Building a Unique USB Card Reader: From Idea to Prototype -- Episode 615

oh do you think sooo.....well that one actually was....not.
i really was sured i did put it there, even putting 12k resistros in my shopcart on farnell, but idid forget to place the resistor and to order the parts.

Great video, thanks for the ideas.

IMHO the missing Rbias was on purpose :)

There definitely was a lot of pressure to get it right the first time. ripping up red, blue and black tape on the layouts was a very painful and very tedious process.

oh yes you are right, there is a real generational shift !

Perhaps keep in mind that in the old days the PCB production costs were so high that you had to aim to get it right first time. Also the turnaround times were much slower and very expensive to fast track a second run in order to meet a project deadline. 

thanks, seems you should check out first time right dougw .
while a lot of folks get so experienced they nail the pcb instantly, sometimes good enough is just good enough for a project but not a product. but I think the most common scenario is planned iteration.

I applaud the ability to make it work the first time. I think its mostly down to knowing your skillset and familiarity with concepts circuits and parts that lead to first time winners, once beyound the comofrt zone this is much harder to achieve.

Good episode Clem.

 I agree, when starting a new idea, use what you have if it will do the job.

Once you have a working design, you can evaluate newer components if you want to make it a product line.

I always planned at least two iterations on PCB designs.

I have yet to meet anyone who builds a perfect PCB the first time.

Interesting episode, although I always design to make the PCB work 100% properly on the first iteration. Companies don't operate this way, ostensibly because they would prefer to have a planned iteration 100% of the time than to have an unplanned iteration 10% of the time. They end up with a lot of prototype phases that are not really expected to work properly:

Proof-of-concept prototypes - to test/prove risky technology

Alpha prototype - to start marrying all the technologies together

Beta prototypes - to start making the system work (could require several spins)

Pre-production prototype - to de-risk certification tests

Production prototype - to sort out DFM and manufacturing issues

Low volume initial production - to prove the manufacturing process and build units for certification tests

Finally release to manufacture

Of course, after all this, new features may need to be added, which puts it all back to step one.

I can't afford all that so I just make the first PCB work. In those rare cases where it doesn't work perfectly right away, I have always designed it so that a little surgery will allow the original PCB to work. 

Share your prototyping trouble stories! can't wait to exchange stories of hardware hardships.