Part 2 of the exercise to create a custom footprint for the Amphenol / SV Microwave SF2921-61506-1S SMA coaxial connector. The previous post checked the possible layout. In this one, I'm drawing it in the footprin...
I'm going to draw my first footprint in the KiCad 7 Footprint editor.
I have experience with previous versions. To try out version 7, I'm going to make one for the Amphenol / SV Microwave SF2921-61506-1S SMA...
LibraryLoader is a utility from Supplyframe/Samacsys, that allows you to find component footprints online and convert them to the EDA you use. I installed it today and used it to load an Amphenol / SV Microwave SF2921-61506-...
The new technique is known as MIMIC and allows engineers to print circuits on everything from latex gloves to contact lenses. (Image credit: NC State)
Engineers at NC State have developed a novel technique to print flexible circuits on curved and co...
This blog is to make available the USB to Banana Plug adapter design in case anyone else wants to build one.
This adapter converts a standard 2 pin banana jack to a USB connector and a 0.1" pitch header. This allows bench power supplies to&...
For the 2022 Holiday Season, I'm designing an Ornament-Style PCB. (Last year I did a PCB Gift Box with LEDs.)
In short, it is a 1.8" TFT LCD connected to a Pi Pico (W). The idea is to display GIFs downloaded on the LCD. I've started on the initial PC...
I have been looking for (and not been successful) in sourcing a through-hole PCB boards with 3.5mm hole pitch. Everything I see off-the-shelf is 2.54mm hole pitch. Even the solderless breadboards don't have 3.5mm.
I need to mount/solder on the PC...
I’m looking for some recommendation on KiCAD netclass board setup. What do you use for clearance, via size and track width?
I realize the most appropriate response to this questions depends on a number of factors. I’m hoping for a genera...
I am moving from generating PCB layouts using Fritzing to KiCAD. It has been something I have been considering for a while. I have been investing some resources (time, money and energy) in learning KiCAD 6. I have just completed the module on constru...
In a recent blog, I made a pcb for a piezo sensor circuit. image: the schematic in KiCadI used general common sense when doing the layout. I put the components and traces in such a way that they fitted and didn't have trace crossings. B...
Since cstanton alerted everyone to the PCB Forum, I thought I’d make use of it and try to get some help.
I’ve never done a ball grid array (BGA) layout, and I wished to have an FPGA board that I’d created myself, for some ...
What’s the key to designing a board that’s realistic on paper and in physical form? Let’s explore the top 5 design guidelines that you need to know to design your next manufacturable, functional and reliable PCB.
Top 5 PCB ...
PCB Design
PCB design is one of the most important steps in the development of a project and must be done well and checked many times in order to avoid the finished product flat out not working due to some electrical error on the PCB In this ...
Nowadays, Lithium batteries are used extensively in portable devices, such as cellphones, laptop computers, electronic gadgets, … etc. There is a standard industry-defined procedure (cycle) for charging the lithium-ion/lithium-polymer batterie...
The white noise generator circuit is a handy tool that can be used to examine the circuit or a communication line under some random noises to make sure about the stability of the device in real and harsh environments. The current consumption of the d...
KiCad can generate 3D views of the model being developed and can also export them in several formats. However, the files aren't useable in many CAD programs.
The Problem
Interfacing a PCB with other parts of a project is eased if ...
The high temperature of the power components is a known phenomenon in electronics. To overcome this challenge, the designers mount heatsinks on the components to dissipate the heat, however, in many commercial and home appliance devices, the emb...
In this video, I've talked about five different design and routing tips for Altium Designer. The first tip is about easy track/trace selection. The second tip is to modify the track width efficiently, both using the design rules and using th...
DC to DC buck converters is a famous topology in the electronic and a widely used circuit in electronic devices. A buck converter steps down the input voltage while it increases the output current. In this article/video, I have discussed a DC to DC b...
Infrared remote controllers are everywhere around us. The majority of home appliances are controlled using infrared remote controls. In this article/video, we learn to build a device that can decode (almost) any IR remote control and use the instruct...
www.youtube.com/watch Nowadays USB port is used widely for data transactions between electronic devices and computers. In many scenarios, there is no need to communicate with the USB port directly, therefore electronic designers use USB to UART ...
EDIT 31/1/21: I've added a reply below with an embedded video which is worth watching after reading the white paper. I've been reading around about grounding for PCBs over the last couple of days and opinions seem to fall into either &qu...
www.youtube.com/watch This project is only free for personal and non-commercial use AC loads live with us! Because they are everywhere around us and at least home appliances are supplied with the mains power. Many types of industrial equipm...
As we all know, the COVID-19 outbreak hit the world and changed our lifestyle. In this condition, Alcohol and hand sanitizers are vital fluids, however, they must be used properly. Touching alcohol containers or hand sanitizers with infected hands ca...
Learning to solder with this kit is a fun way to obtain a new skill and a great introduction to electronics. The art in this project is based on the logo used in the current Element14 Women Makers and Engineers Contest. The Printed Circui...
