Altium, its website for student licences was acting up, so I decided to pursue the perpetually free option. To learn the software, I signed up for two online courses which consisted of numerous projects. Such projects included placing the circuit diagram, organizing the PCB board layout, and wiring the connections. While I did briefly touch upon PCB concepts in my degree, I decided to take this time to more actively engage with the subject.
Project 1: Getting Started
The first project, a button-controlled LED torch, was the simplest and aimed to get my feet wet, so to speak (don’t actually handle electronics when wet)! While the circuit itself was simple, only needing one copper layer, I did learn the general design flow for working in KiCAD: that being laying out and wiring the circuit in the schematic editor, assigning (or finding) footprints, importing said schematic into the PCB editor, laying out and wiring the PCB, and exporting the result. The next few projects increase in complexity, allowing me to get further acquainted with KiCAD and PCB design in general.
Project 2: Breadboard Power Supply
The second project was to create a breadboard power supply. I should preface the following projects by saying that the focus of my work is not necessarily on the circuit itself, but rather implementing it in KiCAD, ready for manufacture. With that being said, this project saw the first use of importing symbols and footprints from an external source and the first use of a double layer when laying out the PCB wiring. The increased complexity of the project allowed me to further learn about the many features available in KiCAD.
Project 3: 3.3V Solar Panel Power Supply
The third project, another power supply (this time for a small-scale 3.3V solar panel), was another jump in complexity, especially with the schematic and PCB wiring. This project also made heavy use of imported parts from third-party websites, which unfortunately resulted in some missing models for the 3D render. In any case, this project proved enjoyable to do—connecting the PCB wires reminds me of an old mobile game called Flow Free, a game whose objective is to connect links together without overlap (they don’t give you multiple copper layers)!
Project 4: MCU Datalogger
This was the fourth and final project of the first course. The project, an MCU datalogger, was also the most complex. Using multiple sheet layers and several integrated circuits, the greatest challenge of this circuit was, unsurprisingly, the wiring. While I could have gone for a 4-layer copper layout, I decided to challenge myself and do the PCB wiring with only 2 layers. While it did take some time and clever use of filled zones, I was able to complete the project.
Project 5: IoT PCB
After completing the first course, I debated whether or not I wanted to do the second course. The second course was composed of a single, longer project. This project was a more complex IoT PCB, composed of various IoT components (a microphone, photosensor, programmable MCU with WiFi connectivity, and ability to interface to an OLED output). I ultimately decided to take on the challenge, and I am glad I did! The schematic, composed of a total of 4 sheets, was by far the most complex of all the projects I have attempted, though it provided many learning opportunities for PCB design. In particular, wiring the PCB proved a good opportunity in navigating complex circuitry. This project was also the first time I used a 4-layer PCB.
Conclusion and Next Steps
These courses on KiCAD gave me valuable insight into the world of PCB design and a newfound appreciation for the designers that create these boards. If you stop to think about it, these boards are responsible for most of modern society!
While I am now confident in the fundamentals of KiCAD and PCB design, my next steps include actually ordering one of my PCB designs from a manufacturer and assembling the circuit at home. Furthermore, I look forward to using this software to design even more sophisticated projects.