PCB Design Practice Exam

PCB Design is the process of developing the layout and structure of a PCB (printed circuit board), an essential  part of electronic devices. The practice involves electronic components arrangement and developing electrical connections for efficiency and effectiveness. It uses specific PCB design software for the purpose.

Certification in PCB Design certifies your skills and knowledge in designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting printed circuit boards with specific tools and techniques.
Why is PCB Design certification important?

• The certification validates your skills and knowledge of Altium Designer, KiCad, or Eagle.
• Validates your knowledge of PCB industry standards.
• Increases your job prospects in electronics.
• Attest to your skills in developing optimum designs.
• Assures your credibility in the electronics design domain.
• Offers you a competitive edge for freelancing.

Who should take the PCB Design Exam?

• PCB Designers
• Electronics Engineers
• Hardware Design Engineers
• Circuit Designers
• Embedded Systems Engineers
• Test Engineers working with PCB systems
• Manufacturing Engineers in electronics
• Research and Development Engineers

Skills Evaluated

Candidates taking the certification exam on the PCB Design is evaluated for the following skills:

• PCB design software tools.
• Electronic components and their placement.
• Electrical and thermal considerations.
• Design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Troubleshooting and debugging PCB layouts.
• Signal integrity and power distribution.
• IPC or ISO certifications.

PCB Design Certification Course Outline
The course outline for PCB Design certification is as below -

• Basics of PCBs and their applications
• Types of PCBs (single-layer, multi-layer, flexible, etc.)

• Overview of design software (Altium, KiCad, Eagle)
• Setting up design environments and libraries

• Placement of components for functionality and accessibility
• Optimization for electrical and thermal performance

• Designing and interpreting electronic schematics
• Creating and verifying netlists

• Guidelines for manufacturable PCB designs
• Working with fabrication constraints

• Managing noise and interference
• Techniques for power and ground plane design

• Methods for testing PCB designs
• Common troubleshooting techniques

• IPC standards for PCB design
• Environmental and safety compliance

• High-speed PCB design
• Flexible and rigid-flex PCBs