Printed Circuit Board Design

Dec 9

After more than a week back in UTM struggling to complete my task, there’re 3 things I’m totally positive:

First, automatic is not always the best option, manual can do better.

Second, after years of learning electronics, I sucks…

Third, I’m lacking of sleep and I miss my bed…

As usual, this holiday I’m staying back in UTM while most of my friends are enjoying their happy holiday.

This time I’m in charge of the electronic department and being requested to design and produce Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for the team. If you’re wondering what PCB is, just go open your CPU and take a look at the mother board. =)

Well, of course the PCB that I’m doing is not that high level yet la… After all, this is my first time designing.

PROTEL is one of the more popular software available in the market for this task. Though I’ve learned to use it a few years back, I’ve totally forgotten how to get it started =P. Spent a few days learning again.

unroute The “raw” layout… web scattering everywhere…

route Connecting every single pin MANUALLY…

polygon Finally, complete layout with polygon

PROTEL makes the process of designing the board easier. However the process of connecting all the components together can really kill me. There’s an “auto-routing” function that can perform the task automatically but my board turned into nightmare after using it…sweat…

In the end, no choice… did it manually instead.

This simple little board is already killing me. I wonder how on Earth did those engineers designed the more advanced Intel processor boards…

Altium, PCB, Printed Circuit Board, Protel

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Comments

yeeli

December 9th, 2008 at 11:08 PM

damn geeky wei.
yungwai

December 10th, 2008 at 1:48 AM

Those r embedded circuits, as 4 intel processors, its totally different from all this… but afterall, its equally tough.. doing study on all this will blow ur mind away. Enjoy ur college days la dude, u will miss this period when u start to work one day. Don’t stress urself 2 much!
yongshen

December 10th, 2008 at 2:06 AM

u r prof. level d ma..
sure u can complete your task well..
calvin2504

December 10th, 2008 at 2:21 AM

To yeeli: the longer I stay in this lab, the more I feel myself “geeker”…who knows the next time u’ll have a geek calvin. =P

To yungwai: in fact this is only a simple embedded system using microcontroller, while Intel’s are processors that require design like stick diagrams…what to do? my future bread and butter depends on this wor, have to learn lo…haha.

To yongshen: err…no comment…go !@#$% yourself. haha jk. =P
suichen

December 10th, 2008 at 2:36 PM

dear, it’s really complicated..
haha..
Jg

December 10th, 2008 at 11:07 PM

among all the robocon member, u r the most understanding junior. Sometimes, i feel guilty that cant contribute and doing the things that i should do. Anyway, gambette to u all and send my regard to all members. haha… all the best to u.

ah, is there ur friend also same name with me? haha.. try hard to achieve ur dream
calvin2504

December 11th, 2008 at 12:25 AM

Haha, now I have 2 yong shens here, one is lee, another is goh… Frankly u’ve already contributed a lot to the team. We’re now using the library that u spent the last whole holiday to create and it really save us a lot of time. Now still in the process of trouble shooting. Hope that next year we’ll do better in the domestic competition and regain our title. =)

clycalvin.com