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Coursera

From Schematic to PCB: Layout Fundamentals

Coursera via Coursera

Overview

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Turning an electronic schematic into a reliable, manufacturable printed circuit board (PCB) is one of the most critical skills in electronics design. Every circuit starts on paper, but only careful layout ensures it works in the real world—whether it’s a hobby project, a startup prototype, or a production-ready product. This course guides you through the fundamentals of PCB layout, from understanding design rules to smart component placement, layer stackup, and routing strategies. Using KiCAD as the practical tool of choice, you will learn step-by-step how to transform a schematic into a professional-quality PCB ready for fabrication. This course is designed for beginners, hobbyists, and early-career engineers who want to master PCB design fundamentals. With a focus on hands-on demos, you’ll follow a consistent project—from schematic import to a completed PCB layout—making the learning practical and directly applicable. This course is designed for electronics enthusiasts, students, and early-career engineers eager to transform schematics into real, manufacturable PCBs. Ideal for those interested in embedded systems, IoT devices, or hardware product development, it bridges theory with hands-on PCB design practice using KiCAD. Basic knowledge of electronics (components, current flow, Ohm’s Law), familiarity with simple microcontroller circuits, basic computer skills, and installation of KiCAD v8+ for hands-on PCB design practice. By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence and skills to transform any schematic into a fully manufacturable PCB using professional design practices. You’ll understand how to plan layouts, route signals, manage power and ground planes, and verify your design for fabrication. Whether you’re building prototypes, creating hobby projects, or preparing for a career in electronics design, this course equips you with the practical foundation to bring your ideas to life—one board at a time.

Syllabus

  • Foundations of PCB Layout
    • In this module you will learn the essential PCB design workflow, from importing a schematic to setting up design rules and linking footprints. Hands-on demos will guide you through preparing a manufacturable LED driver PCB using KiCAD.
  • Placement & Layer Management
    • In this module you will learn effective component placement strategies, power and ground planning, and layer stackup essentials for a reliable PCB design. Practical demos will show how to organize components, implement ground zones, and apply DFM principles using KiCAD.
  • Routing & Best Practices
    • In this module you will learn essential routing techniques, signal integrity strategies, and how to finalize your PCB design for manufacturing. Hands-on demos will guide you through routing power and USB signals, adding silkscreen labels, and performing design rule checks (DRC) in KiCAD.

Taught by

Maheen Rasheed and Starweaver

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