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🔋 Coin Cell Powered LED PCB KiCad PCB Design Project 📌 Introduction
This project represents my first complete PCB design using KiCad, created to gain practical experience in electronic hardware design. The board is a compact, coin-cell-powered LED circuit that demonstrates schematic design, footprint assignment, PCB layout, and 3D verification.
The project focuses on simplicity, manufacturability, and correct electrical design practices, making it suitable as a beginner yet professional PCB design example.
🎯 Project Goals
Learn the end-to-end PCB design workflow in KiCad
Convert a simple circuit into a real manufacturable PCB
Understand component placement, routing, and silkscreen usage
Validate the design using DRC and 3D visualization
Create proper documentation for GitHub and portfolio use
🧠 Circuit Description
The circuit is powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery. A tactile push button is used to control the LED. When the button is pressed, current flows from the battery through a current-limiting resistor and then through the LED, causing it to glow.
The resistor ensures that the LED operates within safe current limits, protecting both the LED and the coin cell battery.
⚙️ Working Principle
Coin cell provides DC power to the circuit
Push button acts as a momentary switch
Resistor limits current flow
LED emits light when the switch is pressed
LED turns off immediately when the switch is released
🛠 Components Used Component Specification Purpose Coin Cell Holder CR2032 Power supply LED Through-hole Visual indication Resistor Current limiting Protects LED Tactile Switch Momentary User input PCB Custom shape Circuit integration 🧩 PCB Design Details
EDA Tool: KiCad
PCB Type: Single-layer PCB
Board Outline: Custom shape using Edge.Cuts
Mounting Style: Through-hole and SMD mix
Silkscreen: Reference designators and labels
Routing: Manual routing for clarity
Verification: DRC passed with no errors
🧱 Layout Considerations
Components placed logically for short trace lengths
Battery holder positioned for easy insertion
Switch placed for ergonomic access
Clear silkscreen labeling for readability
Adequate spacing from board edges
🖥 3D Visualization
The PCB was verified using KiCad’s 3D Viewer to ensure:
Correct footprint orientation
No mechanical clashes
Realistic physical representation
📂 Repository Structure ├── kicad_source_files/ # KiCad schematic and PCB files ├── gerber_files/ # Manufacturing files ├── schematic.pdf # Exported schematic ├── pcb_layout.png # PCB layout screenshot ├── 3d_view.png # 3D PCB render ├── BOM.csv # Bill of Materials └── README.md
📚 Skills & Learning Outcomes
Practical understanding of PCB design fundamentals
Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout
Learned importance of current limiting and power handling
Understood DRC and manufacturability constraints
Improved documentation and version control practices
🔮 Future Enhancements
Add ground copper pour for improved stability
Add polarity markings for the battery
Optimize PCB size and trace widths
Manufacture and test the physical PCB
Create Version-2 with microcontroller integration
📌 Applications
Beginner electronics demonstration
PCB design learning reference
Portfolio project for internships
Foundation for more complex embedded designs
👤 Author
Hemant Shelar Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Student Interested in PCB Design, Embedded Systems, and IoT
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