Printed circuit boards (PCB) offer an exciting number of prototyping possibilities to students, researchers, and hobbyists in the electrical engineering and computer engineering fields. PCBs allow the use of surface mount technology (SMT) and can physically consolidate circuits that are too complex to construct on a breadboard or prototyping board.

When a professional circuit prototype is required, a PCB fabrication service can receive a standardized set of documents and mail a few copies of the board to the designer. There are a few minor drawbacks to this arrangement that deter many students. Cost, shipping time, design rules, and fabrication terminology usually keep PCBs out of all but the most deliberate of student projects.

Alternatively, a student, researcher, or hobbyist might find it extremely profitable to produce PCBs in-house, that is, without relying upon manufacturing services. Vanderbilt University’s EECS department has recently acquired prototyping hardware that make in-house PCB production faster and cheaper than nearly all PCB fabrication services, though there are currently a number of limitations that need to be considered before committing to in-house manufacturing. Consult the Manufacturing Overview and Capabilities section before reading the rest of this guide to determine if your project requires professional manufacturing or if it is worthwhile to make the board yourself.