Week 6: Electronics Design

Assignment Overview

This week is about electronics design. I will simulate a circuit and design a microcontroller board using EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software.

Date: February 25 - March 4, 2026 Status: 🚧 Work in Progress

📋 Assignment Requirements

Group Assignment

✅ Use test equipment to observe how a microcontroller works

  • [ ] Use an oscilloscope or multimeter in the lab
  • [ ] Observe signals on a microcontroller circuit
  • [ ] Record and document the results
  • [ ] Share results on the group work page

Individual Assignment

✅ Simulate a circuit

  • [ ] Choose a simulation tool
  • [ ] Build and simulate a basic circuit
  • [ ] Document the results

✅ Design a microcontroller board using EDA software

  • [ ] Choose an EDA tool (KiCad, etc.)
  • [ ] Design a schematic
  • [ ] Create a PCB layout
  • [ ] Check design rules
  • [ ] Document the process

✅ (Extra credit) Try a different design workflow

  • [ ] 🚧 Optional

✅ (Extra credit) Design a case for the board

  • [ ] 🚧 Optional

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how to read and draw a circuit schematic
  • Learn how to use EDA software for PCB design
  • Learn how to use basic test equipment (oscilloscope, multimeter)
  • Simulate a circuit before building it

🎯 What I Made This Week

Circuit Simulation

🚧 Work in Progress

PCB Design

🚧 Work in Progress

🔬 Group Assignment: Using Test Equipment

Equipment Used

🚧 Work in Progress

Lab equipment:

Equipment Purpose
Oscilloscope View signal waveforms
Multimeter Measure voltage, current, resistance
Power supply Provide stable voltage

What We Observed

🚧 Work in Progress

Oscilloscope Reading 🚧 Image to be added

📎 Group Work Page

💻 Individual Assignment 1: Circuit Simulation

Tool Used

🚧 Work in Progress

Why I chose this tool: 🚧 Work in Progress

Step 1: Building the Circuit in the Simulator

🚧 Work in Progress

Simulation Schematic 🚧 Image to be added

Step 2: Running the Simulation

🚧 Work in Progress

Simulation Result 🚧 Image to be added

What I Learned from Simulation

🚧 Work in Progress

🖥️ Individual Assignment 2: PCB Design with EDA

Tool Used

🚧 Work in Progress

Step 1: Drawing the Schematic

I drew the circuit schematic in the EDA software.

🚧 Work in Progress

Schematic 🚧 Image to be added

Main components:

Component Value / Part Purpose
🚧 🚧 🚧

Step 2: PCB Layout

I placed the components and routed the traces on the PCB.

🚧 Work in Progress

PCB Layout 🚧 Image to be added

PCB settings:

Setting Value
Board size 🚧 TBD
Trace width 🚧 TBD
Min spacing 🚧 TBD
Layers 🚧 TBD

Step 3: Design Rule Check (DRC)

I ran a design rule check to make sure the PCB is ready for production.

🚧 Work in Progress

DRC Result 🚧 Image to be added

Result: 🚧 TBD

Step 4: Final Design

🚧 Work in Progress

Final PCB 🚧 Image to be added

📦 Design Files

All files are in docs/files/week06/.

File Description
🚧 Schematic file
🚧 PCB layout file
🚧 Simulation file

🔗 Connection to Final Project

🚧 Work in Progress

How this week helps my Smart Reptile Habitat System:

  • Circuit simulation → Test sensor and actuator circuits before building
  • PCB design → Design a custom control board for the habitat system
  • Test equipment skills → Debug and verify circuits during development

🔧 Problems and Solutions

Problem 1: 🚧 Title

What Happened: 🚧 Work in Progress

Why It Happened: 🚧 Work in Progress

How I Solved It: 🚧 Work in Progress

What I Learned: 🚧 Work in Progress

⏱️ Time Management

Activity Time Spent Notes
Group test equipment work 🚧 TBD
Circuit simulation 🚧 TBD
Schematic design 🚧 TBD
PCB layout 🚧 TBD
Design rule check 🚧 TBD
Documentation 🚧 TBD
Total 🚧 TBD

✅ Evaluation Checklist

Group Assignment

✅ Used test equipment to observe a microcontroller

  • [ ] Oscilloscope or multimeter used
  • [ ] Signals observed and recorded
  • [ ] Results on group work page

Individual Assignment

✅ Simulated a circuit

  • [ ] Simulation tool selected and documented
  • [ ] Circuit built in simulator
  • [ ] Results documented

✅ Designed a PCB using EDA software

  • [ ] Schematic completed
  • [ ] PCB layout completed
  • [ ] Design rules checked
  • [ ] Process documented with screenshots

Documentation Requirements

✅ Showed process with photos and screenshots

  • [ ] Simulation steps
  • [ ] Schematic design
  • [ ] PCB layout
  • [ ] DRC results

✅ Included design files

  • [ ] All EDA files in repository
  • [ ] Simulation file in repository

File Management

✅ Compressed images (less than 500KB each)

  • [ ] All images compressed

✅ Saved all files to GitLab

  • [ ] Pushed to repository

💭 Reflection

What Went Well

🚧 Work in Progress

What I'd Do Differently

🚧 Work in Progress

Lessons Learned

🚧 Work in Progress

For Next Week — Computer-Controlled Machining

  • [ ] Review CNC machining basics
  • [ ] Plan what to machine for the final project
  • [ ] Learn about toolpaths and feeds/speeds

📚 References

Last updated: February 18, 2026