Greetings. I'm an electronics hobbyist and I'm currently stuck on Simulating a PCB before Fabrication.
I designed a PCB using the EasyEDA.com platform, but I would like to simulate its response before sending it for fabrication.
How can I test the PCB, and which platforms/software(s) can I use for that?

 

Welcome to AAC!

Just do what other hobbyists would do. Breadboard the circuit and verify that it works as expected. Then make sure you layout is correct before having boards made. If you plan to assemble a large number, do a short run to prove your design before committing to large quantity.

It's always possible for a board layout to not function correctly due to poor layout.

 

Thank you, Dennis, for the insight. Not sure whether the breadboarding would be an option since I'm using SMD components entirely.

 

Thank you, Dennis, for the insight. Not sure whether the breadboarding would be an option since I'm using SMD components entirely.

Prototyping with SMD components can be done but it takes a bit of skill. It sure beats having to turn the board.

 

Prototyping with SMD components can be done but it takes a bit of skill. It sure beats having to turn the board.

So basically, that's like "fabricating" your board as a way of testing.

 

So basically, that's like "fabricating" your board as a way of testing.

Yeah! That is what a "breadboard" is all about. I started out making breadboards from 1/4" plywood in the days when all components were thru hole with leads. Nowadays you can get chunks of PCB with copper strips that can be modified to accept SMT parts and away you go.

 

Depends on the application and operating frequency of your project.
Even if you intend to use SMD components, it is always a good idea to breadboard the circuit and test that it works. You can use through-hole components as well as SMD break-out boards for major SMD components.

If you choose to go straight to PCB then it is a good idea to include test points, pads to unused MCU GPIO pins, etc. and even some SMD bread-boarding area which will allow you to patch the circuit if needed.

 

Lot of skills needed to do that . Maybe I can give it a try.
But I'm a bit curious. You mean there's no software that can run the PCB simulation?

 

Kicad, a schematic capture and PCB layout package also supports a spice simulator. I have not tried it, but others have so maybe one of them can help.

 

Depends on the application and operating frequency of your project.
Even if you intend to use SMD components, it is always a good idea to breadboard the circuit and test that it works. You can use through-hole components as well as SMD break-out boards for major SMD components.

If you choose to go straight to PCB then it is a good idea to include test points, pads to unused MCU GPIO pins, etc. and even some SMD bread-boarding area which will allow you to patch the circuit if needed.

The frequency of operation is at 125MHz. So that means I can test the SMDs using the break-out boards. I'm not intending to fabricate without testing. But still, I always leave some test points in the design. Just in case, you know.

 

Kicad, a schematic capture and PCB layout package also supports a spice simulator. I have not tried it, but others have so maybe one of them can help.

Let me give it a try (The KiCAD) as well as the SMD testing as @MrChips has explained. Thank you

 

he frequency of operation is at 125MHz.

At that speed, breadboarding will likely be a problem. It sounds like you have no choice but to do a short run and test assembled boards.

There are simulators, but not in the price range of hobbyists. Even then, they're not likely to provide 100% guaranteed operation. I worked on microprocessors with billions of transistors and there were still escapes due to circuit complexity (multi-cycle paths), model accuracy, process excursions, etc.

 

At that speed, breadboarding will likely be a problem. It sounds like you have no choice but to do a short run and test assembled boards.

There are simulators, but not in the price range of hobbyists. Even then, they're not likely to provide 100% guaranteed operation. I worked on microprocessors with billions of transistors and there were still escapes due to circuit complexity (multi-cycle paths), model accuracy, process excursions, etc.

Doing a short run and test was among the last ideas on my list, seems like I have to reorganize the plans then.

 

Greetings. I'm an electronics hobbyist and I'm currently stuck on Simulating a PCB before Fabrication.
I designed a PCB using the EasyEDA.com platform, but I would like to simulate its response before sending it for fabrication.
How can I test the PCB, and which platforms/software(s) can I use for that?

A lot of it depends on what aspect it is that you are trying to simulate/test.

Most simulators simulate circuits as networks of discrete components connected to ideal nodes.

There are network extractors that can extract the connectivity represented by the PCB artwork and verify that it is consistent with the connectivity represented by the circuit netlist (this is generally referred to as LVS, or Layout Versus Schematic, verification).

If you are wanting to do a simulate that reflects the non-ideal aspects of the PCB layout, such as resistance, capacitance, inductance, crosstalk, etc., then that is a whole different level of tool -- and those tools tend to be very not-cheap and have a pretty steep learning curve and setup.

Unless you really need to get into the weeds, a common middle-ground is to add additional components to the circuit schematic to model the important non-idealities of the PCB layout. This is pretty time-intense and requires the ability to know what is, and what is not, important and how to model it, but often you only have to pay particular attention to a small number of nodes to get useful results.

The cost of PCB prototyping has come down so much in the past decade or so that the big factor is seldom the cost of doing a prototype PCB as much as it is the time involved in the turn around.