KiCad Advanced: Design a smart USB thumb drive (Subscription) – Tech Explorations

Design a complete Smart USB Thumb Drive in KiCad 10, from blank schematic to manufacturable PCB. This course covers the challenges professionals face daily: BGA routing, USB signal integrity, high-speed eMMC interfaces, and dual ideal diode power management, all on a two-layer board. Prerequisite: solid KiCad fundamentals.

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction & Project Overview 4 Lectures

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1.010 What This Course Is About

1.020 The Design Challenges

1.030 Bill of Materials

1.040 Tools and Setup

Module 2: Schematic Design 22 Lectures | 7 Quizzes

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2.010 Schematic Best Practices for Complex Designs

2.010 Schematic best practices questions

2.020a Power Architecture: Dual Ideal Diode OR-ing Part A

2.020a Power Architecture Dual Ideal ORing questions

2.020b Power Architecture: Dual Ideal Diode OR-ing Part B

2.020b Power Architecture Dual Ideal ORing questions

2.030 Schematic — Sheet Structure & Netclasses

2.031 Schematic — Power: OR-ing

2.032 Schematic — Power: Buck Converter

2.040a USB 2.0 Signal Integrity Fundamentals Part 1

2.040a USB 2.0 signal integrity fundamentals questions

2.040b USB 2.0 Signal Integrity Fundamentals Part 2

2.040b USB 2.0 signal integrity fundamentals questions

2.050a Schematic — Storage USB & ESD Protection Part 1

2.050b Schematic — Storage USB & ESD Protection Part 2

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Module 3: PCB Layout Foundations 19 Lectures | 7 Quizzes

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3.005 PCB Stackup & Layer Strategy Primer

3.005 PCB Stackup strategy primer

3.010 PCB Stackup and Layer Strategy on 2-Layer Boards

3.010 PCB Stackup strategy primer on 2 layers

3.015 PCB Stackup and Layer Strategy on 4-Layer Boards

3.015 PCB Stackup strategy primer on 4 layers

3.020 Impedance Control: Theory and Math – Part 1

3.020 Impedance control theory

3.025 Impedance Control: Theory and Math – Part 2

3.025 Impedance control theory Part 2

3.040 Layout editor setup and basic configuration

3.050 Board outline and import components

3.060 Impedance and stack-up calculations

3.065 Impedance and stack-up calculations in the Tech Explorations calculator

3.062 Impedance and stack-up calculations in KiCad

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Module 4: BGA Routing & Via-in-Pad Techniques 7 Lectures | 2 Quizzes

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4.010a BGA packages challenges and solutions

4.010b BGA packages challenges and solutions

04.010 BGA packages challenges and solutions combined questions

4.015 Copper pours

4.020a eMMC via in pads

4.020b eMMC start routing of the data bus

4.030 eMMC length matching of the data bus tracks

4.050 Signal length matching theory

04.050 Signal length matching theory questions

Module 5: USB Differential Pair & Signal Integrity Routing 10 Lectures | 1 Quiz

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5.010 USB 2.0 routing rules

05.010 USB 2.0 routing rules questions

5.020 Layout route USB differential pairs

5.030 KiCad-ESD and USB layout verification

5.040 KiCad-Power fills

5.050a Review and refactoring of eMMC routing PART 1

5.050b Review and refactoring of eMMC routing PART 2

5.050c Review and refactoring of eMMC routing PART 3

5.060 Power distribution and remaining eMMC tracks

5.070 RP2040 continue routing

5.080 RP2040 route SWD and Boot

Module 6: Layout 15 Lectures | 1 Quiz

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06.005 How to route I2C signals (Explainer)

6.005 How To Route I2C Explainer questions

6.010 Routing Remaining Signals – I2C

6.020 Routing Remaining Signals – GPIOs

06.025 Review routing before DRC (add stiching vias to GND zones)

06.030 Re-route protection diode arrays

06.035 Route current sensors and other remaining nets

6.040 I2C pull-ups and improvements

6.050 Repair Vccq_eMMC net

6.060 Improve GND fill geometry

6.070 More via-in-pads

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Module 7: Manufacturing Outputs & Fabrication 6 Lectures | 2 Quizzes

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7.010a PCB Fabrication primer Part 1

7.010a Understanding PCB fabrication questions

7.010b PCB Fabrication primer Part 2

7.010b Understanding PCB fabrication Part 2 questions

7.020 Generate Gerber files

7.030 Design for Manufacturing testing with HQDFM

07.050 Order for PCB and assembly

7.040 BOM & BOMExplorer

Bonus section: PCB fabrication 10 Lectures

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Step 1: File Receipt and DFM Verification (in progress)

Step 2: Panelisation CAM Preparation (in progress)

Step 3: Inner Layer Processing (in progress)

Step 4: Layup and Lamination (in progress)

Step 5: Drilling and Desmear (in progress)

Step 6: Copper Plating (in progress)

Step 7: Outer Layer Imaging and Etching (in progress)

Step 8: Surface Finish Options (in progress)

Step 9: Solder mask application (in progress)

Step 10: Silkscreen, Electrical Test and Singulation (in progress)

Debrief 1 Lecture

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Course debrief – Where we are, what we did, and what comes next