PCBWay 12th Anniversary LED Badge -

Please watch the YouTube video below to learn more about the project, design process, hardware implementation, and working demonstration of the badge.

Project Overview -

This project is a custom interactive PCB badge designed for the PCBWay 12th Badge Design Contest under the theme:

“12 Years of Innovation with PCBWay”

The objective of this design was to celebrate PCBWay’s journey through a hardware-focused approach while combining PCB artwork, electronics, sustainability, and storytelling into a single manufacturable design.

Unlike modern designs that heavily depend on microcontrollers, this badge intentionally goes back to the fundamentals of electronics by implementing a fully hardware-based LED chaser circuit using a 555 Timer IC and a Johnson Decade Counter.

Features

• 20 LED dynamic chaser animation
• Custom PCB shaped in the form of “12”
• Pure hardware implementation (No microcontroller used)
• Adjustable LED animation speed using potentiometer
• Battery-powered portable design
• Custom PCB artwork and silkscreen graphics
• PCBWay-inspired storytelling and branding
• Sustainability and wildlife awareness elements

Hardware Used

1. NE555 Timer IC
2. Johnson Decade Counter (CD4017)
3. 20 LEDs
4. Potentiometer
5. Resistors
6. Battery connector
7. Power switch

Design Philosophy -

The badge visually represents PCBWay’s 12 years of innovation through both electronics and artwork.

Front Side Highlights a “12”-shaped PCB structure with integrated LED arrays.

PCBWay logo and anniversary branding

“Designed. Route. Fabricate” tagline representing the engineering workflow

EON mascot implementation symbolizing:

Electronic expertise

• Efficiency
• Economic value
• Eco-friendly innovation
• Sustainability Theme

To represent environmentally responsible engineering, the badge also includes:

Panda and tiger artwork .

Wildlife protection graphics

Sustainable development symbols

These elements highlight the importance of combining technology with ecological responsibility.

The mascot was optimized specifically for manufacturable PCB silkscreen constraints while preserving recognizability and aesthetics.

Working Principle -

The NE555 timer is configured in astable mode to generate clock pulses.

These pulses are fed into the Johnson decade counter, which sequentially activates the LEDs to create the chasing animation effect across the “12” structure.

The potentiometer allows real-time adjustment of the oscillation frequency, enabling dynamic control of the LED chasing speed.

Why This Project Matters -

This project combines:

• Electronics fundamentals
• PCB design
• Hardware creativity
• Visual storytelling
• Sustainability awareness

It celebrates not only PCBWay’s 12-year journey but also the spirit of makers and engineers who transform ideas into real-world hardware.

Designed By

Ankur Majumdar