Practical PCB Design - by Mike D Smith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Your circuit works on the breadboard. Now learn the concepts that turn it into a board ready for production.

Moving from a breadboard to a finished circuit board introduces a new set of constraints. Parts need footprints, traces compete for room, and connectors have to fit, all within the manufacturer's design rules. A mistake that's a quick fix on a breadboard means another fabrication run once it's committed to copper.

With Practical PCB Design, you'll learn to make that transition go smoothly before drawing a single trace and ask the questions a simulation doesn't: What happens when you approach the voltage rating of that 10 µF ceramic capacitor and it provides only 3 µF? Are you building one board or 10,000, and how does that change specifications?

As you work through the PCB design process, you'll learn to:

• Account for component tolerance, cost, power, and fit
• Create schematics, component symbols, and footprints from scratch
• Work with copper, solder mask, and silkscreen layers
• Route traces and vias for reliable operation
• Apply design rules and systematic reviews to catch problems before fabrication
• Generate assembly files and order boards with confidence

Every chapter ends with a hands-on exercise that puts these skills into practice. The examples use the free, Windows-based Altium CircuitMaker, but the techniques apply across PCB design tools.

If you can build the circuit, this book will teach you how to build the board.

Requirements: Basic electronics knowledge and PCB design software. No fabrication, soldering, or test equipment required.

Review Quotes

"It's an approachable read that teaches the concepts and practices that sit above any particular EDA tool."
--Peter Dalmaris, founder of Tech Explorations and author of KiCad Like a Pro

"An exceptional resource that bridges the critical gap between learning PCB design concepts and applying them in the real world."
--John Watson, PCB design educator, author, and electronics industry professional

"Mike manages to make the topic approachable to beginners while also covering many of the real-world pitfalls that tutorials often leave out."
--Jon Evans, core team developer of KiCad and electrical engineering lead at Formlabs

About the Author

Mike D. Smith is the founder of Bold Circuits LLC and has spent more than 25 years designing electronics for commercial, military, and research clients. He created the PCB design course at the University of Rhode Island in 2018 for capable engineers and enthusiasts who could design a circuit but had never been taught how to turn it into a board.