Design Rules and Design

For some odd reason, there were still some issues with the design rule that I had to polish. Also, the grouping from the last step added some blank spaces in the PCB, which I then added some design components to!

Most of the issues from the design rule were due to clearance connections, because the routing wires were too big or the vias were too close to the pins or another routing wire.

I did move some stuff around to remedy some of these issues, but for the most part, the PCB had little change.

Routing the PCB and Setting the Footprints

Ugh, Footprints. Footprints are the bane of my existence. Since I used so many more new components, researching the footprint names was quite a hassle.

Routing the PCB was quite fun tho! I did a better job grouping the parts together, but that added some blank spots in the PCB and made it look a lot more compact. The grouping I did at the beginning made the routing a lot easier when compared to my past projects, such as the YubiKey. I used 4 copper layers, which also helped simplify the routing.

I did not group the PCB based on sections (like most would), but I grouped them based on the track connections. To reduce the length of the tracks, I moved the parts closer together.

By reducing the length of the tracks, I also, in turn, gave more space for longer connections, vias, and more (even space for some design components).

Making a Schematic

Making the schematic for this project was quite the hassle. There were a lot of different components to keep track of, and since I was making this myself, I had to do quite a bit of research on how each of the components works and what the pins do.

To begin making the schematic, I had to make a plan on what different components to use and how to wire them. A few of these components were added from past projects, and were needed for future firmware and user adaptability. For example, the USB-C Receptacle and switches were added for the user to boot up, reset, and connect to the PCB. The microcontroller (ESP32) would allow the user to create firmware for the PCB. The diodes, LEDs, and buzzer are safety checks to make sure the PCB is routed/connected properly, the PMOS and the NMOS provide the pull-up and pull-down system for the PCB (respectively). The connectors, well, provide connections, and lastly the AP and WS parts regulate the power for the PCB.