Printed circuit board design in a school computer laboratory

Printed Circuit Boards replaced conventional wiring in most electronic equipment after World War II, reducing the size and weight of equipment while improving reliability and uniformity. PCBs are used in all kinds of electrical and electronic products because they can be mass-produced with greater circuit density and also enable easier trouble-shooting. Computer Aided Design (CAD) is critical in teaching PCB layout design but it is a challenge for school and college instructors with limited budgets. After discussion of current trends in PCB design and development, as well as basic PCB design criteria, an affordable PCB design using an " educational" microcomputer is presented.