ESP32 Custom PCB design

[andrea05256]

Hi,

I have created a prototype on ESP32. The project is working fine and now I want to create its PCB design. So, I wanted to know from experts who has worked on ESP32 PCB design:

Can we remove extra features from the ESP32 which I am not using in my project. For example, it has multiple capacitive touch sensors and I just want to keep only one of them and remove others. So, can I create a custom PCB design for esp32???

Moreover, I am thinking of using a flex PCB as my project is blind stick and I have don't have much space to place my design. So, should I got for flexible PCB or stick to rigid??? As I have read online that flex PCBs are much expensive than the rigid ones?

If someone could give me some idea about online PCB companies, with whom you have worked personally, that would be great.

Thanks.

[tepalia02]

You can create a custom PCB using Eagle or Proteus software. Rigid-flex PCB is much more expensive than rigid PCB. I suggest you to stick to the rigid one. But if you really need to make a rigid-flex PCB, I suggest you visit PCBway.
https://www.pcbway.com/design-services.html
Here you'll get an idea about the price and also the design rules.

[pythoncoder]

For hard two layer PCB's I use fritzing. Their CAD software is easy to use and their manufacturing service is excellent and inexpensive for small volumes.

[andrea05256]

You can create a custom PCB using Eagle or Proteus software. Rigid-flex PCB is much more expensive than rigid PCB. I suggest you to stick to the rigid one. But if you really need to make a rigid-flex PCB, I suggest you visit PCBway.
https://www.pcbway.com/design-services.html
Here you'll get an idea about the price and also the design rules.

Thanks, I will check it out .....

For hard two layer PCB's I use fritzing. Their CAD software is easy to use and their manufacturing service is excellent and inexpensive for small volumes.

yeah fritzing is good as well, but I am thinking of using Altium or Eagle ... I have read that these are at the top, when comes to PCB designing.

[Shards]

I use OSH Park. They are reasonably priced for small orders and have a flex option, not that I've used it so I can't comment on quality, but I've had no issues with rigid boards. Their support is good with a rapid response to emails.

I've used Eagle and KICAD for PCB design. I switched to the latter when Eagle free licencing got restrictive and have found it excellent. OSH Park accept KIcad files without the need to generate gerbers and a highlight for me is the rather nice visuals they provide of the PCB layers.

[nekomatic]

Do you want to design your own PCB for a bare ESP32 chip? I'm not an expert but I suspect that is in the category of 'if you need to ask, it's probably outside your capabilities'.

If you just need to save some space by integrating an ESP32 module with some support circuitry, I think the answer to your question will depend on the specific ESP32 module you want to use and I would check the documentation. You probably don't need to connect anything you aren't using but you might need to check whether any pins need tying high or low and so on.

What ESP32 board are you using at the moment and do you have a module in mind for the PCB version? What are your size constraints?

[pythoncoder]

It's worth noting that Fritzing use Aisler for manufacture, and they claim compatibility with KiCad, Eagle, Altium and others in addition to Fritzing.

[Roberthh]

confirmed. I have sent Kicad project files to Aisler and it worked well.

[p_j]

Personally I use pcbway and jlcpcb.

- JLCPCB when I need something fast, generic and simple
- Pcbway when I need to have specific parts ordered for the boards

I recommend that for your first go you use modules such as the WROOM etc... This way you don't need to worry about wifi antenna and specific pcb features.

If you design your own board with a raw ESP32 chip you need to consider all the items in this document.

https://www.espressif.com/sites/default ... nes_en.pdf

[BetterAutomations]

If you design your own board with a raw ESP32 chip you need to consider all the items in this document.

https://www.espressif.com/sites/default ... nes_en.pdf

Is anything in that document relevant to using a module such as the WROVER? The second "Standalone ESP32 Module" made me wonder if for example I must use a four-layer design. I had hoped to place a WROVER on a two-layer board. This is not the original poster by the way, I'm hijacking the thread