POE-Powered RS485 Sensor PCB
Budget: $10 – $30 USD
I need a compact, production-ready PCB that lets me power a 12 V DC / 200 mA RS-485 sensor directly from a PoE network drop and expose its data on the same Ethernet line. The finished board must fit inside a 2 × 2 inch envelope and mix through-hole parts (for rugged connectors and test points) with SMT devices (for size and cost efficiency).
I work exclusively in Altium, so I’ll require the whole design captured there—schematic, PCB layout, and libraries. Your past experience with similar consumer-electronics boards, especially anything PoE-related or RS-485 transceivers, will be crucial. Good power-plane strategy, clean differential pair routing, and component placement that respects isolation between the PoE front end and the low-voltage logic are all priorities.
Deliverables
• Altium project files (schematic, PCB, libraries)
• Complete BOM with manufacturer part numbers and substitutes
• Fabrication package: Gerbers, drill files, IPC-356 netlist
• Assembly drawings and pick-and-place file
• Brief design report explaining major decisions, test points, and any thermal or SI considerations
Acceptance criteria
• Board size ≤ 2 × 2 in, four-layer max
• Stable 12 V DC output at 200 mA from 802.3af PoE input, 50 mV ripple max under load
• RS-485 signal integrity verified to 1 Mbit/s over 30 m cable in lab test
• All design rule checks pass in Altium with my house fab stack-up (I’ll supply the template)
In your proposal, walk me through a recent project that proves you can meet these specs, note any PoE controllers or DC-DC modules you favour, and outline your timeline from schematic capture to Gerber release. Clear communication and realistic milestones matter to me as much as the technical work.
I work exclusively in Altium, so I’ll require the whole design captured there—schematic, PCB layout, and libraries. Your past experience with similar consumer-electronics boards, especially anything PoE-related or RS-485 transceivers, will be crucial. Good power-plane strategy, clean differential pair routing, and component placement that respects isolation between the PoE front end and the low-voltage logic are all priorities.
Deliverables
• Altium project files (schematic, PCB, libraries)
• Complete BOM with manufacturer part numbers and substitutes
• Fabrication package: Gerbers, drill files, IPC-356 netlist
• Assembly drawings and pick-and-place file
• Brief design report explaining major decisions, test points, and any thermal or SI considerations
Acceptance criteria
• Board size ≤ 2 × 2 in, four-layer max
• Stable 12 V DC output at 200 mA from 802.3af PoE input, 50 mV ripple max under load
• RS-485 signal integrity verified to 1 Mbit/s over 30 m cable in lab test
• All design rule checks pass in Altium with my house fab stack-up (I’ll supply the template)
In your proposal, walk me through a recent project that proves you can meet these specs, note any PoE controllers or DC-DC modules you favour, and outline your timeline from schematic capture to Gerber release. Clear communication and realistic milestones matter to me as much as the technical work.