Schematic and multilayer PCB design, from specification to a verified prototype board
Micro Digital Engineering designs control, power, measurement and interface boards to defined requirements, for new products and for existing equipment. We design the schematics and the multilayer PCB — stack-up, power and ground, routing and manufacturing constraints — and hand over a complete manufacturing package. The first boards are fabricated by a PCB manufacturing partner, then assembled, brought up and checked in-house by our engineers.
Confidential task? We sign an NDA before you share technical files.
Can you develop a board for our existing equipment and interfaces?
Yes. We start from the interfaces the board must match — connectors, signals, voltages, communication, mechanical constraints — and from the functions it must perform. These are fixed in a short specification before schematic design begins.
When you need this
- A product or system needs one more board: control, power, measurement or interface.
- Your team has the requirements and the system design, but needs the schematics and layout done.
- An existing board has to be redesigned for new components, new functions or a different layer count.
- A board has to connect existing equipment to new sensors, actuators or communication.
What we design
Control boards
Microcontroller-based boards with their power supply, inputs and outputs, communication interfaces and protection.
Power boards
Boards where current paths, copper weight, temperature rise and isolation distances set the layout.
Measurement boards
Analogue front ends, references and converters, where grounding and the separation of noisy and sensitive circuits decide the accuracy.
Interface and communication boards
Boards that adapt signals, levels and protocols between existing equipment and new parts of the system.
Multilayer PCB design
Layer stack-up
The number of layers, their order, the dielectric thicknesses and copper weights are chosen for the signals, the power paths and the cost of the board, and agreed with the PCB manufacturer before routing starts.
Power distribution and grounding
Power and ground planes, return paths, decoupling and the separation of power, analogue and digital areas are planned first, because they determine noise, stability and interference.
Routing
Critical connections are routed first: fast interfaces, clocks, switching nodes and sensitive measurement signals. Where an interface requires controlled impedance or differential pairs, the trace geometry is calculated for the agreed stack-up and specified to the manufacturer.
Isolation and clearances
Creepage and clearance distances follow the working voltages and the standards agreed for the product.
Manufacturing constraints
Track and gap, via and drill sizes, solder mask, panelisation, fiducials and test points are set to the manufacturer’s capabilities and to the assembly process.
Checks before release
Electrical and design rule checks against the manufacturer’s rules, a review of the schematics and layout, and an availability check of the bill of materials before anything is ordered.
Design, fabrication and prototype assembly
PCB fabrication is performed by specialised manufacturing partners. Prototype component assembly, bring-up, debugging and verification are carried out in-house by our engineering team. This keeps design decisions, practical assembly and measurement within the same engineering workflow.
If you prefer your own manufacturer, the manufacturing package is prepared to its requirements.
Calibrated laboratory measurement capabilities
Our laboratory performs electrical measurements, waveform analysis and functional verification using calibrated measurement equipment. All measurement instruments have undergone calibration (etalonare) and are supported by calibration certificates.
For new boards this includes power rails and start-up behaviour, signal and interface checks, and waveform measurements on critical connections.
The applicable measurement ranges and test conditions are defined according to the engineering task.
What’s included
Specification, schematic design, component selection with availability checks, stack-up definition with the PCB manufacturer, multilayer PCB layout, design rule and manufacturability checks, design review, BOM, the complete manufacturing package, PCB fabrication of the first boards through a manufacturing partner, in-house prototype assembly and bring-up.
Not included in this service: development of a complete device, which is custom electronics development; recreating the design of an existing board, which is schematic reconstruction; and a separate prototyping and validation order, described on PCB prototyping and validation.
What you receive
| Deliverable | Format | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Board specification | Document | Review and written approval |
| Schematics | Design files, PDF | Design review |
| Stack-up and fabrication drawing | Document agreed with the manufacturer | Manufacturer confirmation |
| PCB layout | Design files in the agreed format | Design rule checks, design review |
| Bill of materials | Spreadsheet with manufacturer part numbers | Availability check |
| Manufacturing package | Gerber or ODB++, drill files, fabrication and assembly drawings, pick-and-place data | Review against the manufacturer’s requirements |
| Prototype boards, assembled in-house | The agreed number of boards | Bring-up and functional checks |
| Bring-up report | Document | Results against the specification |
How the project runs
- Requirements and interfaces are fixed in a specification.
- Schematics are designed and reviewed; components are selected and checked for availability.
- The stack-up is defined and agreed with the PCB manufacturer.
- The PCB is laid out, checked against the design rules and reviewed.
- The manufacturing package is prepared.
- The bare PCBs are fabricated by a manufacturing partner; the prototypes are assembled in-house.
- The first boards are brought up and checked; corrections are made where needed.
See how we work.
What to send us
- The board’s functions and the system it belongs to.
- Interfaces, connectors and mechanical constraints.
- Power supply, working voltages and environmental conditions.
- Preferred manufacturer, required standards or assembly requirements, if any.
- Existing schematics or layout, if the board is a redesign.
Common questions
How many layers will the board have?
The layer count follows from the circuit, the interfaces, the board size and the cost target. It is proposed during design and agreed with the PCB manufacturer in the stack-up.
Do you fabricate the PCBs yourselves?
No. Bare PCBs, including multilayer boards, are fabricated by specialised manufacturing partners. Component assembly of the prototypes, bring-up and checks are done in-house by our engineering team.
In which format do you deliver design files?
The format of the design files is agreed at the start of the project, together with the manufacturing data format required by your manufacturer.
Can you prepare files for our contract manufacturer?
Yes. The manufacturing package is prepared to the requirements of the manufacturer you use.
Can you review a layout made by another team?
Yes. An independent review of schematics and layout is described in electronics troubleshooting and design review.
Do you also write the firmware for the board?
Firmware is a separate service, embedded firmware and control, and can be included in the same project.
What happens if the first boards do not work as expected?
Bring-up finds the problems, and corrections are made in the design. If a deeper investigation is needed, it is described in electronics troubleshooting.
Related services
- Custom electronics development — when the scope is a complete device.
- Power electronics design — power stages with defined electrical parameters.
- Embedded firmware — control software for the board.
- Troubleshooting and EMI troubleshooting — bring-up problems, interference and signal integrity.
- Schematic reconstruction — recreating the design of an existing board.
Discuss your board
Describe the board’s functions and interfaces. If technical files are needed, we will arrange an NDA before you share them.
Confidential task? We sign an NDA before you share technical files.