PCB Design Sources for Industry-Scale Testing

Where to find real PCB designs for testing optimization on large, industry-scale boards

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🎯 Quick Start

Run the download script to get real PCB designs:

cd dielectric
python scripts/download_pcb_examples.py --output-dir examples/real_pcbs --create-manifest

This will download PCB designs from GitHub and create a manifest for easy testing.

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📚 GitHub Repositories

Official KiCad Examples

• URL: https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-examples
• Description: Official KiCad example projects
• Complexity: Low to High
• Components: 10-200+
• Files: Multiple .kicad_pcb files

Raspberry Pi Projects

• Raspberry Pi Pico: https://github.com/raspberrypi/pico-sdk
• Raspberry Pi 4: https://github.com/raspberrypi/rpi-eeprom
• Complexity: Medium-High
• Components: 50-100+

Arduino Projects

• Arduino Uno: https://github.com/arduino/ArduinoCore-avr
• Arduino Mega: Various GitHub repos
• Complexity: Medium
• Components: 30-80

ESP32/ESP8266 Projects

• ESP32 DevKit: https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf
• ESP8266: Various GitHub repos
• Complexity: Medium-High
• Components: 40-100+

STM32 Projects

• STM32 Nucleo: https://github.com/STMicroelectronics/STM32CubeNucleo
• STM32 Discovery: Various repos
• Complexity: Medium-High
• Components: 50-150

BeagleBone Projects

• BeagleBone Black: https://github.com/beagleboard/beaglebone-black
• Complexity: High
• Components: 150+

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🔍 Finding More PCBs

GitHub Search Queries

1. Search for KiCad files:

   extension:kicad_pcb stars:>10
   

2. Search for PCB projects:

   "kicad_pcb" language:Python stars:>5
   

3. Search for hardware projects:

   "PCB design" OR "circuit board" stars:>20
   

Popular Hardware Communities

1. OSHWA (Open Source Hardware Association)

   • https://www.oshwa.org/
   • Certified open-source hardware projects
   • Many include PCB designs

2. Hackaday Projects

   • https://hackaday.io/projects
   • Many projects include PCB files
   • Search for "PCB" or "KiCad"

3. PCBWay Community

   • https://www.pcbway.com/project/
   • Community-shared PCB projects
   • Can download Gerber files

4. EasyEDA Projects

   • https://easyeda.com/explore
   • Online PCB design platform
   • Many open-source projects

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📥 Download Methods

Method 1: Using the Download Script

cd dielectric
python scripts/download_pcb_examples.py

Method 2: Manual GitHub Download

1. Go to GitHub repository
2. Click "Code" → "Download ZIP"
3. Extract and find .kicad_pcb files
4. Upload via frontend

Method 3: Git Clone

git clone https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-examples.git
cd kicad-examples
# Find .kicad_pcb files
find . -name "*.kicad_pcb"

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🧪 Testing with Downloaded PCBs

Upload via Frontend

1. Single File:

   • Go to "Optimize Design" page
   • Select "Single File"
   • Upload .kicad_pcb file
   • Click "Optimize"

2. Folder/Zip:

   • Select "Folder/Zip"
   • Upload zip file or folder
   • Click "🚀 Process Files"
   • System will auto-detect PCB files

Upload via API

import requests

# Single file
with open("example.kicad_pcb", "rb") as f:
    response = requests.post(
        "http://localhost:8000/upload/pcb",
        files={"file": f},
        params={"optimization_intent": "Optimize for thermal management"}
    )

# Folder/Zip
with open("project.zip", "rb") as f:
    response = requests.post(
        "http://localhost:8000/upload/folder",
        files={"files": f},
        params={"optimization_intent": "Minimize trace length"}
    )

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📊 Industry-Scale PCB Characteristics

Small PCBs (< 50 components)

• Arduino Uno
• Simple sensor boards
• Basic power supplies

Medium PCBs (50-100 components)

• Raspberry Pi Pico
• ESP32 DevKit
• STM32 Nucleo
• Most development boards

Large PCBs (100-200 components)

• Raspberry Pi 4
• BeagleBone Black
• Complex IoT devices
• Industrial controllers

Very Large PCBs (200+ components)

• Server motherboards
• High-end embedded systems
• Complex industrial equipment

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🎯 Recommended Test Cases

For Testing Optimization:

1. Thermal Optimization:

   • High-power boards (power supplies, motor drivers)
   • Look for boards with heat sinks or thermal vias

2. Signal Integrity:

   • High-speed boards (Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone)
   • RF boards (WiFi, Bluetooth modules)

3. Power Integrity:

   • Power supply boards
   • Boards with multiple voltage rails

4. Manufacturability:

   • Complex multi-layer boards
   • Boards with fine-pitch components

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📝 File Formats Supported

• KiCad: .kicad_pcb (primary format)
• JSON: Custom placement JSON files
• ZIP: Folders containing PCB files
• Altium: .PcbDoc (zip archives, experimental)

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🔧 Troubleshooting

No PCB Files Found

If the download script doesn't find PCB files:

1. Check the repository structure
2. Some repos have PCBs in subdirectories
3. Manually extract and locate .kicad_pcb files

Upload Fails

1. Check file size (max 200MB)
2. Verify file format (.kicad_pcb or .json)
3. Check backend logs: tail -f /tmp/dielectric_backend.log

Parsing Errors

1. Some KiCad files may have unsupported features
2. Try simpler boards first
3. Check parser logs for specific errors

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📈 Scaling to Industry Scale

Current Capabilities

• ✅ Handles 100+ component PCBs efficiently
• ✅ Parallel optimization (4-8x speedup)
• ✅ Incremental geometry updates
• ✅ Scalable thermal FDM solver

Testing Large PCBs

1. Start with medium boards (50-100 components)
2. Gradually test larger boards (100-200 components)
3. Monitor optimization time and quality
4. Adjust optimization parameters as needed

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Happy testing! 🚀