Advanced PCB Design with KiCad 9
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From Concept to Manufacturing: Build, Test, and Deliver a Four-Layer IoT PCB Using KiCad 9
Unlock the full potential of KiCad 9 and learn how to design a fully functional IoT PCB from start to finish. In this comprehensive, project-based course, you will work through the complete design, testing, and manufacturing process of a four-layer PCB using KiCad 9's latest tools and techniques. By the end of the course, you will have a fully designed and tested ESP32-based IoT board, along with the skills to tackle your own advanced PCB design projects.
Who is this course for?
What you need to know before you start?
This course is ideal for electronics hobbyists, engineers, and professionals who already have working experience with KiCad and want to take their PCB design skills to the next level.
This course will not teach you the basics of PCB design and KiCad.
If you are new to KiCad, I recommend starting with our KiCad Like a Pro, 4th Edition course, which provides a solid foundation in PCB design using KiCad.
What You'll Learn
- Design a complete four-layer PCB with KiCad 9.
- Create schematics, assign footprints, and route tracks for high-speed signals like SPI, I2C, and USB.
- Implement power and ground planes, copper zones, and via stitching for signal integrity.
- Troubleshoot and resolve design issues using KiCad's Electrical Rules Check (ERC) and Design Rules Check (DRC).
- Run Design for Manufacturing (DFM) checks with NextPCB to ensure production-ready designs.
- Test and validate key PCB components such as an SD card interface, flash memory, sensors, microphone, and OLED display.
- Analyze analog and digital signals using test scripts, an oscilloscope, and KiCad's simulation tools.
What are the course deliverables?
By the end of the course, you will have a fully functional ESP32-based IoT PCB, including:
A professionally designed four-layer PCB, ready for fabrication and assembly.
Complete KiCad project files for your reference and future use.
Practical skills to design advanced PCBs for IoT applications.
Insights into troubleshooting common design issues and preparing files for manufacturing.
Hardware & Software
To complete this course you will need a free copy of KiCad 9. Get your copy from the KiCad website.
If you do not plan to assemble this PCB, you will not need anything else.
If you plan to assemble the PCB, either as a DIY project (which will not be easy!) or by outsourcing the assembly, you will also need the various components that are to be soldered on. You can download the Bill of Materials here (this is an Excel spreadsheet).
This course does not include any hardware!
Sample lectures
Introduction to this course
Prototype evaluation
Multi-page schematic editor
Here's what you're getting:
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Solo
Once-off payment, best for self-sufficient learners on a budget.
A$21.99
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A$21.99
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Community
Best for the social learner: be a member of the course community.
A$54.99
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A$54.99
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What's in this course?
Introduction
010 – Introduction to PCB design with Kicad 9
Source code of the project
Planning
020 – Component selection and bill of materials
030 – Schematic design and layout overview
040 – Multipage schematic editor
050 – Design priorities
060 – Component walkthrough
070 – Component sources and collection
075 - Section 1 recap
076 - Section 2 review quiz
Setup
080 – Start the project
090 – Project configuration
100 – Install the footprint and symbol
105 - Section 2 recap
106 - Section 3 review quiz
Schematic design
110 – Starting with the schematic design
120 – Lipo battergy charger
130 – USB port subcircuit
140 – Create nets
150 – Finish Lipo charger design
160 – Voltage regulator
170 – Battery connector
180 – Add hierarchical sheet to page 2
190 – Finish work in sheet 1
195 - Section 3 Recap 1
196 - Section 4 review quiz 1
200 – Schematic design page 2 ESP32
210 – USB-UART bridge
220 – ESP32
230 – SD card module
240 – Flash memory
250 – Create pages 3 and 4
260 – Add test points
265 - Section 3 Recap 2
266 - Section 4 review quiz 2
270 – Schematic design – sensors sheet
280 – BME280
290 – Ambient light sensor
300 – Sound sensor
310 – Schematic design sheet 4 User interface
320 – BOOT and EN buttons
330 – Symbol-footprint associations
340 – Electrical rules check
345 - Section 3 Recap 3
346 - Section 4 review quiz 3
Layout design
350 – Start with the layout editor
360 – Netclass setup
370 – Import schematic to the layout editor
380 – Track width calculator
390 – Bring in remaining components
400 – Main components placement
410 – ESP32 placement
420 – Main component placement
430 – Edge cuts rough
435 - Section 5 Recap 1
436 - Section 5 review quiz 1
440 – Placement and fine-tuning principles
450 – Examples of fine-tuning
460 – Routing of SPI signals
470 – Implement refinement
480 – How to fix a design bug
490 – Continue placement refinement
500 – Board outline refinement
510 – Mounting holes
520 – Routing
525 - Section 5 Recap 2
526 - Section 5 review quiz 2
530 – Create copper zones
540 – Differential pair routing
550 – I2C tracks routing
560 – Length tuning
570 – Routing SPI
580 – Power trace routing
585 - Section 5 Recap 3
586 - Section 5 review quiz 3
590 – USB DP routes
600 – Continue with power tracks
610 – Bulk-fix specific track widths
620 – Complete remaining signal tracks
630 – Fix missing copper zone
640 – Design rules check
650 – Fix unconnected items
660 – Fix violations
670 – Final improvements
675 - Section 5 Recap 4
676 - Section 5 review quiz 4
Production
680 – Design for manufacturing
690 – Silkscreen and graphics
710 – Order PCB and assembly
720 – After order placement
730 – Waiting for the PCB
740 – Recap
745 - Section 6 Recap
746 - Section 6 review quiz
Evaluation
01-Evaluation start and outline
02-Test scripts
03-Testing recap so far
04-Audio sensor
05-Light sensor
06-Test conclusions and next steps
07-Section 7 Recap
08-Section 7 review quiz
The course instructor
The course instructor is Peter Dalmaris, PhD.
Peter has created over 20 other courses on technology education.
He is the author of Maker Education Revolution, a book on how making is changing the way we learn and teach.
He is also the host of Stemiverse, a podcast in which he discusses education and STEM with the shakers and movers of technology and science education from around the world.
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