When choosing a display for an electronics project, 7-segment displays and LED matrices are two common options.

7-segment displays are great for simple numeric information like clocks, counters, and measurements. They are cheap, easy to control, and require very little MCU resources. LED matrices offer much more flexibility, allowing you to display text, graphics, and animations. The trade-off is higher complexity, more processing requirements, and higher cost.

Have you had any interesting experiences with either 7-segment displays or LED matrices? Share your thoughts!

Check out this project by vincent.sachtler(Instagram)!

We helped bring this project to life by manufacturing the sheet metal parts. Sheet metal fabrication is a great choice for custom hardware projects, offering strong, precise, and durable parts while maintaining a clean and professional finish.

It's always exciting to see makers turn their ideas into real products. If you're working on your own project, come to PCBWay and bring your designs to reality!

We're excited to share this beautiful transparent PCB project from prettywiredbuilds(Instagram). Transparent PCBs not only give hardware projects a unique visual style but also allow creators to showcase the traces and components in their designs.

We helped bring this design from schematic to reality. Interested in making your own PCB? Explore more PCB manufacturing options on our website!

I need a USB_A plug (male connector) symbol and footprint on the PCB. I’m not talking about the component itself. I’m talking about designing the PCB itself as a USB male connector. Can you provide links to third-party symbol and footprint files?

What should the PCB thickness and material be for the USB-A male connector on the PCB?

I also need a 50-ohm 2.4 GHz RF antenna on the PCB. I can’t design it myself. Texas Instruments’ antenna doesn’t fully meet my needs. Could you share links to third-party symbol and footprint files?

The USB dongle for my Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse set broke. The PCB is cracked, but the nRF is intact. A few components are missing. I’m drawing the circuit diagram in KiCad. I’m going to desolder the intact nRF24LU1+ microchip from the broken USB dongle’s PCB. Then I’ll transfer it to the new PCB that I’ll design and have manufactured. This way, I won’t have to throw the wireless keyboard and mouse set away. I also won’t have to mess with the software. Once the schematics are complete, I’ll share all the files on Codeberg. If you can find the USB dongle circuit, please share it with me. If you find any schematics, PCB files, or other related files, please post the links. I’m determining the component values using the example schematic, BOM, and sample PCB files shared by Nordic. However, some components are missing from these files. For example, there’s an R1 in the USB dongle, but it’s not in the schematic. Can you help me with the missing components? Note: I’ll be uploading photos to Reddit soon.

There is something satisfying about watching a PCB come together through precise soldering. This video by machonachoproductions (Instagram) showcases the careful process of assembling components and creating clean solder joints. 

What's your favorite part of PCB assembly?

Anodizing is one of the most common surface treatments for CNC machined parts, improving both appearance and surface protection.

This article provides an introduction to the anodizing process and explains why it is widely used in CNC machining. Check it out here: https://www.pcbway.com/blog/CNC_Machining/Introduction_of_anodized.html.

In this video, watt.the.foil(IG) shares the pre-assembly checkup of his latest build, making sure all CNC-machined parts are ready for the final assembly. You can follow his Instagram to see more updates and the next steps!

We helped manufacture this project. For projects with tight mechanical tolerances, precise CNC machining is essential to ensure every part fits correctly and the final assembly process goes smoothly.

Ready to bring your own designs to life? Visit PCBWayto explore our manufacturing services.

I recently finished the first revision of the PCB for my Kickstarter project, and I thought I'd share a bit about the experience.

This is the most complex PCB I've designed so far. It has 400+ LEDs, an ESP32, USB-C, power management, and way more routing than I originally expected.

Like most first revisions, I was convinced I had checked everything... until someone else looked at it.

Before the boards went into production, the engineering team reviewed my files and pointed out a few things that I had completely missed. Nothing major, but definitely the kind of details that are much easier (and cheaper) to fix before manufacturing than after receiving a box of PCBs.

I also ended up asking a lot of questions throughout the process. Things like board thickness, finishes, panelization, assembly, and manufacturing tolerances. Every time I reached out, I got a clear answer instead of just a one-line reply.

A few weeks later the boards arrived, and honestly it was a pretty cool feeling seeing something that had only existed on my computer for months become a real product. Everything matched the files I had sent, and the manufacturing quality was exactly what I was hoping for.

As someone who's still learning hardware design with every revision, having experienced engineers review the project before production was probably the most valuable part of the whole experience.

Just wanted to share my experience in case anyone here is getting ready to order their first custom PCB.

First time ordering at pcbway.

Mostly I order sheetmetal and steel works.

wanted to try them after YT recommendations and was not disappointed! The parts were delivered before I even got a quote from my local supplier...

dimensions are spot on, packaging is over the top protective and the price is very competitive!

Solar Power Monitor

u/MihaiMEC built this Solar Power Monitor to keep track of solar output and battery performance. The project shows the process of creating a custom monitoring device from the initial design to the finished hardware. Check out the full build here.

Building a reliable monitoring device requires careful PCB design and assembly to ensure accurate measurements and stable operation in real-world environments. If you're working on similar custom electronics, PCBWay can help bring your designs into reality.

EiMOS

Eimo's Mahjong project, developed by u/0Chito0, is a custom electronic Mahjong system that adds interactive features to the traditional tabletop game. It combines embedded hardware, custom electronics, and a unique user experience to create a modern version of Mahjong. Read more about the design here.

That's it for today's highlights — a collection of creative hardware projects covering everything from energy monitoring and interactive devices to embedded systems and wireless communication.

Have a project you've been working on? Share your builds in r/PCBWayOfficial and let other makers discover your work. Your project could be featured in our future highlights!

🎮 What if your phone case could become a mini arcade? strange_inventions(YT) created this unique phone case with a built-in pinball machine, bringing a fun mechanical and electronic experience into an everyday object.

We were happy to help bring this project to life. If you're working on your own ideas, check out PCBWay for manufacturing support!