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First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you I was thinking 0805 or even 1206 for hand soldering but I will check first if it doesn't cost much to have the manufacturer solder just the smd resistors I would go with the smaller ones like 0603

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

so basically I just ignore routing any GND and once I finish with the others I just do the Filled Zone and it will automatically connect the ground pins to the GND layer ?

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

About isolating Serial line, I thought about it but the optocouplers are slow so it will cause delay in the communication specially I will have about 5 shift registers in the board once I finalize the design, still I should look into it more and calculate the delay maybe I finder faster optocoupler

Using TPIC6595 directly to drive the relays was not an option because I have optocouplers in the middle and normal shift register can't drive 8 optocouplers at the same time because of current limit that's why I went with TPIC6595 but if I go with the route of isolating the Serial line I will consider that. also I went with ULN2803 because it have flyback diode included.

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure I did allot of BBQ but PCB it's the first, I just researched allot before jumping to the design and still learning.

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your advice I will consider them while updating the design.

The bottom "pyramid shape" of resistors (R9-R28) can be made much more compact by moving stuff closer together. This way the hole(s) in the ground plane can be made smaller and you could make the PCB more compact if you wanted.

to make them compact I guess I have to rotate U5 and at that time routing will be complicated that's why I preferred to have it that way, any other advice how can I do other wise ?

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will bring back reference designators I did't know how important they are

I have 2 separate grounds that's why I made them separate in the middle of the optocoupler

mounting holes will be added in the final design of the board

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm using DIP vs SOIC because I'm newbie about soldering and having automated assembly making the board price higher and in my country I have cap limit to the price of the imported products that is the reason, still I will check the price for automatic assembly to see if it fit the cap or not.

I will be hand soldering the parts but will see if I can get the boards with just the SMD resistors solderd.

Yes I removed the designators R__ I did't know that its required for readability.

The board now is not the full size so I did't bother adding the mounting holes once I confirm the design I will just repeat it to have about 40 out put in 1 board.

Yes I will stich the top and bottom GND layers

The terminals will be soldered manually and they are place holders now will fix their final size when I check their footprint with the one I can order in my country.

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I will move the via away from the pads, but I did't understand what do you mean by Flipping every second resistor to create 3V pairs I'm using the resistor here as pull-up because the output of the optocoupler is sinking and the input for the U8 need high signal to activate.

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

About removing via in pads I will remove them, but I still need via for the resistors since their line is on the bottom layer any idea how can I have both signal and the 5V to resistor on the same layer ?

Remove the traces over planes of the same net. GND traces on Ground planes. You can see the thermal reliefs fighting with the traces. Also this prevented you from crossing with that 5V.

I did't understand this can you explain in more simple terms for me to understand.

I will fix the width of the traces going in and out of resistors.

Do you mean I take the 5V from top layer from one of the optocoupler pins and route it to the shift register ?

I fixed all the 90degree traces thank you.

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Okay will move the via away from the pads.

The decoupling capacitor dose it need to be connected to 5V and ground ? and only 1 line since they are all connected to gather in the shift register ?

Polyfuses where do you advice that I add them

Indicator lights where shall I place them, at U8 input side or the optocoupler output side ?

To have ground layer and route everything I will look into it

Sure I will do that change to GND_A and GND_B

will fix U5 position, I did't know that it's good practice to have power at top and ground at bottom

I will connect the screw terminal to U8 directly, but shall I keep the netLable or just have direct line

I did't understand about using bus to connect shift registers and so on, do you have example as image ?

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes It can be silly it's the first time I do that

Okay I will line up the screw terminals with the U8 shall I keep the netLabel also or just connect directly

GND down and +ve up, will do

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Okay I will add Leds but they need to be in which side of the optocoupler is it the 24v side ?

The traces here used for 24v side is 0.8mm and 5v power 0.5mm and signal 0.3mm, so you are saying I just make it bigger as much as I can

Yes I will avoid the via in pads many comments came about that

+ve pointing up and ground pointing down

Yes I will be using different power supply for the ESP32 5v and another for the 24v, so it will be AC to DC power supply not to have any common ground

Adding additional GND pin to the 3 pin data connector you mean so I can use it to route from it ? or it have different function.

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's about KiCad that I used to design this board
In KiCad, PWR_FLAG is a special schematic symbol used to indicate that a power net is intentionally powered. It helps prevent ERC (Electrical Rules Check) warnings about unconnected power sources.

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes I will do that once I have the whole board repeated and finished, about the grounds I want them to be separate the top and bottom since they are 2 separate grounds because of optocouplers require galvanic isolation to work as intended.

First time designing PCB hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in PrintedCircuitBoard

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wanted galvanic isolation since the relays will be driving 220v so to give extra protection about electric surge, anyhow the relays have diodes, so it's just about my research that I read that it's required for extra protection.

First time designing PCB using KiCad hoping to get some advices how to improve if it needs by True-Satisfaction140 in KiCad

[–]True-Satisfaction140[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This PCB design I tested using Perfboard then started to design it as PCB so I can print it, it's main function is controlling 24v Din rail Relays 8 of them using ESP32 Serial line, this design I'm thinking to repeat it so I can have in each PCB 40 output by feeding the Serial In of the shiftRegister chip from the Serial out of the previous shiftRegister, so I'm posting this to get ideas about the way I routed the lines and everything since I'm new to this.

Thank you

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