PCB Design and Manufacturing

Summary

PCB Design and Manufacturing is a central technological process in the episode "I Built A Tiny Model Train and it Nearly Broke My Brain," where Sean Hodgins uses custom-designed printed circuit boards as both the electrical foundation and mechanical structure of the Shaunville Model Train Set. Rather than treating PCBs as merely circuit carriers, Sean Hodgins reimagines them as multifunctional components where copper traces serve dual purposes: conducting electricity and forming electromagnetic coils that propel the train. This unconventional approach required abandoning traditional PCB design workflows, including schematic creation and design rule checking, in favor of direct spatial layout and manual trace routing across multiple layers. The manufacturing partnership with PCBWay proved essential, offering a streamlined one-click upload process from Keycad that made the complex, iterative design practical to fabricate.

The process demonstrates how PCB technology can extend beyond conventional electronics into creative mechanical applications, blending circuit design with electromagnetic engineering and visual aesthetics through silk screen printing.

Details

Sean Hodgins approached PCB design for the train project with a radical premise: "What if you could make the entire PCB and train a motor together?" This question led him to conceptualize a two-layer PCB system where the board itself would function as the motor mechanism. As he explained, "So, what I imagine is that you can create this using just a two layer PCB."

The design process in Keycad departed dramatically from standard PCB workflows. Sean Hodgins worked exclusively in the layout view, bypassing the schematic entirely: "None of this is done in the schematic side because it gets really messy." This decision reflected the project's unusual requirements—creating modular electromagnetic coil patterns that needed precise spatial arrangement rather than conventional electrical connections. Without schematics, he manually routed traces across multiple PCB layers to form the coils, deliberately disabling design rule checking to permit the unconventional trace patterns and geometries required for electromagnetic function.

The PCB served multiple integrated purposes beyond simple circuitry. The copper traces formed functional electromagnetic coils that would interact with magnets in the train. Power distribution circuits were embedded alongside these coils. LED integration provided illumination. Visual track markings were added to the silk screen layer, turning the functional board into an aesthetic component of the final model.

Manufacturing these complex designs required a reliable fabrication partner. Sean Hodgins emphasized PCBWay's streamlined process: "If you're doing PCBs, they've got a workflow that's basically a click of a button straight out of Keycad." This one-click upload capability proved essential for the iterative nature of the project, allowing rapid prototyping and refinement of the unconventional electromagnetic coil designs.

The entire approach represented a fusion of disciplines—electrical engineering, electromagnetic physics, mechanical design, and manufacturing—all executed through the medium of custom PCB design and fabrication.

History

I Built A Tiny Model Train and it Nearly Broke My Brain

PCB design and manufacturing formed the technological backbone of Sean Hodgins' train project throughout this episode. The concept emerged from his desire to integrate the circuit board directly into the motor mechanism, creating a system where the PCB itself would generate the electromagnetic fields to propel the train.

Sean Hodgins executed the design work in Keycad, working exclusively in layout view without creating traditional schematics due to the complexity of the electromagnetic coil patterns. He manually routed traces across multiple layers, deliberately disabling design rule checking to achieve the unconventional geometries required. The modular approach allowed him to create repeating coil patterns that could be arranged spatially to form the track.

Manufacturing was handled by PCBWay, whose integration with Keycad allowed Sean Hodgins to upload designs with minimal friction—"a click of a button straight out of Keycad." This streamlined workflow proved crucial for iterating on the complex electromagnetic design.

The final PCBs incorporated copper traces functioning as electromagnetic coils, power distribution circuits, LED integration for lighting effects, and silk screen printing that added visual track markings to the board surface. This multi-functional approach transformed the PCB from a simple circuit carrier into a structural, mechanical, electrical, and aesthetic component of the Shaunville Model Train Set.