If you enjoy working with electronic devices, you may now find yourself wanting to focus more on designing your custom electronics. A great way to have devices that work exactly to your specifications, this can be a challenging and complex undertaking. However, if you are armed with a few tools and some basic knowledge about electronics, you can create exactly what your imagination envisions. If you’re ready to get started, here is all you need to know.
Find a Problem
Not many make electronics to make life harder. Many electronics we use today started as solutions to problems. What’s bothering you? Is your thermostat dumb and bad? Are you tired of manually closing your blinds? Do you want something to monitor the air quality in your home? Or are you just wanting to make a cool toy? Whatever it is, make sure you have a clearly defined issue.
Discover a Solution
Any problem has a thousand solutions. It would be a good idea to take some time and think about what you can do to solve your selected problem. Are you going to make something simple or complex? Will it be mechanical or digital? Look around on the internet, there may be a solution that already exists. You will also want to plan what components you will need in this stage. Do you need a motor? Can you use existing hardware? Do you want your solution to be “smart”?
Create Your Schematic
Since you will need a PCB for your customized electronics, your first step will be to create a schematic for the PCB itself. This will be the basic blueprint for how you customize your electronic device since this lets you have a visual layout of how you will position various components on the PCB. To simplify the design process, it is recommended you use PCB editing software since this will let you complete this step much faster than you anticipated.
Fine-Tune Your Design
As you move along with your PCB design, keep in mind that you should be fine-tuning the advanced circuits and other components as you go. Along with the shape and size, consider ground layers, user interfaces, and also trace width. To get the best results, use short traces since they allow you to have higher speed signals and reduce the chance you may encounter reflection problems.
Tests and Repairs
Even if you design the absolute best customized electronic device, keep in mind that it will still need to be easy to test and repair. Therefore, don’t overthink it to the point that you have made your device too complex to be easily tested and repaired by yourself or others. If you are designing a customized device to market it to consumers at some point, a sustainable design will be crucial to letting you demonstrate just how valuable your new product can be to everyone.
Manufacturing Considerations
Finally, take into account even the smallest of manufacturing considerations if you want to see your customized product go to market. For example, clearance and hole sizes may seem insignificant now, but they won’t be when a manufacturer is looking over your device. If you are not careful, you could design a product to specifications you like, only to learn it cannot be manufactured based on its current design.
Whether you are designing custom electronics for your enjoyment or as potential consumer products, keeping these details in mind along the way will make the process much easier and possibly profitable.
Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn't on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on twitter: @RachelleWilber
