PCB Design & Fabrication Services

The Art and Science of PCB Design

A printed circuit board (PCB) is more than just a physical substrate for mounting electronic components — it is a precision-engineered electrical system where trace geometry, layer stacking, impedance characteristics, and electromagnetic behavior directly determine circuit performance. A well-designed PCB distinguishes a product that passes EMC compliance on the first attempt from one that requires costly redesign cycles and delayed market entry.

At Hexcode Plus R&D in Thiruvananthapuram, PCB design is a core competency integrated with our embedded systems and IoT development services. We produce professional-grade board layouts using industry-standard EDA tools (KiCAD, Altium Designer, Autodesk EAGLE), following IPC (Institute for Printed Circuits) design standards including IPC-2221 (Generic Standard on Printed Board Design) and IPC-2222 (Sectional Design Standard for Rigid Organic Printed Boards). Our designs are optimized for signal integrity, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), thermal management, and manufacturability at scale.

With India's electronics manufacturing sector growing rapidly under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the government's push for domestic PCB fabrication capability, access to quality PCB design services within India has never been more critical. We bridge the design-to-fabrication gap, providing fabrication-ready Gerber files, assembly documentation, and liaison with PCB manufacturers for prototype and production runs.

Service Portfolio

PCB Engineering Services

Schematic Capture & Review

The schematic is the blueprint of your electronic design — a logical representation of component connectivity that drives the entire PCB layout process. We create and review electronic schematics for correctness, completeness, and adherence to design best practices. Our schematic review process identifies potential issues before they become expensive PCB respins.

SCHEMATIC SERVICES:

→ Schematic capture in KiCAD, Altium Designer, and Autodesk EAGLE
→ Hierarchical schematic design for complex multi-page circuits
→ Component symbol creation and library management
→ Design review: power distribution, decoupling, signal routing
→ BOM (Bill of Materials) generation with vendor part numbers
→ ERC (Electrical Rules Check) validation
→ Netlist generation for PCB layout tools
→ Design for Test (DFT) test point insertion

EDA Tools: KiCAD 7/8, Altium Designer, EAGLE

Deliverables: Schematic PDF, BOM, Netlist, ERC Report

PCB Layout & Routing

PCB layout is where electrical theory meets physical reality. Component placement, trace routing, layer assignment, and copper pour strategy all directly impact signal integrity, thermal performance, and manufacturability. We produce professional board layouts optimized for your specific requirements — whether a simple 2-layer through-hole board or a complex 6+ layer high-density interconnect (HDI) design with blind/buried vias.

LAYOUT SERVICES:

→ 2-layer, 4-layer, 6-layer, and 8+ layer board design
→ Through-hole, surface mount (SMD), and mixed-technology boards
→ Component placement optimization for signal flow and thermal
→ Power and ground plane design with proper decoupling
→ Analog/digital signal separation and isolation
→ Differential pair routing (USB, HDMI, Ethernet)
→ Length matching for parallel buses (DDR memory, LVDS)
→ Copper pour and thermal relief optimization

Layers: 2, 4, 6, 8+ Layer Boards

Trace/Space: Down to 4mil/4mil (0.1mm/0.1mm)

Vias: Through-Hole, Blind, Buried, µVia

High-Speed Digital PCB Design

When clock frequencies exceed 50 MHz or rise times fall below a few nanoseconds, PCB traces cease to behave as simple wires and become transmission lines where impedance, reflections, crosstalk, and electromagnetic interference must be carefully managed. We specialize in high-speed PCB design techniques that ensure signal integrity even at multi-gigabit data rates.

HIGH-SPEED DESIGN TECHNIQUES:

→ Controlled impedance routing: 50Ω single-ended, 100Ω differential
→ Microstrip and stripline transmission line design
→ Differential pair routing with intra-pair length matching
→ Via stub minimization for high-frequency signals (>5 GHz)
→ Return path management and reference plane continuity
→ 3W and 5W spacing rules for crosstalk reduction
→ DDR2/DDR3/DDR4 memory layout with fly-by topology
→ Back-drilling consideration for thick boards

Impedance: 50Ω, 90Ω, 100Ω Differential

Protocols: USB 3.0, HDMI, PCIe, SATA, DDR4

EMI/EMC-Compliant Design

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliance is a regulatory requirement for electronic products sold in most markets. Non-compliant designs face expensive redesign cycles, delayed product launches, and potential market access denial. We design PCBs with EMC best practices from the start — not as an afterthought — considering emission sources, coupling paths, and susceptibility at every stage of the layout process.

EMC DESIGN STRATEGIES:

→ Layer stack-up design for EMC: signal-GND-power-signal sandwiching
→ Ground plane integrity with minimal splits and slots
→ Stitching vias along board edges and between ground planes
→ Decoupling capacitor placement and value optimization
→ Guard rings and shielding for sensitive analog circuits
→ Ferrite bead and common-mode choke selection
→ I/O connector filtering and ESD protection
→ Pre-compliance EMC review against CISPR/FCC standards

Standards: CISPR 22/32, FCC Part 15, EN 55022/32

Protection: ESD, Surge, EFT/Burst, Conducted/Radiated

Power Supply & Thermal Design

The power distribution network (PDN) is the foundation upon which all other PCB subsystems depend. Poor power integrity causes noise coupling, intermittent resets, and reduced analog accuracy. We design robust power supply sections with proper component selection, PCB copper area allocation for current capacity, thermal management, and power integrity analysis.

POWER & THERMAL SERVICES:

→ Linear regulator and switching regulator (buck/boost) design
→ Power plane and copper pour sizing for current capacity
→ Thermal via arrays for heat dissipation from power components
→ Heatsink selection and thermal interface material specification
→ Power sequencing and monitoring for multi-rail systems
→ Battery charging and management circuit design (Li-Po/Li-Ion)
→ Input protection: reverse polarity, overvoltage, overcurrent
→ Power integrity: PDN impedance analysis and decoupling strategy

Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

A brilliant PCB design that cannot be manufactured reliably or cost-effectively is a failed design. We apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles throughout the layout process, ensuring that boards meet fabrication and assembly requirements. We generate complete fabrication data packages including Gerber files, drill files, assembly drawings, and pick-and-place files.

DFM & FABRICATION SERVICES:

→ DRC (Design Rule Check) validation against fab house capabilities
→ Gerber RS-274X file generation with proper aperture lists
→ NC drill file generation with tool list
→ Assembly drawing with reference designators and polarity marks
→ Pick-and-place (centroid) file for automated assembly
→ Panelization design for production efficiency
→ Liaison with PCB fabrication vendors in India and China
→ Prototype and production run coordination

Outputs: Gerber, NC Drill, BOM, Assembly Drawing, PnP

Standards: IPC-2221, IPC-2222, IPC-7351

Design Process

PCB Design Workflow

PHASE 01

Schematic Design

Capture circuit connectivity, select components, verify electrical rules, and generate the initial BOM. Schematic review ensures the design intent is correctly captured before layout begins.

PHASE 02

Layout & Routing

Component placement, layer assignment, trace routing, power plane design, and impedance control. Iterative refinement with DRC checks to ensure routing completeness and manufacturability.

PHASE 03

Review & Verification

DFM analysis, signal integrity review, thermal analysis, and EMC pre-compliance check. Cross-probe between schematic and layout to verify complete connectivity.

PHASE 04

Fabrication Output

Gerber file generation, drill file production, assembly documentation, BOM finalization, and coordination with PCB fabrication and assembly vendors for prototype or production runs.

Tool Capabilities

EDA Tools We Use

KiCAD

Open-source EDA suite that has matured into a professional-grade PCB design tool. Our primary platform for most client projects — zero licensing cost, active development, and excellent community support. Ideal for 2-6 layer designs with standard complexity.

Version:7.x / 8.x

Best for:2-6 layer, cost-sensitive projects

Altium Designer

Industry-leading professional PCB design platform with advanced features for high-speed design, rigid-flex boards, multi-board systems, and enterprise collaboration. Used for complex, high-layer-count designs requiring advanced signal integrity analysis.

Version:Altium Designer 24

Best for:4+ layer, high-speed, complex

Autodesk EAGLE

Mature PCB design tool with extensive component libraries and strong community. Used for legacy project compatibility and clients already working within the Autodesk ecosystem. Suitable for 2-4 layer designs.

Version:9.x / Fusion 360 Electronics

Best for:2-4 layer, Autodesk ecosystem

Need a Professional PCB Design?

From simple 2-layer prototype boards to complex high-speed 6-layer designs — our PCB engineering team in Thiruvananthapuram delivers fabrication-ready outputs on schedule. Get in touch with your schematic, requirements, or just an idea.

REQUEST PCB DESIGN CONSULTATION

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What PCB design standards do you follow?

Hexcode Plus designs to IPC standards, including IPC-2221 for generic PCB design and IPC-A-610 for assembly acceptability, with design rule checking (DRC) and design-for-manufacture (DFM) review before release to fabrication.

Can you do controlled impedance and high-speed boards?

Yes. This includes multi-layer stack-ups, impedance-controlled routing (typically 50 Ω single-ended and 90-100 Ω differential), length-matched differential pairs, via stub management and EMI/EMC-compliant design. Target impedances are agreed with the fabricator so trace widths match their actual process and material.

At what frequency does signal integrity start to matter?

It is governed by edge rate, not clock frequency: a slow clock with a fast rise time still contains high-frequency energy. In practice, once you pass roughly 50-100 MHz, or use any modern high-speed interface such as USB, HDMI or Ethernet, traces must be treated as transmission lines.

Do you simulate before fabrication?

Yes, on controlled-impedance boards. Signal and power integrity simulation finds reflections, crosstalk and resonances while they are still cheap to fix. A simulation pass costs a fraction of a board respin, and a respin also costs weeks of schedule.