Welcome to Nettron's Circuitboard Design Tips: |
Component layout and general board appearance: |
1. Arrange all IC keyways(notches)in the same direction. |
2. Group all like descrete components such as resistors together in a tidy side by side arrangement(rows). |
3. Keep all highpower components away from board surfaces,preferably mounted to an heatsink. |
4. Use IC sockets. |
The following is a list of the ideal way in which to design a circuit board that is both professional looking and easier to troubleshoot and repair. |
5. Use Headers and pin sockets for wires that come off the board such as ribbon cables. |
6. Mount test pins at "key" locations on the board. |
7. Always follow color coding for wires. |
8. Use board labelling where possible. |
9. Shunt all IC V+ pins to ground using a small value ceramic or milar capacitor. |
10.Keep the power supply on a seperate PC board. |
11.Use oversize solder pads for highpower components. |
12.When using a double sided board run traces vertically on one side and horizontally on the other. |
15.The solder side of the completed board should be sprayed with a coating of lacquer or varnish. |
13.Never leave IC pins "floating"connect any unused pins to either the positive or negative supply rail. |
14.Run like traces such as data I/O in a side by side parallel fashion. |