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One simple trick that will save you a lot of time when routing your traces. The 'F' and 'D' key combination is great for productivity.
Here's a quick KiCAD trick to save you time when routing your traces. Use the 'F' key to autocomplete them. As you're routing a trace in the PCB Editor tool, if there is a clear path to the next endpoint, pad, or via, pressing the 'F' key will get KiCAD to autocomplete it for you.
When you're done, you'll need to clean it up. The autorouting features never try to make clean traces, just connected ones. Using the 'D' hotkey lets you move uneven spots to fix any unsightly traces.
Want to make music? We love music, so we designed this kit based around a small keyboard footprint. This kit will allow you to be able to play music from the keyboard right away, or reprogram it and make the buttons do whatever you would like! WARNING: SOLDERING IRONS ARE HOT. SOLDERING IRONS ARE NOT…
Splicing cut tape is an essential step in the PCB assembly process, and it is the process of joining two pieces of cut tape to make a single piece.
Pay close attention to the primary issue that is remedied by your product. Work on your problem definition. Figure what the problem is and allow that to govern your decision making.
Project management is an essential component of every development project, although it can take several forms depending on the sort of development being undertaken. When it comes to project management, software development and hardware development are two separate domains, each with its own set of problems and considerations.
December 18, 2025/David Ray/KiCad Tips, PCB Design Circuit Board Design is easier now than it has ever been. KiCAD has really democratized the industry and is actively creating a renaissance of electronic hardware. Visit www.KiCAD.org In your Browser The KiCAD software is a free and open-source Electronic Design Automation package. Sometimes people ask how they…
Are you looking for a unique and engaging way to showcase your brand or event to attendees? Look no further than custom PCB Event Badges! With the help of Cyber City Circuits, you can have a custom PCB Event Badge that reflects the theme and branding of your event and will be manufactured by our...
October 21, 2021/Kcody Dansereau/Article EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ———— Do you like annoying people? If yes, then we have the kit for you! This is the Bleep Bug Soldering Kit. This kit will beep every so often, just like those annoying smoke detectors when the battery gets low. You can hide these around the house,…
Related posts: KiCAD Tip: Quick Pins in New Symbols Power Up Your Product: The Top 5 CR2032 Battery Connectors to Consider Datasheet Digest: Ep 004 – SunLED XZMDKCBDDG45S-9 RGB Reverse Mount LED KICAD Tip: Using Renumber Pads
The SunLED XZMDKCBDDG45S-9 RGB Reverse Mount LED is great. It’s the best low power reverse mount RGB LED available on the market today. In this episode we review the entirety of the SunLED XZMDKCBDDG45S-9 Datasheet and critique it with our proprietary 555 point analysis system. Thanks for listening. Find us on Twitter with @DatasheetDigest. References: Related posts:…
When we talk about electricity, there are a few key units of measurement that we use to describe how it flows and how it is used. These units are voltage, current, and resistance. Let's take a closer look at each of these...
Related posts: KiCAD Tip: Making a Reverse Mount LED Footprint – The Simple Way Much Ado About Panelization and Mounting Holes Top 5 Pluggable Screw Terminal Plug Connectors Maximizing Connectivity with the Nexperia NCA9555 I/O Expander
The DS1302 I2C 64 Byte Real Time Clock datasheet has some hidden secrets in plain sight. On this DS1307 Mega Episode, we review the entirety of the DS1307 Datasheet and critique it with our 555 point analysis system. Thanks for listening.
Gerber files are like a recipe for making printed circuit boards (PCBs). They provide manufacturers with a map of each PCB layer, including copper placement, hole drilling, and board shape. People create these files inside the PCB design software and send them to the board fabricator.
Let's dive into how to use a serial receipt printer with Python 3. We'll start with installing the PySerial library and setting up the connection variables. Then, we'll walk through various commands and functions such as printing a string, printing a list of strings, rotating text, changing text size, and even printing upside down.
Ohm's Law tells us that the amount of electricity flowing through a conductor is related to how much resistance the conductor has to the flow of electrons. Resistance is a measure of how hard it is for the electrons to move through the conductor.
The datasheet of this flash module lists that Pin 16 should not be connected (N.C.), but the board being examined has a connection on this pin.
Datasheet Digest is the podcast that goes over the good, the bad, and the ugly of electronic component datasheets. Available on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, Apple Podcasts and however you listen to podcasts.
The age of USB-C is here and your product best be with the times. USB-C is great because it is so versatile. It is designed to be present everywhere. Not all USB-C Connectors are designed equal though. There are options for Power Only, USB 2.0, USB 3.x, angled, straight, etc. It can be taunting to...
The NCA9555 is a low-voltage 16-bit I²C and SMBus I/O expander that provides 16 bits of General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) expansion.
October 18, 2021/zacf86296515337/Article More music for your ears! This soldering kit we designed to be wireless controlled by your hands! Wave your hands in front of it to create different notes. By linking an ultrasonic sensor to the Arduino Nano, we can detect the range of your hand and then translate that into notes on…
October 21, 2021/Kcody Dansereau/Article This kit was designed for the Fourth of July, which the United States’ holiday to celebrate the declaration of independence. It is a day to remember when people got together to break the bonds of the existing government to form a more perfect nation for the people within the British colonies….
Cultivating a great idea into a product and being able to disregard other ideas is a valuable skill when developing a new product. I like to call my process ‘The Numbers Game’. Having a Great Idea is a process. It takes a lot of time and effort to have a Great Idea. It is a…
You should know that soldering irons are HOT! That means you will get burned. It’s okay, everyone gets burned a few times when starting out, but just be careful. You may also need to use tweezers or clamps to help hold things in place while you’re working. Also, when you’re not using the iron always…
Five years ago, my Christmas and New Years Break was spent with family, friends, and BELLS. I bought a set of 20 handbells and set out to make them sing.
As a product design company that works with small to medium sized businesses, we at Cyber City Circuits know firsthand the importance of designing a successful development cycle.
Maximizing efficiency in the PCB assembly process requires careful planning and preparation, investment in quality equipment and supplies, utilization of automated assembly equipment, proper component placement, and use of high-quality solder paste.
Creating a new idea, concept, or product is thrilling and gratifying, but it demands careful preparation and execution. Successful project management requires structure. The Five Phases of Project Management outline project management from start to finish.
Making a custom schematic symbol in KiCAD can be tedious, but with this simple trick, you can save a lot of time in your symbol layout. Related posts: Much Ado About Panelization and Mounting Holes KiCAD Tip: Quick Pins in New Symbols KICAD Tip: Generate a Position File KiCAD Tip: Making a Reverse Mount LED…
Tombstoning is a common and potentially serious manufacturing defect that can occur during the PCB assembly process.
Pluggable Screw Terminal Connectors are an innovative solution for PCB to wire connections. They eliminate the need for messy wire soldering and provide a clean and organized setup. The screw terminals make it easy to connect wires securely, while the plug on the other end allows for a seamless connection to the PCB.
No matter the level of complexity, the goal of concept development and prototyping is always the same: to bring the product design to life and test its feasibility, usability, and appeal.
A good trick in manufacturing to speed up assembly is to order PCBs in panels. In this example, there are 4 different PCBs set in one panel. This way the machines can build 4 boards at one time. Takes less human interaction and less errors than if the boards are assembled and processed it one…
Are you tired of dealing with power supply noise and voltage spikes in your PCB designs? Look no further because decoupling capacitors are here to save the day!
The PAM8301 is less than 20 years old, but it is now NRND. In this 'in memoriam' episode of the Datasheet Digest, let's see how the PAM8301 datasheet holds up.
Pluggable Screw Terminal Connectors are an innovative solution for PCB to wire connections. They eliminate the need for messy wire soldering and provide a clean and organized setup. The screw terminals make it easy to connect wires securely, while the plug on the other end allows for a seamless connection to the PCB.
Capacitors are electrical components that store and release electrical energy. They are commonly used in electronic circuits for a variety of purposes, such as filtering, coupling, and storing electrical energy storage. The capacitance of a capacitor, or its ability to store electrical energy, is determined by three physical factors: 1) The type of material used…
How to Download KiCAD and Get Started on Mac OS Circuit Board Design is easier now than it has ever been. KiCAD has really democratized the industry and is actively creating a renaissance of electronic hardware. Visit www.KiCAD.org In your Browser The KiCAD software is a free and open-source Electronic Design Automation package. Sometimes people…
December 18, 2025/David Ray/Component Engineering, Development, PCB Design, Video The ATtiny1614 is a microcontroller that has been designed to help people bring their ideas to life. It’s a member of the tinyAVR 1-series and packs a punch with its advanced features and capabilities. With a clock speed of up to 20 MHz, 16 KB of Flash memory, 2 KB…
We offer an assortment of assembly services for your company's needs. Click here to learn how to place an assembly order.
Last weekend, I delved deeper into my restoration project of the Allen B Du Mont 224-A Oscilloscope, with the goal of finally getting it open, checking it for safety, and powering it on. The journey was filled with challenges, but ultimately, it was a successful one.
The CR2032 is a fantastic battery for many different solutions. CR2032 batteries are a cost-effective, widely available, and user-friendly power source for electronic devices.
When you need a PCB assembled by a pick-and-place machine, you must generate a position file (also known as a component placement file) so the machine knows exactly where to place each component. This process in KiCAD can be a little tricky, so this guide will walk you through how to correctly generate a position…
Minimum RP2040 Design Made Simple I’ve made several designs with the RP2040 from Raspberry Pi. Using the OEM’s design references and other references online, I have designed, what I consider the minimum quality design for RP2040, for when you don’t need extras, just the controller. In this walk through I will give links to some…
October 20, 2021/Kcody Dansereau/Article EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ———— Beep boop bloop beep! Who doesn’t love audio synthesizers? This month’s kit is a smaller version of our popular Dreamweaver 4N! WARNING: SOLDERING IRONS ARE HOT. SOLDERING IRONS ARE NOT TOYS. ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHILE USING A SOLDERING IRON. FIRST, YOU SHOULD REFRESH YOURSELF ON…
Step into the world of 3D printing with our latest unboxing video of the Elegoo Saturn 2 SLA Printer. Immerse yourself in the ASMR-style experience of cutting sounds, cardboard rubbing, and the satisfying sounds of pulling off protective plastics as we reveal this cutting-edge technology. Get ready to be captivated by the sensory experience as...
Have you ever struggled to find the right cable for your game console? What if you could solve this problem permanently?
Small businesses can find it hard and complicated to deal with the challenges of developing electronic products. By adopting a strategic approach, focusing on budget management, component selection, regulatory compliance, and time-to-market, you can successfully bring your product to market while overcoming the obstacles you may face.
On this episode of the Datasheet Digest we go over the datasheet for the CD4017B Decade Counter and then, through our 555-point analysis, we grade it. How does it stack up? How old is too old for a datasheet? Let's find out!
October 20, 2021/Kcody Dansereau/Article EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ———— Ever had trouble remembering something? With this month’s kit, you can save those important memories, at least 15 seconds worth! Once you build this kit, you’ll be able to record a small voice message and play it back any time. WARNING: SOLDERING IRONS ARE HOT. SOLDERING…
According to Texas Instruments, this calculator was designed to use a Zilog Z80 MCU operating at 6 MHz, but upon inspection, I find that the device was actually using a custom ASIC marked ‘INVENTEC 6SI837 0A JAPAN 0209EAI’.
October 20, 2021/Kcody Dansereau/Article EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ———— We are so excited that you have decided to join us on this journey of electrifying tech fun! In this box you will find everything you need to make your own LED Dice Simulator! Just like any 6-sided die in any board game you have played,…
Recently, I had the opportunity to acquire a Du Mont 224-A Oscilloscope and I decided to take on the project of restoring it to its former glory. This blog series will document my journey of restoring this vintage instrument and will provide a glimpse into the history of electronic measurement.
Gerber files are like a recipe for making printed circuit boards (PCBs). They provide manufacturers with a map of each PCB layer, including copper placement, hole drilling, and board shape. People create these files inside the PCB design software and send them to the board fabricator.