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4 layers45 × 30 mmCHIPDOWNARM, the printed circuit board in 3D

CHIPDOWNARM is a highly optimized, industrial-grade IoT telemetry edge node designed for mission-critical Sub-GHz LPWAN networks, remote monitoring, and smart agriculture deployments.

Size
45 × 30 mm
Copper layers
4
Thickness
1.6 mm
Parts
60
Nets
32
Pads
203
Tracks, vias
375, 109
Pours
4
Routed
Yes
KiCad
KiCad 10.0 (file 20260206)
Created
1 Sep 2026
Updated
5 Sep 2026

Overview

CHIPDOWNARM is an open-source printed circuit board by 8aChristian, from the 8aChristian/CHIPDOWNARM repository on GitHub. It is a 4-layer board of 45 × 30 mm with 60 parts on 32 nets, routed with 375 tracks and 109 vias.

It is built around the STM32WLE5CCU6, TPS62840DLCR and ABS07-32.768KHZ-T, with the TC2030-IDC-NL among its other parts. Its parts include 26 capacitors, 3 ICs, 3 diodes, 3 connectors and 2 crystals. It belongs with the STM32 boards of this library.

Main components

4

README

README.md

CHIPDOWNARM | Sub-GHz LoRaWAN & Industrial Telemetry Node

CHIPDOWNARM is a highly optimized, industrial-grade IoT telemetry edge node designed for mission-critical Sub-GHz LPWAN networks, remote monitoring, and smart agriculture deployments. Built around the high-performance STMicroelectronics STM32WLE5 (ARM Cortex-M4 with integrated Sub-GHz LoRa/FSK transceiver), it delivers robust long-range communication with an ultra-low power footprint.

The board follows rigorous IPC (IPC-2152, IPC-2221) standards, featuring a wide-input high-efficiency switching power architecture (TPS62840), a highly stable 32MHz TCXO for RF precision, and an optimized 4-layer controlled-impedance stackup for impeccable RF Signal Integrity (SI) and Power Integrity (PI).


📸 Photorealistic 3D Renders

CHIPDOWNARM 3D Top View

Top Orthographic View Bottom Isometric View


🏛️ System Architecture Diagram

mermaid
flowchart TD
    subgraph PowerDomain["⚡ Power Architecture (1.8V - 6.5V)"]
        VIN["DC Power In (J1) / Li-SOCl2 / Li-Po"] --> F1["Polyfuse PTC (F1)"]
        F1 --> D1["TVS Diode Protection"]
        D1 --> U2["TI TPS62840 Buck (60nA Iq)"]
        U2 --> L1["1.5µH Shielded Inductor"]
        L1 --> VCC3["+3V0 System Rail"]
        VCC3 --> FB1["Ferrite Bead (FB1)"]
        FB1 --> VDDA["Filtered Analog Power (VDDA)"]
    end

    subgraph CoreDomain["🧠 Compute and RF Engine"]
        U1["STM32WLE5CCU6 (ARM Cortex-M4 @ 48MHz)"]
        Y1["32.000 MHz TCXO (Y1)"] -->|"RF Master Clock"| U1
        Y2["32.768 kHz RTC Crystal (Y2)"] -->|"Low Power RTC"| U1
        VCC3 --> U1
        VDDA --> U1
    end

    subgraph RFDomain["📡 Sub-GHz RF Frontend (150-960 MHz)"]
        U1 -->|"RF_PA_OUT"| RFFilt["LC Harmonics Filter & Matching Network"]
        RFFilt -->|"50Ω Coplanar Microstrip"| J2["SMA Edge-Mount Connector (J2)"]
    end

⚡ Power Tree & Energy Profile

mermaid
flowchart LR
    BATT["Battery / External Input<br/><b>1.8V - 6.5V</b>"] -->|F1: PTC Fuse| REG["TPS62840<br/><b>Buck Regulator</b><br/>Iq = 60 nA | Eff = 92%"]
    REG -->|VOUT = 3.0V| RAIL["+3V0 System Rail<br/>(Inner Layer 2 Plane)"]
    
    RAIL -->|"100nF + 4.7µF"| MCU["STM32WLE5 Core<br/>Sleep: 1.1 µA<br/>TX (+22dBm): 118 mA"]
    RAIL -->|"100nF"| SENS["SHTC3 Sensor<br/>Active: 800 µA<br/>Sleep: 0.2 µA"]
    RAIL -->|"100nF + TCXO Reg"| TCXO["32 MHz TCXO<br/>Warmup: 2 ms"]
    RAIL -->|FB1: Ferrite Filter| RF_ANA["RF & VDDA Power<br/>Multi-stage decoupling"]

🔬 PCB Layer Stackup & Controlled Impedance

The PCB is built on an industrial 4-Layer standard stackup (1.6mm nominal thickness, 1 oz / 35µm copper outer and inner layers) to guarantee excellent RF containment.

text
========================================================================================
Layer 1 (Top / F.Cu): Component SMD Pads, 50Ω RF Coplanar Microstrips, Buck Power Loop
---------------------------------- Dielectric Prepreg (0.21mm, FR-4, Er=4.5) -----------
Layer 2 (Inner 1 / In1.Cu): Solid Continuous Ground Plane (GND) - Zero Slots
---------------------------------- Core Dielectric (1.065mm, FR-4, Er=4.5) -------------
Layer 3 (Inner 2 / In2.Cu): Dedicated +3V0 Power Plane & RF Return Shield
---------------------------------- Dielectric Prepreg (0.21mm, FR-4, Er=4.5) -----------
Layer 4 (Bottom / B.Cu): Digital Control Signals & Secondary Ground Shield
========================================================================================

🗺️ Individual Layer Vector Views

LayerTypeFunction & High-Speed DetailsVector Preview
L1 (F.Cu)Signal / RF50Ω Coplanar RF track, SMPS power loop, MCU breakoutsView SVG
L2 (In1.Cu)Solid GND100% continuous reference ground, zero ground slotsView SVG
L3 (In2.Cu)PowerDedicated +3V0 power plane, ultra-low impedance distributionView SVG
L4 (B.Cu)Signal / ShieldI2C routing, debug traces, stitched ground planeView SVG

⚡ Technical Specifications

ParameterSpecificationEngineering Details
Input Supply Voltage1.8V − 6.5V DCPolyfuse protection (F1) + Battery input conditioning for Li-Po/Li-SOCl2.
Main Step-Down ConverterTI TPS62840 (1.8V-6.5V)Ultra-low $I_q$ (60 nA) high-efficiency buck regulator with compact shielded inductor.
Main Processing Unit (MCU)STM32WLE5CCU6ARM Cortex-M4 @ 48MHz, 256KB Flash, 64KB SRAM, integrated Sub-GHz Radio.
Wireless ConnectivityLoRa / (G)FSK / (G)MSKSub-GHz Radio (150 MHz to 960 MHz) compatible with LoRaWAN protocols.
RF Clock Source32.000 MHz TCXOHigh-stability Temperature Compensated Oscillator for precise RF modulation.
Telemetry SensorSensirion SHTC3Ultra-low power I2C Temperature and Humidity sensor (±2.0% RH, ±0.2°C).
Debug InterfaceSWD via Tag-ConnectZero-cost, zero-profile TC2030-IDC-NL footprint (No Legs) for SWD & SWO.
RF InterfaceSMA Edge-Mount50Ω impedance-matched Coplanar Waveguide routing to SMA connector.
Design Rule Check (DRC)100% Passed (0 Errors)0 Unrouted airwires, 0 clearance errors, full IPC-2221 compliance.

📋 Comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM)

ItemQtyComponent / ValueManufacturerMPNDescription
U11STM32WLE5CCU6STMicroelectronicsSTM32WLE5CCU6ARM Cortex-M4 Sub-GHz LoRa SoC (UFQFPN-48)
U21TPS62840DLCRTexas InstrumentsTPS62840DLCRUltra-Low Iq Step-Down Converter
U31SHTC3SensirionSHTC3I2C Humidity and Temperature Sensor
Y11NT2016SA-32MNDKNT2016SA-32M32.000MHz TCXO (Temperature Compensated)
J11SMA Edge-MountAmphenol13213650Ω SMA RF Connector
J31TC2030-IDC-NLTag-ConnectTC2030-IDC-NL6-pin No-Legs SWD Programming Header

(For passive components, resistors, MLCCs, and exact footprints, please see CHIPDOWNARM_BOM.xml)


📁 Repository Structure

text
CHIPDOWNARM/
├── CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_pcb        # KiCad 8/9 PCB Layout File (4-Layer, 0 DRC Errors)
├── CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_sch        # KiCad Schematic File
├── CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_pro        # KiCad Project Definitions
├── CHIPDOWNARM_Schematic.pdf    # Complete vector schematic PDF
├── CHIPDOWNARM.step             # High-precision 3D mechanical model (STEP AP214)
├── CHIPDOWNARM_BOM.xml          # Sourcing Bill of Materials
├── gerbers/                     # Standard RS-274X Fabrication Gerbers & Excellon Drills
│   ├── CHIPDOWNARM-F_Cu.gtl     # Top Copper Layer
│   ├── CHIPDOWNARM-In1_Cu.g1    # Layer 2 Ground Plane
│   ├── CHIPDOWNARM-In2_Cu.g2    # Layer 3 Power Plane
│   ├── CHIPDOWNARM-B_Cu.gbl     # Bottom Copper Layer
│   ├── CHIPDOWNARM.drl          # NC Drill file
│   └── ...                      # Masks, silkscreens, edge cuts
├── docs/
│   └── img/                     # 3D Photorealistic raytracing renders & SVG layer previews
│       ├── render_isometric_top.png
│       ├── render_isometric_bottom.png
│       ├── render_top.png
│       └── layer_l*.svg
├── .gitignore                   # Clean Git configuration for EDA projects
└── README.md                    # Comprehensive hardware documentation

🚀 How to Build & Open the Project

Prerequisites

  • EDA Suite: KiCad 8.0+ (Fully tested on KiCad 8 & 9).

Opening in KiCad

  1. Clone the repository:
    bash
    git clone https://github.com/8aChristian/CHIPDOWNARM.git
    cd CHIPDOWNARM
  2. Open CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_pro inside KiCad.
  3. Open the Schematic Editor to review the architecture.
  4. Open the PCB Editor and hit B to recalculate all zone fills and inspect the perfectly clean 4-layer layout.
  5. Press Alt + 3 to open the interactive 3D viewer.

📜 License & Author

Author: Christian Ochoa (@8aChristian)
Status: Ready for Fabrication (0 Unrouted, 0 DRC Violations)
License: Released under the MIT License.

Parts

60
QtyValueFootprintReferences
5100nFCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC5, C17, C22, C25, C26
4MountingHole_3.2mm_M3_Pad_ViaMountingHole:MountingHole_3.2mm_M3_Pad_ViaMH1, MH2, MH3, MH4
20RResistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_VDDPA, R_VDDRF
210uF 6.3V X7RCapacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC3, C4
24.7k (1%)Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_PULL_SCL, R_PULL_SDA
28.2pF C0GCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC18, C19
11.0kResistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_LED
1100kResistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_STOP
1100nF (NRST)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC6
1100nF (VDDA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC21
1100nF (VDDPA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC10
1100nF (VDDRF)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC13
1100nF (VDDSMPS)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC24
1100nF (VFBSMPS)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC16
1100nF (VR_PA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC8
110RResistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_TCXO
110k (BOOT0)Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_BOOT0
110pF (VDDRF)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC14
110pF C0GCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC12
110uF 10V X7RCapacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC1
115pF C0GCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC_DC
11uF (VDDA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC20
12.2uH (DFE201610E)Inductor_SMD:L_0805_2012MetricL1
12.2uH (MLZ2012N2R2L)Inductor_SMD:L_0805_2012MetricL_SMPS
12.7pF C0GCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC_M2
124nH High-QInductor_SMD:L_0402_1005MetricL_CHOKE
13.6nH High-QInductor_SMD:L_0402_1005MetricL_M1
14.7pF C0GCapacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC_M1
14.7uF (VDDPA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC9
14.7uF (VDDSMPS)Capacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC23
14.7uF (VFBSMPS)Capacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC15
14.7uF 10V X7RCapacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC2
147pF (VDDPA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC11
147pF (VR_PA)Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005MetricC7
1500mA PPTCFuse:Fuse_0805_2012MetricF1
152.3k (1% E96)Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005MetricR_SET
16.8nH High-QInductor_SMD:L_0402_1005MetricL_M2
1600R@100MHz Ferrite BeadInductor_SMD:L_0402_1005MetricFB1
1ABS07-32.768KHZ-TCrystal:Crystal_SMD_3215-2Pin_3.2x1.5mmY2
1BATT_IN (3.6V/3.0V)Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x02_P2.54mm_VerticalJ1
1Hirose U.FL-R-SMT(01)Connector_Coaxial:U.FL_Hirose_U.FL-R-SMT-1_VerticalJ2
1LED_STATUS (Green)LED_SMD:LED_0603_1608MetricD2
1NT2016SA 32MHz TCXOOscillator:Oscillator_SMD_SiT_PQFN-4Pin_2.0x1.6mmY1
1SHTC3 (I2C 0x70)Sensor_Humidity:Sensirion_DFN-4-1EP_2x2mm_P1mm_EP0.7x1.6mmU3
1SMAJ5.0A (TVS 5V)Diode_SMD:D_0603_1608MetricD1
1STM32WLE5CCU6Package_DFN_QFN:QFN-48-1EP_7x7mm_P0.5mm_EP5.6x5.6mmU1
1TC2030-IDC-NLConnector:Tag-Connect_TC2030-IDC-NL_2x03_P1.27mm_VerticalJ3
1TPS62840DLCRPackage_SON:Texas_VSON-HR-8_1.5x2mm_P0.5mmU2
1uClamp0501P (0.3pF ESD)Diode_SMD:D_0402_1005MetricD3

Questions

How big is the CHIPDOWNARM PCB?

It measures 45 × 30 mm and has 4 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.

What parts does the CHIPDOWNARM use?

60 parts, built around the STM32WLE5CCU6, TPS62840DLCR, ABS07-32.768KHZ-T and TC2030-IDC-NL. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.

Where can I download the CHIPDOWNARM KiCad files?

From the 8aChristian/CHIPDOWNARM repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_pcb and its schematic CHIPDOWNARM.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.

Can I use the CHIPDOWNARM design in my own project?

Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask 8aChristian before reusing the design.

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