Total time spent: 10-12 Hours

6/22/25:

• Time Spent: 2 Hours
• I downloaded symbols/footprints for the BOM from Snapmagic, and attempted to create a schematic and PCB on KiCAD. I was unable to create a PCB due to the footprint libraries not registering when importing from the downloaded files.
  The underlined folders all contained symbols & footprint libraries for parts on the BOM. KiCAD could detect the symbol libaries but not the footprints for some reason.

BOM Symbols & Footprints from Snapmagic

NT3H2111W0FHKH NFC chip: 0603WAF470JT5E 47Ohm Resistor: CL10B224KA8NNNC 220nF Capacitor:

• A symbol/footprint for the 17-21/BHC-XL2M2TY/4T Blue LED could not be found, so a generic LED symbol was used.

  BOM in KiCAD Schematic Editor

  

• After failing to pull the footprints from the downloaded files, I installed EasyEDA and went to bed.

6/23/25:

• Time Spent: 3-5 Hours
• After downloading EasyEDA the night before, I wired together the parts in the schematic editor, then generated an initial PCB using the Autoroute tool. I grappled for a while with the one connection that the Autoroute failed to connect, with my initial apporach being to via the wire directly on top of the NFC chip (something that came back to haunt me later on). Also added a few decorations and main text to get a general idea of how to arrange the text & decals:

EasyEDA Schematics

That one cursed via

PCB of the prototype design

3D render of the prototype design

• At the end, I created the GitHub Repository for this project and went to bed without adding anything significant

6/24/25:

• Time Spent: 5-6 Hours
• After spending most of this time frame going all out on the aesthetics (including a change in font, change in background color, change in location / size of several decals, and the addition of several new decals), I ran the PCB through the DRC to be absolutely hit in the face by that one via:
• I decided to re-run Autoroute, manually add nodes, and directly connect that last unconnected route without using via, which solved my problem (while avoiding short circuits):
• After fixing that error, I re-adjusted some decals to fit with the new routing pattern, added some finishing touches, then started filling all the content for this repository!

PCB of the Final Design

3D render of the Final Design

6/25/25:

• Spent about 15 minutes to add a QR code and a couple decals on the back of the card. Updated the repository to reflect these changes.