You stated that you had some DRC errors? I am not getting any… Are you using OSH Park’s DRU file?
I agree with Matty, the ground return isn’t very good since the SCK line does go through the middle. See if you can re-route the SCK line. But, you may have enough ground vias to compensate.
I would be prepared that your first run boards will have problems. Doesn’t matter how may times I triple check mine, 99% of the time, I find something wrong. And the problem usually consists of having to run the boards again. My last boards, I had to make a part library from scratch and had a 1mil error in the stop mask which made a regulator short to ground. I had to re-fab the board. Took 1 min to fix, but cost 2 weeks of fab time…
codlink:
The large IC is actually a set of headers for an Arduino Micro so it can just be sandwiched on as we already own it.
Those are your words. So you are going to make a plug that will connect the Micro… I wouldn’t call that “sandwiched.”
My bad, I completely blanked on having written that. I had been confused thinking that question was somehow related to the ATX connector.
I’m actually using Advanced Circuits (aka 4pcb) partly because as a student I can get a 1 board minimum with the $33 and pretty good specs, and partially because they have a manufacturing facility here where I live. It’s not the facility that will make this board, but still feel good supporting companies who partake in the local economy.
I’ll get looking at the suggested updates to the board, and try to fix problem areas. I know that it’s likely to have issues after manufacture, but the real reason for this project is to learn PCB design which is why I’m hanging around this part of the internet. I’m a computer engineering student with a hardware focus, but they don’t really teach this stuff to the CompE’s or the EE’s as part of the regular curriculum; something about it being more of a technician skill… Given this, to learn it I’ve got to try and learn it outside of the classroom.
The DRU errors were in a previous version, the one from which I pulled the last set of photos. They had been repaired prior to uploading the zip file.
@mattylad, Eagle has been my first intro the PCB design, but I’m not poking around with a demo version of PADS (to little avail) and just picked myself up a copy of Altium Designer because the student rate is so darn good. My hope is to move beyond Eagle pretty quickly, but for now it’s my go to.
Ah, ok. If you need high quality boards, check out OSH Park sometime.
I think Eagle is all one would need in a CAD program. I do have a copy of Altium just because of the flex board feature. Haven’t actually used it yet, but I will soon.
So far I have not come across a current PCB layout course.
I did once hear of a college doing it in league with mentor however I don’t know if they still do.
IMO The whole process from initial layout to actually obtaining the boards etc could do with being a complete course, if the PCB program manufacturers would help fund a college that did this then I think they would get more sales and we could have more PCB engineers - but they don’t and its a dwindling skill.
Good on you for your efforts, for the research etc and taking on board whats been said. I see nothing wrong with starting off with Eagle, you can move up onto bigger packages later on in your career.
And just remember - for everyone that has an expert opinion - there is someone else that has an opposite one 
Just got the board assembled. Unfortunately it doesn’t look that good in the pictures as there is some residue that the camera really loved to pick up. The back side didn’t reflow well at all, but I’m chalking that up to a lack of experience as I just built my oven recently; the top side did much better. I won’t be able to test it for a week or two to find out if it actually works, but hopefully it does.
Here are a couple of pictures.
http://i.imgur.com/MvTzk5M.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/nu34qqM.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/oxLAlyU.jpg?1
