# 20: Soldered Together By Monkeys

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2013-09-26
- Length: 1h 13m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep20-mp3

## Summary

Phil King of Weekend Engineering advises host Elecia White on the end-to-end process of designing and fabricating a custom PCB, from schematic capture to assembly. They discuss the trade-offs between professional EDA tools like OrCAD and Altium, free options like EaglePCB and KiCad, and vendor-specific tools like DigiKey's SchemeIt and ExpressPCB. The conversation covers the critical importance of net lists, PCB layout challenges such as trace spacing and via types, and the logistical complexities of sourcing components and managing fabrication costs.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=6) Introduction and Project Context
- [23:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=1390) EDA Tools and Schematic Capture
- [38:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=2325) PCB Layout and Design Rules
- [50:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=3003) Fabrication Packages and Gerbers
- [58:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=3518) Home Fabrication and Sourcing
- [1:09:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys#t=4181) Assembly and Vendor Relationships

## Topics

- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- EaglePCB (tool)
- KiCad (tool)
- DigiKey (company)
- SchemeIt (tool)
- ExpressPCB (tool)
- OrCAD (tool)
- Altium (tool)
- Hildy Licht (company)
- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Electric Imp (product)
- PCB West (other)
- STM32 (chip)
- gEDA (tool)
- Future Electronics (company)
- SEMTec (company)
- Broadcom (company)
- Qualcomm (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Pull The Trigger](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-02-19-pull-the-trigger) (The Amp Hour)
- [Once Every Couple Months](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-07-23-once-every-couple-months) (The Amp Hour)
- [Senseless Saccadic Shemozzle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-05-21-senseless-saccadic-shemozzle) (The Amp Hour)
- [Layout, CAD & Raspberry Pi - Kedogenous Kinetic Knowledge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-15-layout-cad-raspberry-pi-kedogenous-kinetic-knowledge) (The Amp Hour)
- [I've bitten myself](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-21-ive-bitten-myself) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.