AIML Assisted PCB Design and Fabrication Using KiCad and Altium Designer

“AIML Assisted PCB Design and Fabrication Using KiCad and Altium Designer”

Resource Persons

• Dr. HBM Ajjaiah
• Ms. Sumangala Gejje

Workshop Dates

4A

• 06/03/2026
• 13/03/2026
• 10/04/2026
• 08/05/2026

4B

• 05/03/2026
• 12/03/2026
• 09/04/2026
• 30/04/2026
• 07/05/2026
• 21/05/2026

1. INTRODUCTION

A comprehensive workshop titled “AIML Assisted PCB Design and Fabrication Using KiCad and Altium Designer” was successfully organized and conducted on the above-mentioned dates.

The workshop aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical electronics and practical hardware manufacturing while introducing cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) applications in Electronic Design Automation (EDA).

A total of 32 students registered and successfully completed the training.

The workshop was strategically divided into three core phases to provide students with a holistic hands-on experience.

2. WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS

Phase 1: Schematic and Layout Design in KiCad

Students were introduced to open-source EDA tools. They learned schematic capture, component footprint mapping, and PCB layout routing rules within the KiCad environment.

Phase 2: Hands-on PCB Fabrication

To provide a broader understanding of industry-standard tools, Autodesk EAGLE was introduced alongside KiCad.

Students were trained on how to prepare their finished layouts for production, which included generating and printing the circuit layout onto trace paper.

Moving into the PCB Lab, they used these trace paper prints for the photo-transfer/toner-transfer process, followed by practical fabrication workflows, including:

• Board cutting
• Chemical etching
• Drilling
• Soldering

Moving from software to hardware, sessions were conducted directly in the PCB Lab. Students experienced the complete physical fabrication workflow and gained practical exposure to PCB manufacturing processes.

Phase 3: Advanced EDA and AI/ML Integration in Altium Designer

In the final phase, students were introduced to Altium Designer.

The curriculum highlighted brief but impactful implementations of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) in modern PCB design, focusing on:

• Automated routing optimization
• Signal integrity prediction
• Smart component placement

These concepts provided students with an understanding of how AI/ML technologies are transforming modern electronic design workflows and improving design efficiency.

3. KEY TAKEAWAYS

The workshop enabled students to:

• Understand the complete PCB design cycle from schematic creation to fabrication.
• Gain hands-on experience with KiCad and Autodesk EAGLE.
• Learn PCB manufacturing techniques, including etching, drilling, and soldering.
• Explore industry-standard PCB design practices using Altium Designer.
• Understand the role of AI/ML in modern Electronic Design Automation (EDA).
• Gain exposure to automated routing, signal integrity analysis, and intelligent component placement techniques.

The workshop successfully combined theoretical concepts with practical implementation, providing participants with valuable industry-oriented skills.

There were 8 IEEE members and 19 Non-IEEE members who attended the PCB workshop.

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4. GLIMPSES OF THE PCB WORKSHOP

(Photographs and workshop activity snapshots may be inserted here.)