System Specifications
First of all, the system specifications of the electronic equipment must be planned. Contains system functionality, cost constraints, size, operating conditions, and more.
System Function Block Diagram
The next step is to create a functional block diagram of the system. The relationship between blocks must also be marked.
If the system is divided into several PCBs, not only can the size be reduced, but also the system can be upgraded and replaced with parts. The system function block diagram provides the basis for our segmentation. For example, a computer can be divided into motherboards, graphics cards, sound cards, floppy disk drives, power supplies, and so on.
Deciding on the packaging method to use, and the size of each PCB
When the technology and the number of circuits used in each PCB are determined, the next step is to determine the size of the board. If the design is too large, then the packaging technology will need to be changed, or the action of splitting will be re-done. When choosing a technology, the quality and speed of the roadmap should also be taken into consideration.
Draw the circuit diagram of all PCBs
The outline diagram should show the interconnection details between each part. The PCBs in all systems must be traced, and most of them use CAD (Computer Aided Design) nowadays. The following is an example of using CircuitMakerTM design.
Simulation operation of preliminary design
In order to ensure that the designed circuit diagram can work normally, it must be simulated once with computer software. Such software can read blueprints and display the operation of the circuit in a number of ways. This is much more efficient than actually making a sample PCB and then measuring it manually.
