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Notes

PCB Design notes and layout practice

All (52)Hardware (7)Firmware (28)PCB Design (7)Embedded UI (3)Product Design (1)3D Printing (0)Mochi (6)
Real PCB engineering workstation with KiCad-style layout, oscilloscope, and prototype board
PCB Design

GPT-6 Astra and the Future of PCB Design: Speed Up or Replace Engineers?

How far can GPT-6 Astra go in KiCad? An independent look at the demo, EEBench, open-source tools, and why routing a board is not the same as making it production-ready.

7 min read
Annotated PCB view comparing narrow signal traces with a wider power trace
PCB Design

Net Classes and Trace Width: When Should a PCB Trace Be Wider?

A practical guide to PCB net classes and trace width for small boards: signal traces, 3V3, 5V, battery paths, ground, power vias, and a pre-Gerber checklist.

9 min read
Original diagram showing a signal trace and its compact return path over a continuous ground plane
PCB Design

PCB Ground Planes: GND Is More Than a Net Name

A practical guide to PCB ground planes, return current, GND layout mistakes, stitching vias, decoupling paths, and copper pour checks.

8 min read
Close-up of SMD capacitors and resistors on a printed circuit board
PCB Design

Choosing Capacitors for Electronics: Simple Part, Easy Mistake

A beginner guide to choosing capacitors for circuits: capacitance, voltage rating, decoupling, ceramic types, DC bias, and ESP32 values.

8 min read
Close-up of a soldering iron working on a small SMD capacitor on a PCB
PCB Design

How to Hand-Solder SMD Components for Beginners

A beginner-friendly SMD soldering guide covering tools, easy parts, resistors, capacitors, multi-pin ICs, flux, hot air, and PCB inspection.

8 min read
A PCB board next to a checklist clipboard being reviewed before fabrication
PCB Design

A Practical PCB Review Checklist Before You Send It to Fab

A practical PCB review checklist before fabrication: schematic, ERC, footprints, clearance, power, antenna, USB pairs, silkscreen, Gerbers, and BOM.

6 min read
ESP32-S3 reference schematic divided into functional blocks for review
PCB Design

Reading an Open-Source ESP32 Schematic Before Reusing It

An ESP32 TouchDown case study for reviewing an open-source schematic before reuse, covering power, reset, boot, USB, connectors, and tests.

6 min read

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