Faysal Aziz
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Training

Circuit to Board

Circuit to Board

in One Day

Design practical, fabrication-ready PCBs with the same workflow used to move ideas toward real hardware.

A short, focused course on PCB design is valuable because it teaches more than drawing lines between components; it teaches how electrical intent becomes a manufacturable board, how design choices affect assembly and reliability, and how even simple layouts can be improved by better structure and discipline.

This 1-day intensive is built for learners who want a fast, grounded path from concept to prototype, using a workflow that covers schematic capture, layout, outputs for fabrication, and the realities of getting a board made. The course is delivered by an instructor with over 30 years of industry experience, and the training emphasizes real industry-demanded content rather than an academic-only treatment.

Software Used

EasyEDA will be used throughout the course because it is browser-based, requires no complex setup for getting started, and combines schematic capture, PCB layout, library access, 3D viewing, and fabrication file generation in one environment. EasyEDA’s official documentation describes it as a web-based EDA tool that supports schematic design, PCB layout, and fabrication-oriented workflows, which makes it especially suitable for a compact beginner-to-practical course.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Explain core PCB concepts, board structure, and the difference between schematic design and physical layout
  • Navigate the EasyEDA environment efficiently for entry-level PCB development
  • Create a new design project and build a clean schematic from components and nets
  • Transfer a schematic into a board layout and organize the board for routing
  • Use grids, ratlines, placement logic, manual routing, vias, and copper pours effectively
  • Add board-level details such as mounting holes, cutouts, silkscreen text, and graphics
  • Review a design using 2D and 3D visualization tools before release
  • Generate Gerber and BOM outputs suitable for PCB fabrication and assembly handoff
  • Understand the practical path from PCB design to board ordering and manufacturing
  • Recognize the added considerations involved in moving from simple boards to 4-layer PCB design

Prerequisites

  • Basic familiarity with electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, connectors, and ICs
  • Ability to read simple circuit diagrams
  • General computer literacy
  • A laptop or desktop with a modern web browser and internet access
  • Helpful but not mandatory: prior exposure to breadboards, prototyping, or hobby electronics

Detailed Training Outline

  1. Course Orientation
    1. What PCB design is and where it fits in the product development lifecycle
    2. From idea, to schematic, to layout, to fabrication, to assembled product
    3. Scope of the 1-day intensive
    4. Industry workflow mindset for beginners
  2. PCB Basics
    1. Definition and role of a printed circuit board
    2. Types of PCBs
      1. Single-layer boards
      2. Two-layer boards
      3. Four-layer boards
      4. Prototype versus production boards
    3. PCB building blocks
      1. Substrate
      2. Copper layers
      3. Pads
      4. Tracks
      5. Vias
      6. Silkscreen
      7. Solder mask
      8. Board outline
    4. Electronic design flow fundamentals
      1. Circuit intent
      2. Logical capture
      3. Physical realization
      4. Fabrication outputs
    5. Schematic versus PCB layout
    6. Design for manufacturability awareness
    7. Common beginner mistakes in early PCB work
  3. PCB Design Basics
    1. Good schematic organization
    2. Net connectivity and signal naming
    3. Library concepts
      1. Symbols
      2. Footprints
      3. Component mapping
    4. Board planning before layout
      1. Mechanical constraints
      2. Connector orientation
      3. Power path awareness
      4. Signal path awareness
    5. Introduction to design rules
    6. Basic fabrication awareness
      1. Minimum trace width
      2. Clearances
      3. Drill sizes
      4. Layer choices
  4. Introduction to EDA Software
    1. Why EasyEDA is appropriate for rapid skill development
    2. Browser-based workflow advantages
    3. Unified environment for schematic, PCB, 3D review, and output generation
    4. Interface overview
      1. Project workspace
      2. Libraries
      3. Schematic editor
      4. PCB editor
      5. Fabrication output tools
  5. Creating a New Project
    1. Project structure and file organization
    2. Naming conventions
    3. Design intent setup
    4. Saving, versioning, and revision habits
  6. Schematic Editor
    1. Schematic canvas and navigation
    2. Grid and placement behavior
    3. Wiring fundamentals
    4. Net labels and connectivity management
    5. Power symbols and grounding conventions
    6. Annotation basics
    7. ERC awareness
  7. Adding Components to Schematic
    1. Searching and selecting components
    2. Choosing symbols and matching footprints
    3. Placing passive and active devices
    4. Connectors, relays, and modules
    5. Managing references and values
    6. Verifying component choices for layout readiness
  8. Schematic to Board Layout
    1. Converting logical design to physical board
    2. Forward annotation concepts
    3. Board outline creation and sizing
    4. Importing components into PCB workspace
    5. Understanding unrouted connectivity
  9. Snap Grid and Ratlines
    1. Why grid settings matter
    2. Mechanical consistency and alignment
    3. Ratlines as routing guides
    4. Reading connectivity before routing
    5. Preparing the board for efficient layout work
  10. Component Placement
    1. Placement strategy fundamentals
    2. Functional grouping
    3. Orientation consistency
    4. Connector and edge placement
    5. Mechanical clearance planning
    6. Placement for easier routing
    7. Placement for manufacturability and assembly
  11. Manual Routing
    1. Trace routing fundamentals
    2. Routing order and priorities
    3. Power traces versus signal traces
    4. Trace width awareness
    5. Clearance awareness
    6. Corners, angles, and routing cleanliness
    7. Completing nets methodically
    8. Reviewing routing quality
  12. 3D Viewer and Visual Review
    1. Purpose of board visualization
    2. Mechanical confidence checks
    3. Connector and component inspection
    4. Silkscreen and board appearance review
    5. Early detection of obvious physical issues
  13. Placing a Via
    1. What a via is
    2. Layer transitions in routing
    3. Via placement discipline
    4. Through-hole versus routing utility
    5. Managing vias in compact layouts
  14. Auto Routing
    1. What auto routing can and cannot do well
    2. Appropriate expectations for beginner workflows
    3. Using auto routing as a support tool, not a substitute for design judgment
    4. Reviewing and correcting auto-routed results
  15. Mounting Holes and Cutouts
    1. Mechanical mounting requirements
    2. Hole placement considerations
    3. Cutout planning
    4. Interaction with copper and board edge
    5. Practical enclosure awareness
  16. Copper Pour
    1. What copper pour does
    2. Ground pour basics
    3. Connectivity and thermal behavior awareness
    4. Pour boundaries and clearances
    5. Rebuilding and reviewing pours
  17. Adding Text and Images
    1. Silkscreen labeling best practices
    2. Polarity and orientation marks
    3. Board identifiers
    4. Branding and revision marks
    5. Legibility and placement discipline
  18. Generating Gerber and BOM
    1. Fabrication file set overview
    2. Gerber generation workflow
    3. Drill data awareness
    4. BOM generation workflow
    5. Basic release package discipline
    6. File checking before upload
    7. Preview and verification before manufacturing submission
  19. PCB Manufacturing
    1. Ordering PCBs
      1. Reading manufacturer requirements
      2. Selecting board parameters
      3. Upload and review flow
      4. Prototype ordering considerations
    2. PCB manufacturing process
      1. Layer preparation
      2. Imaging and etching
      3. Drilling
      4. Plating
      5. Solder mask
      6. Silkscreen
      7. Surface finish
      8. Electrical testing
    3. Relationship between design decisions and manufacturing success
  20. PCB Design Example
    1. Example project introduction
    2. ESP-12F / ESP8266 relay board schematic structure
    3. Functional partitioning of a small control board
    4. Power, switching, control, and connector sections
    5. ESP-12F / ESP8266 relay board PCB layout
      1. Placement logic
      2. Routing priorities
      3. Isolation and spacing awareness
      4. Board annotation and output readiness
  21. 4-Layer PCB
    1. 4-layer PCB basics
      1. Why designers move beyond 2-layer boards
      2. Layer stackup concepts
      3. Power and ground plane thinking
      4. Noise and signal return awareness
    2. 4-layer PCB routing
      1. Routing discipline across layers
      2. Via strategy
      3. Plane interaction
      4. Basic signal integrity awareness
      5. Deciding when a 4-layer board is justified
  22. Final Design Review and Release Mindset
    1. Practical checklist before fabrication
    2. Common release-stage errors
    3. Prototype-first thinking
    4. Preparing for assembly and future revision cycles
    5. Moving from first board to repeatable design practice

Practical, connected learning

My wider training approach brings hands-on implementation and systems thinking together, connecting technology with real operational needs.

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