From Breadboard to Custom PCB: My First Hardware Design Journey

Designing and assembling my first PCB

After years in software, I dove into hardware by building a custom PCB for a BME280 sensor using KiCad. I navigated schematic design, component sourcing from DigiKey, and ordering from JLCPCB before hand-assembling the board with my Hakko soldering iron and Quick hot air station. This project bridged my gap between prototyping on a breadboard and creating a production-ready module.

"I think they are great for prototyping, but I like getting out of the prototyping phase as soon as possible and getting into a more release or production workflow."