How to build a custom PCB?

Hardware MKR Family MKRWAN1310
1

I finished one project with an arduino mkr wan 1310.

Now I need to build a custom PCB with the SAMD21 and the lora module. ( no need for charger circuit (pcb will be powered by external 3.3v), flash chip or secure i2c chip…).

Can I just import ( or recreate ) the schematic of the mkr 3110 in kicad and remove the complete charger circuit and flash chip, arrange things on a PCB and have JLCPCB assemble it?

I also wonder if there’s a list of component part numbers to use. Or will I have to research every single component used myself?

Or maybe someone already has a kicad project/schematic/pcb he/she can share with me?

Thanks.

2

Yes you can but don't use import, it doesn't always come out right.

Or will I have to research every single component used myself?

You will

1 Like
3

Copying a design is not a simple process as you do not know the whats and whys and wheres of the design. The best way is to re-enter the schematic, do the layout, it is much easier as you have a template, pick the parts then do the BOM and finally generate the gerber files to make the board after the DRC (Design Rules Check) has been run. Another alternative is to get the gerber files from the original, have the board made and only partly stuff it.

4

I've been working in KiCad, while looking at the WAN 3110 schematic, recreating the it.
I left out quite some things like battery charger (actually the whole 5V circuit was skipped, because I don't need it), the ECC508 secure chip, the W25Q16 flash, leds.

My final schematic looks like this:

arduinoWANboard
arduinoWANboard1920×860 114 KB

I'm now. going through JLCPCB's part list and trying to match parts with the components on my schematic but I would really love someone to double check if I didn't miss something before I send it to JLCBCP for PCBA.

5

It looks great however I did not realy check it as I am not familiar with the processor.

6

Who knows ?

For a new design I would breadboard the chosen circuit before having a PCB made, especially if you dont know for sure which are the 'exact' parts to use. Troubleshooting a non-working built PCB is not so easy. Depends how lucky you feel I guess.

7

Bad news.. The LoRA module is not available through JLCPCB. According to them the module is discontinued but that's not right. After having a chat with them, they said I should look for an alternative.

The problem is I don't know which alternative (available through JLCPCB) I can chose. I'm from europe so it needs to work with the right frequency...

Has anyone else built a custom pcb with a LoRa module, through JLCPCB? And if so, which module did you use?

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