RSGC ACES: Introduction to PCB Design with EAGLE

It's a fabulous time to be working in our electronics space. As soon as two weeks from now a package from China could arrive at your doorstep containing 10 custom printed circuit boards of the prototype you imagined and designed. All for less than $50.

As part of our commitment to design skill development, Grade 11 ACES are introduced to Autodesk's free EAGLE PCB Layout Application. Custom design printed circuit boards are the natural complement to your development as an engineer and the perfect complement to your 2D and 3D design skill set using either Autodesk's free Fusion 360, ViaCAD, or any CAD application that can turn your device ideas into reality.

As you are fully aware, many of the hardware and software skills you continue to develop are enhanced through the use of the custom PCBs designed ACES that have gone before you. From the simple 9V Power Breakout Board (dubbed affectionately as the PB machine, after Puneet Bagga ACES '17) you first used at the start of your ACES journey to the RTC Appliance from Dan Raymond (ACES '19), each of you havs the opportunity to contribute to the richness of the student experience by leaving a legacy of your imagnation and talent in the form of a printed circuit board. Review our current inventory of Custom ACES' PCBs created by our ACES community to get an idea of the vast range of boards in our inventory.

MatrixMadeEZ Schematic File MatrixMadeEz Board File

There are certainly other free and terrific CAD Design software application available for download (KiCAD, Fritzing, EasyEDA, Pad2Pad to name a few) but until the major suppliers switch, we'll stick to EAGLE, too.

Session 1. Install EAGLE and Familiarize Yourself

  1. Install AutoDesk's EAGLE PCB Design Application
    2. Let's get started...

    1. Lesson 0. Familiarize yourself with EAGLE's Project Management Interface
    2. Lesson 1. Create a Project
    3. Lesson 2. Common Tools
    4. Lesson 3. Schematic
  2. EAGLE Alternatives: KiCAD, Fritzing, EasyEDA, Pad2Pad, and many more.
  3. Sparkfun's EAGLE Tutorials
    1. Schematic Tutorial
    2. Board Layout Tutorial

Session 2. Create the Schematic

  1. Explore the default library of EAGLE parts (ADD Button)
  2. Common EAGLE Parts
  3. RSGC ACES Common List of: Through Hole Parts, Surface Mount Parts
  4. RSGC ACES (Customized) Common Parts libraries,
    1. Through Hole Technology (ACES_THT.lbr)
    2. Surface Mount Technology (ACES_SMT.lbr)
      THT Sample SMT Sample

  5. Additional EAGLE Parts' Sites: Snapeda (D. Raymond), DIYModules (J. Corley)
  6. Arduino's 5V Regulator...
  7. Sparkfun's 3.3V/5V Breadboard Power Supply
  8. Sample 78L05 5V Regulation from Embedded ATmega328P Project:

  9. Your First Project: +5V Regulator
    1. Lesson 4. Schematic Finished
    2. Lesson 5. Adding a Diode and Switch
    3. Lesson 6. Creating the Board

Session 3

  1. 2008 ACES: In the Beginning...
  2. +5V Regulator
    1. Lesson 7. Show Tool and Changing Grid Alignment
    2. Lesson 8. Ratsnet and Shortest Runs
  3. Adding Text

Session 4

  1. +5V Regulator
    1. Lesson 9. Copper Pour and Ground Plane
  2. An Inspiring DIY PCB tutorial
  3. The Voltera
  4. AutoDesk: EAGLE Academy
    1. PCB Layout Basics Part 1: How to Place Your Components
    2. PCB Layout Basics Part 2: Routing & Autorouting
  5. AAC: Practical PCB Layout Tips
  6. Printing your Circuit to Acetate

Session 5

  1. (Sparkfun) Adding a Library (eg. bourns.lbr for trim pot on the Counterv2 Project)
  2. Adding a Graphic: ACESLogov2.bmp
  3. In the Chem lab (2 hours): Printing & Etching

Session 6

  1. Painting, Drilling, Populating, and Testing

Session 7

  1. Bittele: The PCB Service we use
  2. DirtyPCBs
  3. R. Saunders (ACES' 15) Guide to PCB Fabrication
  4. +5V Regulator
    1. Lesson 11. CAM Scripts and Gerber Files
    2. Lesson 12. Q&A Summary

 

 

RSGC ACES Astable Multivibrator AAC: Data Acquistion Project (click image to link)