What the hardware engineers need to do, these five aspects must not be known

Time flies, and it's been three years since I first picked up a pen to sketch my first circuit board. Like everyone else, when you first started touching the board, you were full of doubts but also excited about the possibilities. There’s a lot of information online about hardware circuits—topics like signal integrity, EMI, power supply design can be overwhelming at first. It might feel confusing, but don’t worry. Everything takes time, and with patience and practice, you’ll get the hang of it. After reading this, I believe you'll have a clearer understanding of what it means to be a hardware engineer. In fact, hardware design mainly involves several key areas, and while this is based on my own experience, I hope it helps you as you start your journey: 1) **Overall Design Concept**: Before diving into details, you need to figure out the big picture—what architecture or framework will work best for your project. Some engineers are given a clear direction, while others must build their own from scratch. This requires not just technical knowledge, but also the ability to plan and think ahead. 2) **Understanding the Circuit**: If you find a reference design, that’s great—it can save you a lot of time. But before copying, take the time to understand it. This will help improve your skills and prevent mistakes in your own design. 3) **No Reference Design? No Problem!** Start by selecting the main ICs. Check their datasheets to ensure their key parameters meet your requirements. Understanding these parameters is a critical skill for any hardware engineer and takes time to develop. Don’t hesitate to ask questions—sometimes a simple explanation from someone else can make all the difference. 4) **Three Main Parts of Hardware Design**: Schematic design, PCB layout, and BOM (Bill of Materials). The schematic translates your ideas into a circuit diagram. The PCB is where the physical board is created, based on the netlist generated from the schematic. Finally, the BOM lists all the components needed for the board. 5) **Design Tools**: Popular tools like Altium or Protel are commonly used, especially in China. While more advanced tools like Cadence exist, the core principles of hardware design remain the same. Whether you're using a simple or complex tool, the process is similar, though the learning curve may vary. There are three major parts to the design: - Schematic design - PCB layout - BOM creation Now, let’s briefly go through the design process step by step: 1) **Component Library Setup**: Before drawing the schematic, you need to create or use an existing library of components. Understand the differences between input, output, analog, digital, and power pins. 2) **Schematic Drawing**: Once the library is ready, connect components according to the datasheet and system requirements. 3) **Netlist Generation**: This acts as a bridge between the schematic and the PCB layout. 4) **ERC (Electrical Rule Check)**: Always run this check to catch basic errors like shorted outputs. 5) **PCB Layout**: After generating the netlist, you’ll see a grid of components connected by flying lines. Start by defining the board size and placing components carefully. Placement is crucial, as it affects how easy or difficult routing will be. 6) **Routing and DRC (Design Rule Check)**: Once the layout is done, route the connections and run DRC to ensure everything meets design rules. 7) **BOM Creation and Assembly**: Export the BOM from the schematic. For small batches, managing it in Excel is common. It’s better to assemble the board yourself first to debug before sending it to a manufacturer. **Debugging Tips**: - Always start with a multimeter to check for shorts between power and ground. Even if the factory has tested it, it’s important to verify it yourself. - Once power is stable, test the voltage output. Begin with the power supply chip. - If there's no output, check the input voltage, enable signals, and feedback networks. - If the output is off by more than 10%, look at resistor tolerances and feedback network design. - Once the power is stable, use an oscilloscope to check for overshoot, undershoot, or ringing during power-up. **High-Speed Signals**: Don’t just look at clock frequency—pay attention to the signal edge rate. A fast rising edge means high-speed behavior, even if the clock is slow. High-speed signals require careful design to avoid distortion. The relationship between rise time and bandwidth is important. A faster rise time means higher frequency content, which impacts signal integrity. For example, I²C in ultra-fast mode runs at 1 MHz, but its rise time must be under 120 ns. Many boards fail because of this. This is just a glimpse into the world of hardware design. With practice, patience, and curiosity, you’ll grow into a confident engineer. Keep learning, keep experimenting, and most importantly, never stop asking questions.

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