PCB Design

this board started pretty simple. i wanted a clean way to control multiple channels without everything turning into a mess of inconsistent signals and timing issues.

the core idea is structure. everything is built around the microcontroller in the center, and from there it fans out into identical channels on both sides. each channel is basically its own unit with drivers, passives, and an output. keeping them identical wasn't just for looks — it makes debugging easier and keeps behavior consistent across all outputs.

one thing i paid a lot of attention to was symmetry. if one channel behaves slightly differently because of routing differences, that becomes a nightmare later. so i kept things mirrored as much as possible. trace lengths are similar, layouts are repeated, and everything follows the same pattern.

power stability was another big focus. you'll see a lot of small capacitors placed close to ICs. those are there to handle voltage spikes from switching. without them, the whole board gets unpredictable really fast.

routing this wasn't easy. the center gets dense quickly because everything branches out from there. the goal wasn't just to make connections, but to keep them clean and readable so the board behaves the way you expect.

overall this board is about control and scalability. once one channel works, the rest follow. that's the advantage of designing it this way.

this board is a completely different problem. instead of signals, it's about moving power safely.

you're dealing with multiple voltage rails here, including 65V and 400V, so the main challenge isn't functionality — it's not messing up the physics. at these voltages, layout decisions actually matter in terms of safety, not just performance.

the first thing is separation. each voltage domain is clearly split, and the spacing between them is intentional. that's for creepage and clearance. if things are too close, you risk arcing — which is obviously not something you want.

instead of thin traces, i used large copper areas for the power sections. this helps reduce resistance and heat, especially when current starts increasing. it also makes the board more reliable overall.

the grid of connectors is there to distribute power cleanly to multiple outputs. the idea is that this board acts like a backbone — you plug into it, and it handles getting power where it needs to go.

there's barely any logic here, and that's on purpose. this isn't a "smart" board. it just needs to be stable, predictable, and safe under load. this project forced me to think differently — it's less about code or signals and more about spacing, materials, and how electricity actually behaves in the real world.