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PCB Design Course
More than 2 million students worldwide

PCB Design Course

4.7

Master every stage of PCB design, from schematic capture to fabrication-ready output files. This course gives you the technical skills to design reliable, manufacturable boards using professional EDA tools. Whether you're building your first circuit board or leveling up your engineering career, this is the training that gets you there.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

You'll start with PCB fundamentals and EDA software setup, then move into schematic capture, component libraries, and footprint creation. From there, you'll learn component placement strategies, manual and assisted routing techniques, and how to handle power and ground distribution correctly. The course covers signal integrity, EMC layout strategies, and controlled-impedance design for high-speed boards. You'll also work through advanced topics including HDI, RF layout, mixed-signal partitioning, and thermal management. By the end, you'll produce complete fabrication and assembly documentation packages that real manufacturers accept.

How you study in practice PCB Design Course

How you practice PCB Design Course

For companies that want to train their team

With Dedika for Business, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 34 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of PCB Design

  • Lesson 1 • PCB Design Workflow Overview

    Maps the complete design cycle from concept to manufactured board. Connects each phase to deliverables expected by fabricators.

  • Lesson 2 • What Is a Printed Circuit Board

    Defines PCB structure, materials, and functional purpose in electronics. Establishes vocabulary used throughout the course.

  • Lesson 3 • Introduction to EDA Software

    Surveys electronic design automation tools and their core modules. Students select and configure a tool for use in subsequent chapters.

  • Lesson 4 • Key PCB Terminology

    Introduces essential terms used in schematics, layout, and fabrication. Prevents misinterpretation of design files and vendor specs.

Chapter 2See details

Schematic Capture Fundamentals

  • Lesson 1 • Drawing Nets and Connections

    Teaches wire placement, net labels, and bus notation for clear signal routing. Proper net naming ensures correct PCB connectivity.

  • Lesson 2 • Component Annotation and Properties

    Assigns reference designators, values, and metadata to every component. Consistent annotation feeds accurate bills of materials.

  • Lesson 3 • Schematic Symbols and Libraries

    Covers standard symbol conventions and library sourcing for common components. Accurate symbols prevent netlist errors downstream.

  • Lesson 4 • Schematic Review and Netlist Export

    Validates schematic completeness using ERC tools and exports the netlist. Errors caught here prevent costly layout rework.

Chapter 3See details

Component Libraries and Footprints

  • Lesson 1 • Creating Custom Footprints

    Guides students through building footprints from component datasheets. Custom footprints fill gaps in standard libraries.

  • Lesson 2 • Footprint Standards and Conventions

    Explains land pattern standards for surface-mount and through-hole components. Correct pad dimensions ensure reliable solder joints.

  • Lesson 3 • 3D Models and Visual Verification

    Attaches 3D models to footprints for mechanical clearance checks. Visual inspection catches height and orientation conflicts early.

  • Lesson 4 • Library Management and Version Control

    Organizes libraries for team reuse and tracks changes over time. Controlled libraries reduce errors across multiple projects.

Chapter 4See details

PCB Layout Essentials

  • Lesson 1 • Component Placement Strategy

    Teaches systematic placement based on signal flow, thermal, and assembly needs. Good placement reduces routing complexity and EMI.

  • Lesson 2 • Board Setup and Design Rules

    Configures board outline, layer stack, and minimum design rules before placement. Correct setup prevents rule violations throughout layout.

  • Lesson 3 • Ratsnest and Airwire Management

    Uses ratsnest visualization to guide placement decisions and minimize crossings. Reducing airwire crossings simplifies subsequent routing.

  • Lesson 4 • Layer Assignment and Stack Planning

    Assigns signals, power, and ground to appropriate layers for a multilayer board. Proper layer assignment is prerequisite to controlled-impedance routing.

Chapter 5See details

Routing Techniques and Best Practices

  • Lesson 1 • High-Speed Signal Routing Rules

    Introduces length matching, differential pairs, and return path continuity. These rules prevent signal integrity issues in fast digital designs.

  • Lesson 2 • Manual Routing Fundamentals

    Covers trace placement, width selection, and corner styles for reliable connections. Manual routing builds intuition for signal behavior on copper.

  • Lesson 3 • Power and Ground Routing

    Addresses wide trace and plane strategies for low-impedance power distribution. Solid power routing reduces voltage drop and noise.

  • Lesson 4 • Interactive and Autorouting Tools

    Demonstrates push-and-shove routing and autorouter configuration for efficiency. Autorouting supplements but does not replace manual critical-net routing.

  • Lesson 5 • Design Rule Check and Cleanup

    Runs DRC to identify and resolve spacing, width, and connectivity violations. A clean DRC report is required before fabrication file generation.

Chapter 6See details

Signal Integrity and EMC Fundamentals

  • Lesson 1 • Decoupling and Power Integrity

    Covers capacitor selection, placement, and plane design for stable power delivery. Poor power integrity causes logic errors and EMI emissions.

  • Lesson 2 • EMC Layout Strategies

    Applies shielding, filtering, and layout zoning to reduce radiated and conducted emissions. EMC compliance is required for most commercial products.

  • Lesson 3 • Signal Integrity Concepts

    Explains reflection, crosstalk, and impedance mismatch as layout-driven phenomena. Understanding these effects motivates controlled-impedance design.

  • Lesson 4 • Controlled Impedance Design

    Calculates trace geometry for target impedance using stack-up parameters. Controlled impedance is mandatory for high-speed interfaces.

Chapter 7See details

Fabrication and Assembly Outputs

  • Lesson 1 • Design for Manufacturability Review

    Evaluates layout against fabrication and assembly process capabilities. DFM review reduces scrap, rework, and first-article failures.

  • Lesson 2 • Assembly Drawing and BOM

    Produces pick-and-place files, assembly drawings, and bills of materials for contract assembly. Complete assembly packages reduce quoting errors and rework.

  • Lesson 3 • Drill Files and Board Stackup Docs

    Creates Excellon drill files and stackup drawings that define hole sizes and layer construction. Accurate drill data is critical for via and component hole quality.

  • Lesson 4 • Gerber File Generation

    Exports copper, mask, paste, and silkscreen layers in industry-standard Gerber format. Correct layer mapping prevents fabrication errors.

Chapter 8See details

Advanced PCB Design Techniques

  • Lesson 1 • RF and Analog Layout Techniques

    Addresses coplanar waveguide, ground stitching, and component placement for RF circuits. RF layout errors cause impedance mismatch and spurious emissions.

  • Lesson 2 • Thermal Management in Layout

    Designs thermal vias, copper pours, and heatsink footprints for power dissipation. Inadequate thermal design causes component failure and derating.

  • Lesson 3 • Design Reuse and Modular Layout

    Creates reusable layout blocks and templates to accelerate future projects. Modular design reduces errors and shortens design cycles.

  • Lesson 4 • High-Density Interconnect Design

    Covers microvias, via-in-pad, and fine-pitch routing for HDI boards. HDI techniques enable compact designs with high component density.

  • Lesson 5 • Mixed-Signal Board Partitioning

    Separates analog and digital domains to prevent noise coupling on shared boards. Correct partitioning is essential for ADC and DAC accuracy.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

  • Electrical engineering students: ready to apply classroom theory to real boards.

  • Firmware developers: wanting to own the hardware side of their projects.

  • Makers and hobbyists: tired of relying on off-the-shelf modulesde everything.

  • Mechanical engineers: expanding into electronics to support cross-functional product teams.

  • Career changers: entering hardware development from software or unrelated backgrounds.

  • Junior PCB designers: seeking structured training to close gaps in their workflow.

What our students say

Your classes are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of my interest without needing to switch platforms... I thank you for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...
Giulio Carlo
Giulio CarloDigital Marketing Student
I like how the lessons are straight to the point and how I can switch chapters and skip content I don't need.
Mariana Ferres
Mariana FerresPhotography Student
I like the content and the presentation style and video transcription, which speeds up the process!
Luciana Alvarenga
Luciana AlvarengaNail Design Student
The platform is fast, simple to use. The diversity of content and complementary videos really help with learning.
André Felipe
André FelipePrompt Engineering Student

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