Electronics Design

Electronic design is the process of creating and developing electronic circuits and systems to perform specific tasks. It involves planning, designing, simulating, testing, and sometimes fabricating components and systems that use electrical signals to function.

Key Aspects of Electronic Design:

1) Circuit Design

• Creating schematics that show how components like resistors, capacitors, microcontrollers, and sensors are connected.

• Can be analog, digital, or a combination of both (mixed-signal design).

2) Component Selection

• Choosing suitable components (ICs, transistors, diodes, etc.) based on functionality, cost, availability, and power consumption.

3) PCB Design (Printed Circuit Board)

• Laying out the circuit on a physical board using software like KiCad, Eagle, or Altium.

• Involves placing components and routing copper traces that connect them.

4) Simulation and Testing

• Using tools like SPICE simulators or real hardware (multimeters, oscilloscopes) to test and verify the design.

• Ensures the circuit behaves as expected before production.

5) Prototyping and Debugging

• Building a working prototype to identify and fix any issues.

• Helps refine the design before final manufacturing.

6) Production and Documentation

Preparing the design for manufacturing and creating documentation for assembly and use.

Group Assignment

The complete group assignment, including our process of testing the microcontroller with a multimeter and oscilloscope, is documented on Sharvari’s page.

What I Learned:

I used a multimeter to measure voltage levels at various points on the board, mainly to confirm that the power supply was stable and that there was proper continuity between specific pins.

Using the oscilloscope allowed me to visualize digital signals in real-time. I specifically observed the PWM output on one of the pins, and it was fascinating to see the waveform change dynamically as I altered the code or input.

This experience gave me a clearer understanding of how signals behave — something that isn’t always obvious without measuring tools.

Overall, I gained a deeper appreciation for the role of testing tools. They’re not just for troubleshooting; they help uncover how and why a circuit functions the way it does.

Individual Assignment

For this week’s assignment, I designed a custom breakout board for the Seeed XIAO RP2040 using EasyEDA – a powerful online tool for schematic capture, PCB layout, and even simulation. The idea behind this project was to make prototyping and debugging with the XIAO RP2040 much easier by breaking out all essential pins into a clean and accessible layout.

Why a Breakout Board?

The XIAO RP2040 is a super-compact development board based on the Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip. It’s packed with features but due to its small size, connecting modules or sensors directly becomes inconvenient, especially on a breadboard. So I decided to create a breakout board that:

• Exposes power lines (5V, 3.3V, GND)

• Breaks out all GPIOs

• Separates UART, I2C, SPI interfaces

• Includes a power indicator LED

This board will act like a personal development platform for rapid prototyping.

Exploring EasyEDA

This week, I stepped into EasyEDA for the first time, and let me tell you—it’s a pretty solid tool for designing circuits. It’s got everything: a schematic editor, PCB layout tool, and even a simulation feature to check if your circuit will work before you physically build it.

Key Features of EasyEDA:

1. Schematic Editor – Draw circuit diagrams with prebuilt components.

2. PCB Layout Editor – Convert schematics into a printable PCB layout.

3. Simulation – Test how your circuit will function before making it.

4. Component Library – Access thousands of electronic parts.

5. Auto Router – Automatically routes PCB traces to avoid errors.

Schematic Editor

The schematic editor in EasyEDA is where I began. I added the XIAO RP2040 footprint from the LCSC parts library. The symbol was already pre-defined with all pin names, which made things easier.

I then started placing other components like:

• Headers (Pin Connectors) – to break out GPIO, power, and communication lines.

• LED + Resistor – for power indication.

• Net Labels – These help identify and organize connections instead of drawing long wires everywhere.

• GND and Power Ports – These global symbols automatically connect all related pins without visible wires.

HEADER PINS I used:

LED & Resistor I used:

The hotkeys in EasyEDA were also useful. For example:

• W to quickly draw wires

• Shift+R to rotate components

• Spacebar for switching between tools

Component Libraries

I explored both EasyEDA standard libraries and LCSC libraries. The LCSC ones are useful especially if you’re planning to manufacture the board via JLCPCB, as they show availability and part numbers directly.

Designing the Schematic

Power Section:

• Used a 330Ω resistor and SMD LED for 5V power indication.

• Connected 3.3V, 5V, and GND to headers H2 and H3.

Communication Interfaces:

• UART (TX, RX): Routed to headers CN2 and U6

• I2C (SDA, SCL): Routed to CN1 and U6 for flexibility

• SPI (MISO, MOSI, SCK): Brought out to U5 for modules like OLEDs or SD cards

GPIO Pins:

• Connected all digital pins (D0–D10, etc.) to headers H3–H6 for general use.

Each header was logically grouped and labeled. I also added net labels to keep the schematic clean and reduce wire clutter.

this was my schematic at the first try , but it was looking a bit unorganised so i tried making it better at connections and understanding.

Refining the Schematic

After completing the first draft, I took some time to refine and clean up the schematic. Here's what I changed in version 2:

• I properly labeled all connections, such as 5V, 3V3, GND, SDA, SCL, TX, RX, etc.

• I aligned all the headers and connectors for better readability

• Used standardized naming conventions and grid alignment

• Made sure to clearly mark power rails and communication lines

• This improved version not only looked more professional but also made the PCB layout easier to follow later on.

Final Header Pin Mapping

Header	Pins	Function
H2	5V, 3V3, GND	Power
H3–H6	GPIO Pins	General Purpose I/O
U5	MISO, MOSI, SCK, TX, RX	SPI + UART
U6	SDA, SCL, TX	I2C + UART
CN1	SDA, SCL	I2C
CN2	TX, RX	UART

Schematic to PCB Layout

Once the schematic was finalized, I moved to EasyEDA to create the PCB layout:

Board Shape

I designed the PCB in the shape of a rocket . decided to try something different and fun — I designed a rocket-shaped PCB using EasyEDA. The goal wasn't to create a functional circuit, but to understand how to work with non-rectangular board outlines and add a bit of creativity to my electronics journey.

How I Designed It:

1. opened EasyEDA Editor and created a new project.

2. Then, selected the Mechanical Layer Board Outline to begin drawing the shape of my PCB.

3. Used the Freehand tool (Route Tool) to trace the rocket shape manually, starting with the pointed top (nose cone), body, and fins.

4. Made sure to close the shape completely so that the board outline was continuous and valid.

5. Once the outline was done,added footprints — like header pins, RP2040 footprint, pads for SMD resistors and LEDs.

6. I routed basic traces between the components inside the shape, making sure not to go outside the custom outline.

7. I didn’t add a silkscreen layer for this board — the focus was purely on the custom contour and component placement inside the shape. Ensured all component footprints were correct and aligned properly.

Important Point To Remember while Tracing

1. How to use the mechanical layer to draw custom outlines in EasyEDA.

2. How to freehand trace unique shapes using the route tool.

3. How to ensure the outline is closed properly for PCB manufacturing.

4. How to fit components inside non-standard PCB boundaries.

Design Rules

I set the track width and clearance rules to ensure proper routing and avoid potential short circuits. - Track width: 0.500 mm

• Clearance: 0.800 mm

• Via size: Adjusted based on drill bit availability

• Board outline: Set using the Mechanical Layer in EasyEDA

Layer Assignments: I set up the board outline layer for cutting and ensured all connections were on the top layer for engraving.

Mounting Holes: I added mounting holes to the design for secure installation.

Auto-Routing & Manual Edits: Since my improved schematic had fewer connection errors, I used autoroute to generate the traces efficiently. After auto-routing, I manually optimized a few connections to ensure a clean and functional layout.

Mounting Holes: I added mounting holes to the design for secure installation.

I also put my symbol of triple s "SSS" in a cool font on my board.

Once satisfied, I previewed the PCB in 3D mode, and it looked great!

Generating Gerber Files & Preparing for Milling After finalizing the design, I exported the Gerber files needed for PCB milling. Then, I moved on to CopperCAM to prepare the machining layers:

I exported the Gerber files for the following layers:

Top Layer (GTL)– For engraving circuit traces

Drill File (TXT/DRL) – For the through-hole components

Board Outline (GML) – For cutting out the rocket shape and mounting holes

HERO SHOT

here is my further proccess when I milled my first ever PCB. Electronic Production

My Learnings

• Gained hands-on experience with EasyEDA for schematic and PCB design.

• Learned to use hotkeys and tools efficiently for faster design.

• Designed a custom breakout board for the Seeed XIAO RP2040 to ease prototyping.

• Improved schematic readability through better organization and labeling.

• Understood the importance of power indicators (LED + resistor) in design.

• Broke out UART, I2C, SPI, and GPIOs clearly for flexible usage.

• Realized the value of iteration and refinement in circuit design.

• Used multimeter and oscilloscope to understand and test circuit behavior.

• Developed deeper insight into signal flow and power distribution.

• Improved both technical skills and design thinking through the process.

FILES

PCB DESIGN Gerber File