To create a PCB design you need to draw the holes, pads and wires you want and send this drawing to a manufacturer.
Sounds hard? Don’t worry, there are many free tools out there that will help you do this.
Starting with schematics
Before you start drawing wires and stuff, you need to know what circuit you want to build. So you need to find or design schematics for your circuit. And you need a circuit design software. Then you are ready to begin the process.
Now it’s time to draw. You need to transfer your schematic diagram into a drawing of your printed circuit board.
Drawing PCB’s is artwork. Take your time, and make sure it looks good. Follow the design guidelines for drawing circuit boards.
Most PCB software will have tools that will help you draw your board from the schematic. I can’t cover them all, but I’ve written a PCB design tutorial for Eagle to help you learn.
Will you put the circuit board in a box? Remember that tall components might need to be layed down flat to fit. With a drawing of your components placed on your board, print it out on a sheet of paper. Use this paper version of your board to test that it will fit the box and that your connectors will fit.
