Design Tips

General Tips

• Round your PCB corners! Not only do they make your PCBs look better, they also help you avoid getting cut by them.
• Render your project in Blender instead of using default CAD software visualizations — the results look significantly better.
• Start with the CAD and work backwards when choosing between functionally equivalent passive components. This helps you determine what fits best visually.
• Use variables in Fusion! They allow you to calculate measurements as functions of other ones, which saves you a lot of time on iteration.

Designing for Real Life

• Add ~0.2mm tolerances on any 3D printed part that makes contact with something else. This accounts for printer and material variations.
• Print PCBs on paper first to assess dimensions before ordering. This is a quick way to check sizing without wasting money.
• Consider your manufacturing method — intricate patterns may often not show up as well depending on how your part will actually be manufactured. Think about real-world constraints early.