<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fFI33f4TejM" class="youtube-player" width="740" height="416.418" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span>
    </div>
    <div class="blog-content">
Ken Burns has published 7 hardware projects on Kickstarter. He explains how it works.
    </div>
    
    <div class="blog-content-links">
        <div>
            Links:
        </div>
        <ul class="links-list">
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://tinycircuits.com/">Ken's company TinyCircuits</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://fedevel.com/courses">FEDEVEL Online courses</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>  
</div>

Can You Make Money on Kickstarter HW Projects?

<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2oA4X3OTz0M" class="youtube-player" width="740" height="416.418" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span>
    </div>
    <div class="blog-content">
Interesting experiments and examples to help you to understand ground layout in PCB. Explained by Hans Rosenberg
    </div>


    <div class="blog-content-chapters">
        <div>
            Chapters:
        </div>
        <ul class="chapters-list">
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">00:00</span><span class="chapters-text">What is this video about</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">00:19</span><span class="chapters-text">Currents flow under track</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">03:10</span><span class="chapters-text">What happen when you are making a board</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">08:37</span><span class="chapters-text">Where currents flow</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">14:01</span><span class="chapters-text">Experiment: Cut under track</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">19:51</span><span class="chapters-text">Floating copper fill</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">23:15</span><span class="chapters-text">Grounded copper fill</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">27:04</span><span class="chapters-text">Experiment: Filter</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">35:05</span><span class="chapters-text">2 Layer vs. 4 Layer</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">44:00</span><span class="chapters-text">3 rules to prevent ground problems</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">46:05</span><span class="chapters-text">Example: Ground plane</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">49:52</span><span class="chapters-text">Example: 1 VIA per GND pin</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">54:46</span><span class="chapters-text">Example: Gap in GND plane</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">1:02:00</span><span class="chapters-text">Example: FPGA board redesign</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">1:05:16</span><span class="chapters-text">Star grounding</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">1:07:39</span><span class="chapters-text">Multiple ground planes</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">1:14:30</span><span class="chapters-text">Example: Digital and Analog on one board</span></li>
            <li class="chapters-list-item"><span class="chapters-time">1:16:40</span><span class="chapters-text">About Hans</span></li>
    </div>
    
    <div class="blog-content-links">
        <div>
            Links:
        </div>
        <ul class="links-list">
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@HansRosenberg74">Hans´ YouTube</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://www.hans-rosenberg.com/">Hans´ website</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://fedevel.com/courses">FEDEVEL Online courses</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>  
</div>

Examples of BAD Ground in PCB Layout And How to Fix It

<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X-qubBLJDD8" class="youtube-player" width="740" height="416.418" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span>
    </div>
    <div class="blog-content">
What will happen if you don't have enough GND pins on your connector?
    </div>
    
    <div class="blog-content-links">
        <div>
            Links:
        </div>
        <ul class="links-list">
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/bogatin/">About Eric</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://fedevel.com/courses">FEDEVEL Online courses</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>  
</div>

Do You Design Connector Pinout Correctly? | Eric Bogatin

<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="blog-content-img-wrapper">
        <img src="https://assets.fedevel.com/blog/2019/10/23a3a-fedevel-fb-cover.png" alt="FEDEVEL FB Cover" />
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        I am thinking to run this course, because I believe you will learn something new and useful. I don’t want to waste your time. I have been on several courses and I almost fell asleep within 10 minutes from beginning. Many courses are about bla bla bla and really really really boring. I will try to be much better and be very practical.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <h2 class="blog-content-heading">The Course</h2>
        The course will teach you about techniques and best practise which I learned over the last 10 years while designing motherboards, processor and microcontroller boards.<br><br>

        The course is designed for everyone – from electronic beginners/hobbyist to design engineers. It will show the ways how you can design boards more effectively and produce professional outputs. It gives you tips and tricks to help you to design boards which works at first time.<br><br>

        The course is practically based and will teach you everything by actually doing it. You will design your own Microcontroller board from scratch. By the end of the course you will create all production ready manufacturing outputs. And, if there is interest, I will manage manufacturing of your PCB and everyone will get components to build your own board designed during the course.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <h2 class="blog-content-heading">Content of the course</h2>
        <ul class="content-list">
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Starting new project</b> (Useful folder structure, Importing reference schematic, Collecting and sorting documents)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Schematic design</b> (Drawing schematic, Conventions and useful tips to create well readable schematic)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Selecting components and creating libraries</b> (About how to select components for your designs to prevent problems during production and about how to create useful libraries)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Variants & BOMs</b> (Creating and using variants, generating professional BOMs)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Checking Libraries and Schematic</b> (Explains techniques to properly check your libraries & schematic to help you design boards which work right at the first time)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>3D model of your PCB</b> (You will learn how to create 3D model of your PCB and why)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Placement</b> (How to do placement, tips & tricks )</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>PCB layout</b> (How to do layout, what is important)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Impedances and Stackup</b> (How to design your own stackup)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Finishing your PCB and Manufacturing</b> (How to check your PCB and add important information for manufacturers, Assembly drawings, Gerber files)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>Generating Output documentation</b> (How to generate professional documentation)</span></li>
        </ul>
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <h2 class="blog-content-heading">More Information</h2>
        <b>Schedule</b><br>
        Starting again in MAY-2013, duration 10 weeks (<a href="https://fedevel.com/courses/advanced-hardware-design">check the next start day here</a>)<br><br>

        <b>Workload</b><br>
        10 hours per week<br><br>

        <b>More information</b><br>
        You can find more information at <a href="https://fedevel.com/courses/advanced-hardware-design">FEDEVEL Academy Program</a> website<br><br>

        <b>Technical Requirements</b><br>
        You need a computer that allows you to run Altium Designer and watch the video lectures, and the ability to upload your projects. I will try to get Altium Designer licence for you during the course.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <h2 class="blog-content-heading">About Instructor</h2>
        Robert Feranec (36), started designing advanced boards during PhD study. He designed his first Linux OS running board in 2002 and his first x86 board in 2004. Next 5 years (2005-2010), Robert spent in the UK designing processor boards. Since 2010 he has been working for different clients around the world as an independent contractor. Robert’s skills and knowledge are in designing Schematic and doing PCB layout for advanced digital boards such motherboards or processor boards.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content-links">
        <div>
            Links:
        </div>
        <ul class="links-list">
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="https://fedevel.com/courses/advanced-hardware-design">FEDEVEL Academy Program</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>  
</div>

Schematic & PCB Design Course, led by Motherboard Designer

<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="blog-content">
        What do you think? How much does it cost?<br><br>

        Many people send me a request to design a custom motherboard for their product. And I always try to make it clear from the very beginning. Prepare minimum of $100 000 USD.<br><br>

        I am not saying it will cost this price, but many people are wrong about the cost of PRODUCT development – a way wrong.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <h2 class="blog-content-heading">There is a big difference between Prototype and Product</h2>
        Let’s make a very basic math together:

        <ul class="content-list">
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>30000 EUR for HW design</b><br>
                Depends on many factors, but you need to calculate with at least 500 hours for Motherboard design. I charge 60EUR/h.<br>
                <i><u>Calculation:</u> 500h * 60EUR/h = 30000 EUR</i></span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>18000 EUR for 10 boards</b><br>
                Be realistic. Normally, you may want to build 5 boards in the first batch and then another 5 in the second batch. If you have a good designer and a bit of luck, you can sell some of the first prototypes, but for a big mass production, you always need minimum two spins of the board. To manufacture PCB for one spin costs 3500 EUR, to assemble batch of five boards costs 3000 EUR. You will need to multiply it by two – for two board spins.<br>
                Component price for these boards is high – and if you buy it just for the 10 pieces, it doubles or triples. So, if your board will cost 200 EUR (in mass production), to build a prototype you need to calculate with Component price 500EUR per board. This includes also duty and delivery fees and heavily depends on CPU and chipset – there may be a $100+ difference in price between slowest and fastest CPU.<br>
                    <i><u>Calculation:</u> 2* 3500 (two spins of PCB) + 2*3000(to assemble two batches of boards) + 10*500(for components) = 18000 EUR</i></span></li>
            
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text"><b>25000 EUR for BIOS customization</b><br>
                For your board, you will need your BIOS. If your board is very similar to a reference board, then the BIOS development cost starts at 15000 EUR, but if your board is very different, the cost can easily rise to 35000 EUR or more.<br>
                        <i><u>Calculation:</u> 1x BIOS development for 25000EUR</i></span></li>
        </ul>
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content-text">
        Lets make a sum: 30000 (Development) + 18000 (Production) + 25000 (BIOS) = 73000 EUR … and change it to USD (exchange rate 1.28) = 1.28 * 73000 = 93 440 USD
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <b>… and you still have not done any:</b>

        <ul class="content-list">
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text">HW verification test (peripheral test, memory test, voltages, waveforms, …)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text">Board extensive testing (environmental chamber, long run tests, stability tests, …)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text">Certification (EMC, ESD, EMI, …)</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text">Production test (Production procedure, breakout boards, Test tools, Documentation, … )</span></li>
            <li class="content-list-item"><span class="content-text">User Documentation (Product brief, Manual, …)</span></li>
        </ul>
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content-text">
        You can save few thousands on PCB or Assembly or Components or somewhere else, but it will not dramatically change the total cost of development.<br>

        I hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions contact me.
    </div>
</div>

How much a custom x86 Motherboard Design / Development costs

<div class="entry-content">
    <div class="blog-content">
        Those are the companies which helped me a lot during my latest x86 design. You may find them useful too:
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        <b><a href="http://www.exceptiongroup.com/">Exception – PCB manufacturing</a></b><br>
        They saved me! Plan was to make my PCB at a Korean company, but after 6 weeks of waiting I have been told, they can not make it. Exception delivered the PCB within 16 days for price comparable with the Korean company. Excellent communication.<br>
    </div>
    
    
    <div class="blog-content">
        <b><a href="http://www.firstcut.com">Firstcut – CNC Machining Service</a></b><br>
        Firstcut made for me a custom heatsink. I like the simplicity – Just upload a 3D file, get a quote (almost instantly), pay and within one week you have your component. Great service!<br>
    </div>

    
    <div class="blog-content">
        <b><a href="http://www.amset.sk/">AMSET – Assembly house</a></b><br>
        AMSET built the first prototypes for me – with no mistake. For new design, it is extremely important to build the first boards with no mistake. There are 1327 components on the board and any error could mean weeks of my work spent with looking for the problem. The prototypes booted up to Windows 7 at the same day as boards were delivered. Well done!<br>
    </div>

    
    <div class="blog-content">
        <b><a href="http://www.digikey.com/">DigiKey</a></b><br>
        The best company to buy components from. From 198 different TYPES of components I bought 186 in one order from DigiKey. They saved me years!<br>
        
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content">
        Big Thank you.
    </div>

    <div class="blog-content-links">
        <div>
            Links:
        </div>
        <ul class="links-list">
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="http://www.exceptiongroup.com/">Exception – PCB manufacturing</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="http://www.firstcut.com">Firstcut – CNC Machining Service</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="http://www.amset.sk/">AMSET – Assembly house</a></li>
            <li class="links-list-item"><a href="http://www.digikey.com/">DigiKey</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>
</div>

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