Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: cstanton
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Last Updated Last Updated:
  • Views 1700 views
  • Likes 1 like
  • Comments 32 comments
Related
Recommended

How do you plan out your electronics?

I realise that I perhaps don't prototype how I should. Often some of the components are plug and play, or I just rebuild the circuit every time with a breadboard, but with my larger projects I've realised that I do need to document them in some manner else when I have to rip them apart and come back to them... I'm not sure how it went together, so what do you do?

 

This poll is featured in Round-Up and Review - Videos, News and Polls!

Parents

  • I usually start with researching what’s possible and sketch something, take notes and so on, but quickly move to Kicad to draw it up which I tend to annotate with part numbers and data sheet links so I can quickly refer back.  I’m continually writing stuff up in my notebook though. 

     

    For some things I will create simulations in LTSpice but I’m not that great with that tool so I can never tell if what I’m seeing is likely to be right or not! 

     

    If I can breadboard something first I will but I’ve decided that it’s as easy to get a PCB made - I’ve just had 5 pieces of a 100mmx100mm 4 layer PCB delivered, with a stencil for less than £25, which is comparable to buying a small number of DIL adapters for the SMD chips.  2-layer, no stencil is about half that price.  If breadboarding with SMD required getting hold of DIL adapters I don’t think I’ll bother in future.  Hobbyist timelines make this ok as there is always something else to be getting on with or reading about.

     

    For me, there is no one answer to that question but it’s good to hear how others do it

Comment

  • I usually start with researching what’s possible and sketch something, take notes and so on, but quickly move to Kicad to draw it up which I tend to annotate with part numbers and data sheet links so I can quickly refer back.  I’m continually writing stuff up in my notebook though. 

     

    For some things I will create simulations in LTSpice but I’m not that great with that tool so I can never tell if what I’m seeing is likely to be right or not! 

     

    If I can breadboard something first I will but I’ve decided that it’s as easy to get a PCB made - I’ve just had 5 pieces of a 100mmx100mm 4 layer PCB delivered, with a stencil for less than £25, which is comparable to buying a small number of DIL adapters for the SMD chips.  2-layer, no stencil is about half that price.  If breadboarding with SMD required getting hold of DIL adapters I don’t think I’ll bother in future.  Hobbyist timelines make this ok as there is always something else to be getting on with or reading about.

     

    For me, there is no one answer to that question but it’s good to hear how others do it

Children
No Data