What learners are saying
“I liked how the course was laid out with instruction and hands-on, then being able to go on my own and replicate the processes.
It was very beneficial for me to see the entire process; this opened my eyes to the importance of spending time on component selection and verifying footprints and part availability prior to submitting the PCB for manufacturing.”
2/24/2025 – Sandia National Labs Employee, Government
“I enjoyed learning some of the tricks of PCB design from Dr. Smith. He shared a lot of things that wouldn’t be learned otherwise, except from someone with a lot of experience like Dr Smith has. He was very generous in sharing his knowledge. Course Perquisites”
2/24/2025 – Sandia National Labs Employee, Government
“Dr Smith is doing an excellent job of explaining packaging and giving them a basic understanding of the concepts and processes.”
3/14/2024 – Department of Energy Employee, Government
Dates
Jan 13, 2026 – Feb 19, 2026
6 Weeks
Class Days
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Meeting Times
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET
18 Hours
Course Description
This course will introduce participants to the foundational principles of PCB design, focusing on the practical application of concepts through hands-on learning. Over six weeks, students will explore key topics, including an overview of PCB materials, construction techniques, and component selection. Participants will learn how to create schematic diagrams, design PCB layouts, perform design rule checks, and generate essential files for manufacturing using KiCad, an open-source PCB design tool.
The course will also cover the creation of a Bill of Materials (BOM) and provide an introduction to the fundamentals of PCB assembly and testing. Each session combines 45 minutes of lecture with 45 minutes of hands-on practice, ensuring that students not only understand the theoretical aspects but also gain practical experience in developing their own PCBs, progressing from initial concept to final design. Interactive sessions are designed to provide immediate feedback and guidance from a PCB design expert. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to undertake their own PCB design projects, culminating in the completion of a custom PCB project that showcases their newly acquired abilities.
Please ensure that the latest version of KiCad is installed before the first session, as it is essential for the interactive portions of the course.
Course Perquisites
No Prior Hardware Experience Required
Target Audience
Designed for U.S. citizens working in the Department of War, Government, or Government-affiliated employees, industry, as well as college students and faculty. Must register with your organizational email, and will be notified of acceptance within one week of the course start date.
Registration
Registration is open!
Shane Smith
Course Instructor
Dr. Shane Smith (Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University) is a Research Scientist at the Ohio State University ElectroscienceLab and President and co-founder of SenseICs Corporation. Shane has worked for more than 20 years designing, producing, and maintaining electronic systems used in integrated circuit research, high energy physics experiments (CERN, Stanford linear accelerator, etc.), and other applications. Shane’s broad expertise covers a range of electrical engineering activities including the design and development of radiation hard mixed signal ASICs, FPGA based data acquisition systems, medical imaging electronics, chemical vapor deposition diamond detectors, and high voltage power supply systems. Additionally, his academic publications, which include more than 80 peer-reviewed conference papers and journal articles, have been cited more than 20,000 times.