Summary： Common errors encountered when ordering PC boards are listed here so that others may avoid them and possibly identify additional issues.
Last week, I received PC boards for a slot machine project that uses 15 LEDs to represent the reels. The PC board was assembled on Tuesday and placed in an enclosure on Wednesday. This is the third project for which I have designed PC boards, and it is currently available as a shared project. This was also the first time the PC boards were correct on the initial attempt. For those ordering PC boards for the first time, the following issues may be encountered:
Footprint sizes did not match available parts: In my case, the footprint for the 555 timer chips was too wide, but adjusting the pins resolved the issue.
Incorrect silkscreen text: While this cannot be fixed on the current board, the error can be noted and corrected in future orders.
Schematic edits leading to incorrect wiring: With the CD4017 decade counter, an incorrect output pin was used, but the use of a socket allowed for correcting the wiring with a jumper wire.
Before ordering PC boards, I identified that the pinout of the MOSFET did not match the available footprint. This was corrected using the footprint editor in KiCad.
If the project is for personal use and the board functions correctly, further corrections may not be necessary. However, if the project is intended to be shared, design mistakes should be addressed or documented if easily fixable.
