High-speed pcb design with kicad
Design a professional high-speed computer carrier board using KiCad.
In this course, you will learn how to design a professional, high-speed computer carrier board from the ground up using KiCad. The project is based on the LattePanda Mu, a powerful Intel N100 compute module, and you’ll build a fully functional custom carrier board that brings out its interfaces — USB, HDMI, Ethernet, GPIOs, and power — into standard connectors.
Through a structured, hands-on approach, you’ll gain a deep understanding of both the theory and practice of modern PCB design for high-speed digital systems. You’ll use the LattePanda Mu Lite Carrier board as a focal resource. You will create a multi-sheet custom schematic design, move through board layout and differential pair routing, and learn how to design for signal integrity, impedance control, and manufacturability.
Along the way, you’ll explore key engineering concepts such as stack-up configuration, controlled-impedance routing, ESD protection, and grounding strategies. You’ll also see how to use KiCad’s advanced design tools to manage hierarchical schematics, net classes, and differential pairs, and how to prepare your project for manufacturing with design rule checks and DFM verification.
By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a working high-speed carrier board ready for fabrication, but also the confidence to design complex, real-world PCBs that meet professional standards. Whether your goal is to create your own single-board computer, prototype a new embedded system, or simply advance your skills as an electronics designer, this course provides the complete roadmap.
Who is this course for?
If you’ve ever wanted to move beyond Arduino or Raspberry Pi projects and learn how real computers are designed, this course is for you. It’s made for makers, engineers, and students who want to understand the full process of turning a compute module into a fully functional computer.
You don’t need to be an expert in high-speed design to join — we’ll start from familiar ground, building on your existing knowledge of electronics and PCB design. Together, we’ll explore how professional engineers approach modern board design, from schematic capture to manufacturing and testing.
If you’ve worked with KiCad before, this course will help you take your skills to the next level. And if you’re new to high-speed concepts like differential pairs, impedance matching, and controlled stack-ups, you’ll see how these ideas fit into a real, practical project: a custom carrier board for the LattePanda Mu.
By the end, you’ll not only understand how to design a complex board, but also why certain design decisions matter — skills that you can apply to any advanced hardware project.
This course is ideal for:
Learning objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Knowledge prerequisites
This course is designed for learners who already have some experience with electronics and PCB design, but want to take the next big step — into high-speed, professional-grade board design. Because the LattePanda Mu carrier board involves complex interfaces such as USB 3.0, HDMI, and PCIe, a solid foundation in KiCad and general PCB design principles will help you get the most from this experience.
If you are new to KiCad or PCB design, I recommend starting with my foundational course, KiCad Like a Pro. In that course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to become comfortable with KiCad — from schematic creation and footprint management to layout and fabrication. It’s the perfect starting point if you’ve never completed a full PCB project before.
If you already know your way around KiCad and have designed simpler projects such as Arduino shields, sensor breakout boards, or Raspberry Pi hats, then you’ll benefit from reviewing my intermediate course, Advanced PCB Design with KiCad. This course introduces more advanced concepts like multilayer design, differential pairs, and power supply integration — skills that will directly support your success in this high-speed computer carrier board project.
In short:
Hardware & Software
All you need to complete this course is a computer capable of running KiCad — no additional hardware is required. We’ll use the publicly available LattePanda Mu documentation and the Lite Carrier Board reference design as our foundation. You will learn how to replicate and extend these designs using real engineering data, without needing to own the actual hardware.
For the software, you’ll use KiCad, the industry-leading open-source PCB design suite, to create schematics, manage hierarchical projects, and design your high-speed PCB layout. You’ll also use the NextPCB DFM tool (Windows downloadable version) to perform design-for-manufacturing checks and impedance calculations — both of which are essential steps in producing professional, manufacturable boards.
Both KiCad and the NextPCB DFM tool are completely free to download and use. Together, they provide a powerful environment for designing advanced, production-ready circuit boards from your own computer.
Follow along with the exercises, and gain real-world design experience using professional tools — without any special hardware investment.
Software
Hardware
This course does not include any hardware! Please source your own hardware from your preferred retailer.
Sample lectures from the course
Overview & objectives
What are we designing?
Intro to high-speed PCB design
Here's what you're getting:
Solo
Once-off payment, best for self-sufficient learners on a budget.
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Once-off.
Community
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What's in this course?
Preparation
010 – Course overview and objectives
030 – What are we designing in this course?
050 – A quick introduction to high-speed PCB design
055 – Introduction to high-speed PCB design
056 – A primer on high-speed PCB design
Schematic Design
060 – Setup the new KiCad project
080 – Setup the schematic editor
085 – Setup grid and avoid my mistakes
090 – Create the hierarchical sheets
100.1 – LattePanda Mu schematic sheet – start
100.2 – LattePanda Mu schematic sheet – pull downs
100.3 – LattePanda Mu schematic sheet – hierarchical labels
100.4 – LattePanda Mu schematic sheet – hierarchical labels expose to root sheet
100.5 – LattePanda Mu schematic sheet – on-sheet documentation
110.1 – Power Supply Unit – introduction
110.2 – Power Supply Unit – USB-C sub-circuit
110.3 – Power Supply Unit – barrel jack connector sub-circuit
110.4 – Power Supply Unit – PCIe
110.5 – Power Supply Unit – 5V and 3.3V outputs
110.6 – Power Supply Unit – power and reset buttons
110.7 – Power Supply Unit – fixing grid misalignment issues
110.8 – Power Supply Unit – connecting the hierarchical sheets
120.1 – CPU fan
120.2 – CPU fan – connect the hierarchical sheets
130.1 – GPIOs implementation
130.2 – GPIOs finish up
140.1 – PCIe x4 implementation
140.2 – PCIe x4 – connect the hierarchical sheets and grid fixes
150.1 – Gigabit Ethernet implementation
150.2 – Gigabit Ethernet – connect hierarchical sheets
160.1 – USB 2 implementation
160.2 – USB 2 – connect hierarchical sheets
170.1 – HDMI implementation
170.2 – HDMI – connect hierarchical sheets
180.1 – M.2 sheet wiring
180.2 – M.2 sheet wiring and fixes
190 – Electrical Rules Check
Layout Design
200 – PCB layers count considerations
210.1 – Layout walk-around
210.2 – Layout editor setup and basic configuration
220.1 – Layout – board outline and import components
220.2 – Layout – set missing footprints and import to layout
230.1 – Layout – impedance and stack-up calculations
230.2 – Layout – impedance and stack-up calculations
230.3 – Layout – impedance and stack-up calculations
235 – Layout – component placement and routing considerations
240 – Layout – routing plan
250 – Layout – differential pair length tuning
260 – Layout – track length limits
265 – Layout – placement of main components
270.1 – M.2 key introduction
270.2 – M.2 key placement and decision
270.3 – M.2 key repositioning
270.4 – M.2 key routing
270.5 – M.2 key other signal routing
280.1 – HDMI placement
280.2 – HDMI differential pairs routing
280.3 – HDMI continuing routing
290.1 – USB 3 placement
290.2 – USB 3 passive component placement and partial routing
290.3 – USB 3 repair of schematic – protection diodes – finish routing
300.1 – Ethernet – optimizing existing tracks
300.2a – Ethernet routing part 1
300.2b – Ethernet routing part 2
300.3 – Ethernet – finish routing
310 – USB 2 routing
315 – Route remaining interface signals
316 – M.2 key remaining passives
320 – GPIO routing
325 – Copper fills advice
326 – Review of copper fills in reference design
327 – Create L2 and L3 GND copper fill
330.1 – CPU fan and USB-C PD connector
330.2 – Barrel jack and U15
330.3 – Reposition power components
330.4 – U16 routing
335 – Battery and buttons
336 – Power distribution
337 – Increase width of 3.3V track
338 – Connect VDC, route remaining power tracks and signals
340.1 – DRC and repairs
340.2 – DRC and silkscreen issues
345.1 – Reshape bottom PCB edge for connectors
345.2 – Reshape right side of PCB edge for connectors
346.1 – Additional considerations - Differential pair track width
346.2 – Additional considerations - Other signal track width and spacing
350 – Silkscreen
355.1 – DFM analysis and improvements
355.2 – DFM analysis and repair drill-to-copper issues
360 – Export and order
Manufacturing and assembly updates
361 – Assembly BOM update
365 – While I wait things to improve
370 – Assembly BOM update 2
380 – Engineering questions and answers Part 1
381 – Engineering questions and answers Part 2
385 – Manufacturing and assembly status
400 – Board received and bug found
410 – Repair attempt and further troubleshooting
420 – Remove U15 and U16 from custom and reference board ahead of repairs
430 – Repair custom board with new buck converters
440 – Custom board repaired first boot
450 – Reference board repair
460 – Reference board repaired boot
The course instructor
The course instructor is Peter Dalmaris, PhD.
Peter has created over 20 other courses on technology education.
He is the author of Maker Education Revolution, a book on how making is changing the way we learn and teach.
He is also the host of Stemiverse, a podcast in which he discusses education and STEM with the shakers and movers of technology and science education from around the world.
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