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Design Tips

Original by @alexren at hwdocs.hackclub.com

A collection of tips to make your hardware projects better.

General Design

  • Design for manufacturing. Think about how your project will actually be built. If you can't assemble it, redesign it.
  • Include tolerances. 3D printers aren't perfect. Add 0.2-0.5mm of clearance for parts that need to fit together.
  • Model everything. Include all electronics in your CAD model, not just the case. This prevents "oh no, the battery doesn't fit" moments.
  • Keep it simple. If your design has 50 parts and you've never built anything before, scope it down. You can always iterate.

PCB Design

  • Keep traces short. Shorter traces mean less noise and better signal integrity.
  • Use a ground plane. Pour copper on the bottom layer for ground. It reduces noise and makes routing easier.
  • Decoupling capacitors go close to the IC. Not across the board. Right next to the power pins.
  • Route power traces wider. They carry more current. 0.5mm minimum for signal traces, 0.8mm+ for power.
  • Run DRC before ordering. The Design Rule Check catches errors that would ruin your board.

3D Modeling

  • Fillet your edges. Rounded corners look more professional and are more comfortable to hold:
Unrounded corners
Before
Rounded corners
After
  • Think about print orientation. The direction you print affects strength and surface finish.
  • Add mounting holes. Even if you don't have a case yet, mounting holes make it easy to attach your board later.
  • Test fit before final print. Print a small section first to check that tolerances are right.

README Tips

  • Start with a one-line description of what the project does
  • Include a photo or render of the finished product
  • List all components with links to where you bought them
  • Include assembly instructions, even if brief
  • Add a "What I'd do differently" section. Reviewers love seeing self-awareness.

Helpful Resources

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