Designing a PCB doesn’t have to be as complicated as most people think. For hobby PCBs, a successful design can be achieved by following some rules of thumb, which I may go over in the future. Before we can even design a PCB, we need the tools to do so.
First, we need some software that we can use to create designs with and generate fabrication files for us to send to a PCB fabricator. There a handful of software to choose from. I’ve personally started with KiCad, then made a PCB in Eagle, then in Altium Designer, and now I’m back to using KiCad.
I’m a KiCad fanboy to be upfront about my bias. I’ll admit it’s not as feature-rich as Altium, but in my opinion KiCad is all you need to get started on your journey designing PCBs. KiCad is also FOSS, meaning you should always be able access it.
Yes, I have experience designing PCBs, but to be honest I’m not confident enough in my skills to give much advice and teach it. On the bright-side, many great resources already exists to get you started on your journey.
I would recommend this YouTube series by Shawn Hymel to get started with KiCad.
In this series, Shawn not only teaches you how to use KiCad, but also covers the PCB fabrication process, and how to assemble your PCB one you’ve received it. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! If you follow along with Shawn, you will create a fun LED project, which is a great way to dip your toes into this wonderful world and shows that PCBs are not only a technical component but also an artistic an aesthetic one too.
Reader, I hope this inspires you to start working on your first PCB. All you have to do is follow along with that YouTube series. Best of Luck! -Cobie