Framework RP2350 Expansion Card Design
Budget: £20 – £250 GBP
I need a complete electrical and mechanical design for a Framework Laptop expansion card built around the RP235xA microcontroller in the 30-GPIO QFN-60 package. My top priority is that everything fits perfectly inside the standard expansion-card envelope defined in Framework’s official repository (https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionCards.git).
Key requirements you must hit
• Use the RP2350 and expose all USB-C power and signal constraints exactly as the Framework reference dictates.
• Keep the card flush: no part of the PCB, component or connector may project past the official boundary.
• Place two tactile switches (reset and boot) plus one RGB LED (I’m thinking WS2812 or equivalent) and one status LED on the underside so they are visible and accessible when the card is plugged into the laptop.
• Break out the microcontroller’s GPIOs on the outer edge. I am flexible on whether you choose a 2 × 8 or 3 × 4 pattern and equally open to 0.1-inch headers or the 1 mm 2 × 5 plug. Just make sure VCC and GND accompany each group and keep them inside the card outline.
• Each set of broken-out GPIOs must include I2C/SPI/UART pinouts in a standard form with the same pin layout between them.
• Provide a footprint for an external flash chip if you can do so without compromising space; if not, use the in-package flash variant.
Deliverables
1. Schematic and PCB layout in KiCad (latest stable release) that compiles error-free.
2. Manufacturing outputs: Gerbers, drill files, pick-and-place, and a clean BOM.
3. STEP/3D model of the assembled board. If you can also model a printable housing that snaps onto the card, treat it as a bonus file set.
I will accept the job once the design passes a quick DRC in KiCad, the board outline matches the official DXF from the repo, and the STEP model drops cleanly into the Framework laptop CAD. Expect a short feedback loop; I’m comfortable iterating on silkscreen and connector choices until we nail the perfect fit.
Key requirements you must hit
• Use the RP2350 and expose all USB-C power and signal constraints exactly as the Framework reference dictates.
• Keep the card flush: no part of the PCB, component or connector may project past the official boundary.
• Place two tactile switches (reset and boot) plus one RGB LED (I’m thinking WS2812 or equivalent) and one status LED on the underside so they are visible and accessible when the card is plugged into the laptop.
• Break out the microcontroller’s GPIOs on the outer edge. I am flexible on whether you choose a 2 × 8 or 3 × 4 pattern and equally open to 0.1-inch headers or the 1 mm 2 × 5 plug. Just make sure VCC and GND accompany each group and keep them inside the card outline.
• Each set of broken-out GPIOs must include I2C/SPI/UART pinouts in a standard form with the same pin layout between them.
• Provide a footprint for an external flash chip if you can do so without compromising space; if not, use the in-package flash variant.
Deliverables
1. Schematic and PCB layout in KiCad (latest stable release) that compiles error-free.
2. Manufacturing outputs: Gerbers, drill files, pick-and-place, and a clean BOM.
3. STEP/3D model of the assembled board. If you can also model a printable housing that snaps onto the card, treat it as a bonus file set.
I will accept the job once the design passes a quick DRC in KiCad, the board outline matches the official DXF from the repo, and the STEP model drops cleanly into the Framework laptop CAD. Expect a short feedback loop; I’m comfortable iterating on silkscreen and connector choices until we nail the perfect fit.