The Art of PCB Reverse Engineering: Unravelling the Beauty of the Original Design

PCB reverse-engineering is a skill that requires more than just an acquaintance with electronics. We're not talking about recreating the PCB artwork here, but the schematic diagram itself. To the uninitiated, it is a difficult if not impossible undertaking reserved only for the determined and qualified. The author, however, believes that having a right mindset and being equipped with the right knowledge will enable even an average electronics engineer to do it.

This book will not teach you to use electronic automation design (EDA) tools to produce or reproduce PCBs nor give you a formal study on PCB structural design and fabrication. It does, however, impart knowledge on PCBs that relate to reverse-engineering and teaches you how to create PCB layouts and schematic diagrams using Microsoft Visio in a technical capacity.

This full-colored illustration-rich book covers things which you'll need to take note before you begin, the necessary basic preparation work to perform, creating layout shapes prior to drafting the PCB artwork, knowing what is a good schematic diagram and the right strategies to use for the type of PCBs (analog, digital, mixed-signals). You will also learn advanced topics such as layering, shape data and Shapesheet, generating reports for bill of materials, and even deciphering programmable logic devices!

NG KENG TIONG has worked as a Principal Engineer at Singapore Technologies (ST) Electronics Limited, a subsidiary of ST Engineering. Upon graduation from the Singapore Polytechnics, he signed up with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as an aircraft technician and worked in the E-2C Hawkeye repair bay, servicing the aircraft's avionics using automated test systems (CAT-IIID and RADCOM) and other in-house test equipment. . Upon invitation, he left the RSAF after his first contract and joined his present company, doing test program development and PCB diagnostics using Schlumberger S700 series testers. Since then, he has worked on other test platforms such as the Teradyne Spectrum(TM) 8800 series, the Westest-DATS/2000 test station, and some special-to-type-equipment (STTE) of similar nature. . He also has experience in logic simulation using HHB Systems CADAT(TM) software and the CATS- 10000(TM) hardware modeler, as well as Teradyne's LASAR(TM) simulator. . He has worked with engineers from companies such as Elbit and Thales, and recently completed two test benches for testing the transmitter and servo amplifier control of a naval sonar system. . In the course of his work, he encountered many printed circuit boards and electronic modules without schematic diagrams or documentation. That started him on the journey of doing PCB reverse engineering, in part or total, to perform the necessary troubleshooting for repair. Over time, he has refined the skill into an art for which this book is all about.