1. Information
- Course
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ECE 290 PCB Design
- Instructor
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Dan White, Ph.D.
- Credits
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1 cr
- Time
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Asynchronous, about 3 hours/week of activities. Occasional check-in meetings, as scheduled.
2. Learning objectives
A student who has successfully completed this course will have
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Designed 2 PCBAs from through the: schematic - layout - ordering and fabrication - assembly - testing phases.
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Created new schematic symbols from component datasheets.
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Created new PCB footprints from component datasheets.
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Evaluated component selections for ease of assembly and availability of alternate sources.
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Soldered through-hole and surface mount parts.
3. Phase completion checklists
3.1. Schematic
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Prototype feasibility demonstration (e.g. breadboard version), or extra documentation of the prototyping features of the design.
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Design files pass all design rule checks with no errors or warnings.
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Schematic Design Review (SchDR) completed by a third party.
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Report of updates since the last SchDR.
3.2. PCB
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Design files pass all design rule checks with no errors or warnings.
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Bill of Materials information includes all information needed for
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component ordering,
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hand assembly,
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(if applicable) Pick and Place positions (X, Y, R).
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Paper dry fit prototype completed.
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Pre-fabrication Design Review (PDR) completed by a third party.
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Report of updates since the last PDR.
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Fabrication order submitted.
3.3. Assembly and test
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PCB order received.
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Components received and collected.
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First group components placed and tested. I.e. power supply section.
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All components placed.
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First power-on testing.
3.4. Documentation
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Theory of Operation document describing the functionality and operation of the circuit.
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Physical design constraints document describing the
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physical design rules used and their origin,
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reasoning for the location of external interfaces such as: mounting holes, connectors, buttons, etc.
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Final project report. Assembles the sch, pcb, assembly, and testing information into one document
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Project files archive. An archive ZIP file of the design source files and dependencies, including component datasheets. Tested to un-archive correctly and regenerate the same output files.
4. Grading

Letter grades are assigned according to the number of E or M evaluation results are achieved on each of the items in § 3, “Phase completion checklists”. The highest row the has all of the quantity completed in all four columns will be the course grade.
Grade | SCH | PCB | ASM | DOC |
---|---|---|---|---|
A |
8 |
14 |
10 |
10 |
B |
||||
C |
4 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
D |