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High current, high voltage PCB design

geralds — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:55:31 GMT

Have you a project with a high current, high voltage PCB design?

Then please read this design guide from Cadence:

https://resources.pcb.cadence.com/pcb-newsletter-september-2026/high-current-and-high-voltage-pcb-layout

Here you can watch this demonstration video as well:

https://resources.pcb.cadence.com/pcb-newsletter-september-2026/how-much-current-can-your-pcb-copper-actually-carry-ir-drop-in-sigrity-x-aurora

Best regards

Gerald

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RE: High current, high voltage PCB design

embeddedguy — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:39:26 GMT

Thanks cstanton !

RE: High current, high voltage PCB design

geralds — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:08:47 GMT

Thanks!😎

RE: High current, high voltage PCB design

cstanton — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:00:22 GMT

PCB Design, Prototyping and Production would be a better fit, moved 🙂

RE: High current, high voltage PCB design

geralds — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:41:16 GMT

Hi,

yes, I see.

How can I transfer my post to the members area, or members forum?

Now I've copied the post into the members forum.

RE: High current, high voltage PCB design

embeddedguy — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 03:09:15 GMT

cstanton Is this a right forum ?

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

manojroy123 — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:22:57 GMT

I like 3018 pro ultra. I, probably would go for it.

Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

manojroy123 — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:49:36 GMT

Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan.

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

geralds — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 19:19:39 GMT

Hi, do you need just drilling or do you want milling as well?

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

beacon_dave — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 17:10:25 GMT

There is this MPCNC CNC platform design by V1 Engineering.

https://docs.v1e.com/mpcnc/intro/

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

michaelkellett — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 16:36:00 GMT

I have one of these https://www.axminstertools.com/proxxon-tbm-220-bench-drill-702060

It doesn't meet your spec.

500W at 10,000 RPM isn't safe for a small press drill - your brain is too close to the action when you are using it !

If you need this power and speed then you need a full blown router with X,Y,Z control and GUARDS on it.

Useful article here:

https://www.haraldkreuzer.net/en/news/lunyee-3018-pro-ultra-perfect-entry-world-cnc

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

manojroy123 — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 15:53:22 GMT

I want to build a press drill using "Spindle Motor" above 10000 rpm with minimum 500 watt or above power.

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

shabaz — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 15:38:53 GMT

Also for many prototypes it is possible to just solder to the copper side, minus any drill holes (obviously for SMD of course, but also with through-hole parts, large DIP ICs too). Major benefit of saved time, and zero dust and drill bit breakages!

RE: Does anyone knows where can I get PCB drilling machine plan?

michaelkellett — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:04:23 GMT

I don't know of any plans and I suspect that it would be cheaper to just buy one.

What sort of PCB drilling machine do you want ?

There are lots of quite cheap 2 axis with drill kind of machines available.

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-routing-machine.html

These people sell kits but a ready made machine is cheaper.

https://ooznest.co.uk/product/original-workbee-z1plus-cnc-machine/#size-colour

Join the Horror Show, or Is it? - AI Gen PCB Design?

stanto — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:02:37 GMT

I stumbled upon this: https://github.com/assalas/pcb-designer-ai-agent because there was a thread on Reddit that's discussing "Any AI tools to do PCB design reviews?" and I've always thought things like routing should be a computer solvable problem.

This looks like it can work on a local LLM rather than burning lakes of water, instead I can cook in my office.

There's also tools like https://www.protoflow.ai/download and https://www.quilter.ai/free-ai-pcb-design and https://www.flux.ai/p - and I frankly have struggled to get to grips directly with kicad (yes there's tutorials, etc, but like mathematics at school, I struggled until I found the right teacher).

Anyway, I'm going to see what I can get out of this on a local workflow, call it my new year's resolution (what it's august already?)

I want to see what other people have created using tooling like this, and how it measures up to reality - y'know, from people who actually know how to do PCB design?

Or not, I'm not your parent. [emoticon:c4563cd7d5574777a71c318021cbbcc8]

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

EthanKang — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:31:10 GMT

KiCanvas looks useful for lighter review cases. PCBAtlas is aimed more at large board projects and broader format support.

On mobile devices, memory is often the main constraint, so we spent a lot of effort making boards with 10,000+ pins open and remain smooth even on a phone.

I agree this is still a niche use case today, but it fills a gap. As mobile hardware improves and AI-driven workflows grow, more PCB review work may move to tablets and phones.

PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

EthanKang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:40:19 GMT

Hi everyone,

About a month ago, I introduced PCBAtlas here while the Apple version was still in public TestFlight. I wanted to post a development update now that it has moved into a regular App Store release, and an Android version is also available as a direct free trial.

PCBAtlas is still focused on the same problem: providing a local-first workspace for opening, organizing, and reviewing PCB design and manufacturing data without requiring a full EDA installation or uploading board files to a web service.

It is not intended to replace KiCad, a PCB editor, or a formal CAM/DFM sign-off process. The goal is to make routine inspection, revision review, issue communication, lab work, and manufacturing handoff more convenient.

The current versions support workflows around:

KiCad projects, schematics, and .kicad_pcb boards
DSN files
IPC-2581 XML
ODB++ archives and directories
Recognized manufacturing-package folders
2D board inspection, object selection, search, and layer controls
Project and schematic browsing where available
Board-level 3D viewing
Managed revisions inside the same PCB workspace

Since the earlier beta, much of the work has been less visible but important: improving large-board rendering, selection on dense layouts, import progress, saved viewer state, repeated open/reopen workflows, ODB++ archive handling, 3D navigation, thumbnails, and general stability.

The Android build now follows the same general review workflow as the Apple versions. It is temporarily available as a direct APK free trial. The download page also publishes the build version, SHA-256 checksum, and signer certificate fingerprint for verification.

I am particularly interested in feedback on:

Files that fail to import or take unexpectedly long
Incorrect or missing layers, shapes, line widths, pads, or vias
ODB++ and IPC-2581 compatibility problems
Selection problems on dense or overlapping board geometry
Whether the revision/workspace model is genuinely useful
Information that is still missing during a real review or manufacturing handoff

Website and downloads:

https://www.astroformsoftware.com/

When reporting an issue, the platform, device model, file format, approximate board size, and the import stage where the problem occurred are especially useful. Non-sensitive test files are welcome, but screenshots and descriptions are also helpful.

Disclosure: I am the developer of PCBAtlas. I will keep technical discussion and support public where practical, and I will not send unsolicited DMs or add anyone to a mailing list.

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

shabaz — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:48:08 GMT

I've found KiCanvas usable with a tablet (for the rare times I'm without laptop!), since component selection, pinch-to-zoom etc all works with the touchscreen with no mouse/keyboard. Agree it would be good to highlight the same selected component in different views, I'm surprised KiCanvas doesn't already support that, since it remembers component selection when switching back to the previous view. Probably an easy thing to implement as a result (might be worth putting in a feature request for that).

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

BigG — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:22:46 GMT

Interesting, although it doesn't appear to be interactive like Altium365. I like to be able to click onto a component and it dynamically highlights the same component in different views (e.g. PCB, schematic, 3D view etc) and then provides you with the technical details (I found this option, at least in kicanvas).

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

shabaz — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:13:47 GMT

The video didn't demonstrate much, but the ability to view and explore KiCad projects on desktop or mobile devices is already possible with KiCanvas (example PCB view).

Example schematic:

At least for hobbyists, that will go a long way toward reviewing, since third party tools can be used for capturing review meeting minutes and action items. That more informal method won't suit businesses of course.

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

cstanton — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:20:14 GMT

[quote userid="250758" url="~/products/pcbprototyping/f/forum/57141/pcbatlas-update-app-store-release-and-android-free-trial-now-available/237678"]Agree, but how often do such households perform PCB layout reviews?[/quote]

Given most electrical makers I've seen at hackspaces are carrying phones and ipads, I suspect it's higher than you may think.

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

misaz — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:08:22 GMT

Agree, but I can imagine use cases like some manager making some kind of reviews or just want to look at something on field, etc.

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

misaz — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:06:47 GMT

Agree, but how often do such households perform PCB layout reviews?

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

cstanton — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:30:22 GMT

[quote userid="121623" url="~/products/pcbprototyping/f/forum/57141/pcbatlas-update-app-store-release-and-android-free-trial-now-available/237670"]Why would any one want to review a PCB on a tablet[/quote]

There are an increasing amount of households that don't have a 'full fat' computer these days.

RE: PCBAtlas update: App Store release and Android free trial now available

BigG — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:30:08 GMT

I'd say this is for beyond the design room. One application I can think of is when field testing PCBs, where you're off to evaluate a problem out on site. It's a new board and you're not sure what you're looking at. You typically want to look at the PCB design to figure out what is doing what. A 42" won't help here.