Summary： Building a newly designed PC board.
This guide explains how to manually assemble new PC boards with through-hole components and hand soldering. It is written from a hobbyist's perspective, not that of a professional designer.
Organize all components methodically and install them in logical groups; for instance, begin with capacitors, followed by resistors, diodes, and integrated circuits. Invest in a reliable soldering station—while hand-held soldering irons are functional, temperature-controlled stations offer enhanced usability and precision. Utilize a dedicated mat for soldering tasks. Desoldering wick can be a valuable tool, and a desoldering pump is also recommended. Although a PCB board holder can assist with assembly, its usage may vary depending on individual preferences and requirements.
Add components gradually, ensuring each is properly mounted and that solder connections are secure. After installation, use wire cutters to trim excess leads.
When soldering components such as resistors, capacitors, and diodes, insert the leads through the designated holes, pull them taut, and bend the leads to hold each component securely in place until soldering is complete. Confirm that the component sits flush against the board before and after soldering.
Sockets are often used for IC chips, although their use is not required. Both IC chips and sockets may be difficult to secure prior to soldering, even when the leads are bent. Using a small piece of electrical tape can assist in holding these components during soldering and may be reused several times.
Recently I was assembling a new PC board, and I added one of the IC chip sockets backwards. If this had been the IC chip and not just a socket it would have been a problem. But I was able to put the IC chip in the socket, so it was facing the correct way on the board even though it was mounted backwards in relation to the socket. Trying to remove the socket to turn it around would have been more trouble than it was worth.
After completing your board, test its functionality. If it works as expected, reward yourself. If not, check for simple issues first: bad or loose solder connections, solder bridges, or design flaws in the circuit board.
While building a recent circuit board, I found and fixed a design error by clipping an IC pin and bridging two connections. This shows why sockets are useful early on, as mistakes can damage ICs—like when my board ruined several CD4017 chips because pin 8 wasn't grounded. Even with proper layouts, fitting components may be tricky; for example, a piezo buzzer in one project couldn't lay flat. Fix what you can to get the board working, and if needed, update your design before reordering the PC board.
I use Microsoft Word 365's read aloud feature and Copilot to rewrite my articles, always checking before and after to ensure the meaning remains unchanged.
