KiCad PCB Designer — ESP32-S3 Stepper Controller (Compact, JLCPCB-ready)
Budget: €30 – €250 EUR
Hi! Looking for an experienced KiCad PCB designer to take a partially-spec'd stepper motor controller from a paper concept to a manufactured-ready package. This is a serious path-to-product board, not a quick prototype — I want it done right.
The board, in brief:
MCU: u-blox NORA-W106-10B (ESP32-S3R8 module with PCB antenna)
Motor driver: DRV8834 in HTSSOP-28 (bare IC with sense resistors and VREF divider, not a Pololu carrier)
Power: USB-C primary (with proper 5.1k CC pull-downs for 5V/3A) + optional auxiliary 5V via JST-PH, Schottky-OR'd to common 5V rail, step-down to 3.3V for logic
Sensors: Two Hall sensor inputs — one via external JST-PH connector, one on-board SMT (open-drain), for A/B testing
HMI: RGB LED, LED_BUILTIN, two power-good LEDs, RESET + BOOT buttons
Test access: ~18 ENIG-finished pogo-pin test pads on the bottom side
Mechanical constraints:
Board outline is fixed (44 × 21.5 mm), provided as STEP file
Two slots in the middle for housing fit (keep-out zones)
All connectors side-mount on top side
2 mm border keep-out on the bottom side (housing contact surface)
Components on both sides allowed; bottom-side parts < 2 mm tall
Base reference: Arduino Nano ESP32 (ABX00083, CC BY-SA 4.0). The reference handles the USB/ESD/NORA/flash/regulator/reset section; the motor driver, aux power, second Hall, and test points are additions I've fully spec'd.
Deliverables: Full KiCad 8/9 project with project-relative libraries, schematic + layout PDFs, JLCPCB-ready manufacturing files (Gerbers, BOM with LCSC C-numbers, CPL), 3D STEP, design rationale.
Workflow: 4 milestones (schematic / placement review / layout / final). I want to sign off on component placement before routing starts — important because the board is tight.
Screening question (must answer in your bid): On a DRV8834 in HTSSOP-28 package, what specific layout features must be present at the thermal pad, and why? 4-5 sentences.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Full brief sent after initial chat.
The board, in brief:
MCU: u-blox NORA-W106-10B (ESP32-S3R8 module with PCB antenna)
Motor driver: DRV8834 in HTSSOP-28 (bare IC with sense resistors and VREF divider, not a Pololu carrier)
Power: USB-C primary (with proper 5.1k CC pull-downs for 5V/3A) + optional auxiliary 5V via JST-PH, Schottky-OR'd to common 5V rail, step-down to 3.3V for logic
Sensors: Two Hall sensor inputs — one via external JST-PH connector, one on-board SMT (open-drain), for A/B testing
HMI: RGB LED, LED_BUILTIN, two power-good LEDs, RESET + BOOT buttons
Test access: ~18 ENIG-finished pogo-pin test pads on the bottom side
Mechanical constraints:
Board outline is fixed (44 × 21.5 mm), provided as STEP file
Two slots in the middle for housing fit (keep-out zones)
All connectors side-mount on top side
2 mm border keep-out on the bottom side (housing contact surface)
Components on both sides allowed; bottom-side parts < 2 mm tall
Base reference: Arduino Nano ESP32 (ABX00083, CC BY-SA 4.0). The reference handles the USB/ESD/NORA/flash/regulator/reset section; the motor driver, aux power, second Hall, and test points are additions I've fully spec'd.
Deliverables: Full KiCad 8/9 project with project-relative libraries, schematic + layout PDFs, JLCPCB-ready manufacturing files (Gerbers, BOM with LCSC C-numbers, CPL), 3D STEP, design rationale.
Workflow: 4 milestones (schematic / placement review / layout / final). I want to sign off on component placement before routing starts — important because the board is tight.
Screening question (must answer in your bid): On a DRV8834 in HTSSOP-28 package, what specific layout features must be present at the thermal pad, and why? 4-5 sentences.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Full brief sent after initial chat.