PCB design
PCB design is not an isolated discipline. A good board comes out of the interplay between electronics, software, mechanics, compliance and manufacturing. At Move we start with the schematic and the functional requirements, validate uncertain sub-circuits early and only build the layout once the most important inputs on function, form, testing and manufacturing are in place.
PCB design
PCB design that fits the whole product
A good PCB starts long before the layout itself. The board is the physical link between many of the product's most important functions, which is why it rarely makes sense to treat PCB design as a stand-alone task. Electronics, embedded software, mechanics, connectivity, compliance, testing and manufacturing all have to provide input before the design can be locked.
Altium Designer
Schematic, layout and production files
EMC from the start
Designed in before the test lab
Close to the mechanics
The board fits the enclosure
Ready for production
Test points, panelisation and assembly
It starts with the schematic
The first step is typically schematic design. This is where the product's functional requirements are turned into an electrical architecture. Which voltages need to be available? Which sensors and interfaces need to be supported? Should there be a battery, USB, Ethernet, radio, motor control or analogue measurement? How will the product be tested and programmed? The schematic thus becomes the electrical description of how the product's various functions fit together.
Software has a say in the platform choice
The software team plays an important role at this stage already. The choice of MCU, CPU or processor platform cannot be made on the basis of the hardware alone. Requirements for computing power, memory, real-time functions, operating system, interfaces, security, bootloader and future software updates affect the choice directly. That is why electronics and software developers typically make the central platform choices together.
Uncertain sub-circuits are validated early
The same applies to new or technically uncertain sub-circuits. If a sensor, analogue front end, power supply, radio or other function is critical to the product, we try to validate it early. That can be done with development boards, evaluation kits, breadboards or simple mock-ups of the sub-circuit. That way we can get answers to the most important technical questions before the whole board has been designed around an assumption that may turn out not to hold.
Layout and mechanics in close iteration
Once the schematic is in place and the main technical risks have been reduced, PCB layout begins. This is where new inputs come into play. The mechanical design determines, among other things, the board's dimensions, shape and mounting holes, and the placement of connectors, sensors, displays, antennas and other components that have a physical relationship with the product's enclosure.
That is why there is typically a close iteration between PCB layout and mechanical design. Perhaps a connector has to move a few millimetres to make room for a cable bend. Perhaps the battery has to change position. Perhaps the antenna needs an area free of metal or copper. Or perhaps the board's geometry has to change to make the product smaller. Decisions of that kind are hard to get right if the electronics and the mechanics are developed separately.
EMC is designed into the layout
The PCB layout also has a major bearing on the product's EMC performance and on whether it can be certified later. The product has to limit the electromagnetic energy it emits itself and be robust against electromagnetic interference from outside. The placement of components, ground planes, return currents, filtering, decoupling, cable routing and the placement of interfaces can therefore decide whether the product later passes the requirements for both emissions and immunity.
It is far cheaper to design EMC into the board than to try to fix problems once the product is already at a test laboratory. That is why we use the expected compliance and certification requirements as input to the layout early in the process.
Current-carrying traces are sized for the load
Current-carrying traces also need particular attention. Trace width, copper thickness, temperature rise and current are interrelated, and a trace that is adequate for a digital signal is not necessarily suitable for several amps. In power electronics, or in products with motors, batteries and heavy loads, we therefore dimension copper traces, vias and connections for the current and heat they actually have to handle.
High-frequency signals and signal integrity
High-frequency circuits bring further requirements. USB, Ethernet, fast memory interfaces, clocks, radio signals and other high-speed signals can require controlled impedance, differential pairs, specific trace widths, spacing and length matching. Here the board's stack-up, materials, copper thickness and geometry interact directly with signal integrity. An otherwise correct schematic can perform poorly if the layout does not take these factors into account.
Manufacturing and testing are built in from the start
Manufacturing also has to be considered before the board is finished. Test points, programming interfaces, fiducials, panelisation and access to critical signals can make a big difference later. If test options are only considered after the layout is locked, the production process can become unnecessarily manual, slow or expensive. That is why our manufacturing team provides input to the board design, so testing and assembly can be carried out efficiently when the product moves from prototype to series production.
Professional PCB design in Altium Designer
We work professionally with PCB design and layout in Altium Designer. It gives us a single environment for schematics, component libraries, PCB layout, design rules, impedance requirements, documentation and production files. But the tool is only part of the solution. What matters most is the process around the design and the cross-disciplinary input that makes sure the board fits the whole product.
An integrated part of product development
At Move we therefore see PCB design as an integrated part of product development. A good board does not just have to connect the components electrically. It has to fit the software, the mechanics, the EMC requirements, the signal integrity, the test strategy and the production line that will later build the product again and again.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between schematic and PCB layout?
The schematic describes the electrical connections and functions of the circuit. The PCB layout turns the schematic into the physical board, with component placement, copper traces, dimensions and layer structure.
When does PCB layout start?
Layout typically only starts once the schematic is sufficiently settled, critical sub-circuits have been validated, and the most important mechanical and manufacturing inputs are known.
How does EMC affect the PCB design?
The PCB layout affects both how much electromagnetic noise the product emits and how sensitive it is to interference from outside. Ground planes, return currents, filtering, decoupling and the placement of interfaces are therefore important design parameters.
How are current-carrying traces dimensioned?
Trace width, copper thickness, current and the permitted temperature rise are assessed together. At high currents you may need wide copper areas, more vias or a different copper thickness.
What matters with high-frequency signals?
High-speed signals can require controlled impedance, differential pairs, length matching and a carefully defined PCB stack-up. That is crucial for signal integrity and stable operation.
Why is software involved in PCB design?
Because the choice of MCU, CPU, memory and interfaces depends on the software requirements. Hardware and embedded software therefore have to be designed closely together.
Can you test sub-circuits before the whole board is designed?
Yes. Among other things, we use development boards, evaluation kits and simple mock-ups to validate uncertain or critical functions early.
Why should manufacturing be involved in PCB design?
Manufacturing can provide input on test points, programming interfaces, assembly and test fixtures. That makes it easier and more cost-effective to test every board later in series production.
Which tool do you use for PCB design?
We work in Altium Designer for schematic, PCB layout, design rules, impedance requirements, documentation and generating the production data, among other things.
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