1. Objective
The objective of this initial stage was to familiarize our team with the fundamental operations of Altium Designer 24, establish a structured workflow for PCB creation, and develop the preliminary circuit layout for the Water Purifier Project. Throughout these lessons, we aimed to gain hands-on experience in basic tool manipulation, component placement, electrical rule setup, and final board preparation for fabrication.
2. Summary of Learning
We began by learning the essential interface operations in Altium Designer, including project creation, schematic navigation, and fundamental editing commands. This foundation helped us understand the complete workflow from schematic design to PCB layout.
Next, we organized the circuit components, defined electrical connection rules, and routed signal traces to ensure logical connections between modules. Using Altium’s rule management tools, we configured net classes, clearance values, and layer settings to achieve a manufacturable layout. During the final phase, we applied teardrops to strengthen solder joints, performed design rule checks to detect spacing or clearance violations, and added copper pours for improved grounding and current distribution.
3. Application to the Water Purifier Project
In the Water Purifier Project, these tasks were implemented to design the first version of the control circuit board. The schematic included the microcontroller, sensors, relay outputs, and power management sections. The PCB outline was customized to fit within the purifier’s enclosure, with careful attention to connector alignment and mounting hole placement.
The routing process ensured efficient current flow between power and signal lines while minimizing electromagnetic interference. Design rules were applied to maintain safety margins, and copper pours were used to stabilize the ground plane, enhancing electrical performance and reliability of the circuit.
4. Conclusion
Through this stage, our group obtained practical knowledge of PCB design fundamentals, such as schematic-to-board transition, electrical rule configuration, and trace optimization. We also learned the importance of iterative checking and precise layout control. This experience strengthened our understanding of how detailed planning and organized execution contribute to a stable and manufacturable PCB design.
5. Next Step
In the next stage, our team will generate Gerber and drill files, perform final 3D verification, and prepare documentation for PCB manufacturing. We also plan to simulate signal integrity and thermal effects to ensure that the final PCB operates safely and efficiently under real-world conditions.
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