u/Aran_PCBWAY

RAM (Random Access Memory) stores data for active programs with fast read/write access, but it loses all data when power is off. ROM (Read Only Memory) is used for permanent storage such as firmware or startup data, retains information without power, and is generally slower but more stable for long-term storage. In short, RAM is temporary and fast, while ROM is permanent and stable, and both are essential for how digital systems operate.

What do you find more interesting about RAM vs ROM?

Aerocreative3d (IG) creates this terrain model printed in transparent resin. The transparency of the resin really highlights the internal structure and surface transitions of the terrain, giving it a clean, almost glass-like appearance!

Our 3D printing service helped bring this concept into a physical, highly accurate model. If you're working on similar designs, you can check PCBWay for transparent or specialty materials to achieve comparable results.

Have you ever tried printing with transparent resins before? What's your experience or any interesting stories?

PCBWay is celebrating its 12th Anniversary this July! 🎉
During the event (July 1 – July 31, 2026), you can enjoy exclusive discount and unlock more rewards on colorful PCB projects.

Whether you're building prototypes or final hardware, it's a great time to bring more color and creativity into your designs. Join and see more details here!

Designing your first PCB can be exciting, but also full of small mistakes that are easy to miss.

In this video by kamitronix (IG), we go through 5 practical things he wishes he knew before starting the first PCB design, covering common beginner pitfalls that can save you time, cost, and frustration on your next project. If you have any experience to share, feel free to leave a comment!

PCBWay is celebrating its 12th Anniversary this July! 🎉
During the event (July 1 – July 31, 2026), you can enjoy exclusive discounts and special rewards on PCB projects, including free solder mask color upgrades like Matte Black, Purple, and Pink.

Whether you're building prototypes or final hardware, it's a great time to bring more color and creativity into your designs. Join and see more details here!

Nothing like starting the week with some soldering! 🔧

Project by TheCuriousScientist(YT). Everything just lines up so cleanly here, a really satisfying ESP32 board assembly with solid soldering quality throughout.

This is an awesome little device to keep on your desk while your phone is in a drawer somewhere, without you missing important notifications.
Osmo Pager was developed by u/abcsoups. Case design by u/paullagier. Using ESP32-S3 1.54inch e-Paper Development Board. Transparent tinted resin print ordered at PCBway.

NPN and PNP transistors are complementary devices that control current flow in opposite ways. An NPN transistor turns on when the base is driven high, allowing current to flow from collector to emitter, while its symbol arrow points outward and it primarily uses electrons as charge carriers. ​In contrast, a PNP transistor turns on when the base is pulled low, with current flowing from emitter to collector, its arrow pointing inward, and it relies on holes as carriers. In practice, NPN is more commonly used for low-side switching, while PNP is used for high-side control.​​​
Have you used NPN or PNP in your own projects before? What's your experience or thought?

TPU isn't just a flexible version of PLA. This video covers the basics of TPU, why it's great for functional parts, and what makes it different from other common filaments.

Have you used TPU in your projects? Any tips or lessons learned?

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a fabrication process that involves creating three-dimensional objects by depositing successive layers of material.

In this video, we will take you through the detailed 3D printing manufacturing process in PCBWay.

This is an unboxing of a Force Myography wristband project by the. Amazing, PhD(YT). The project reads tiny muscle movements from the forearm and converts them into control signals.

We helped provide flexible PCBs for this project, which allows it to better conform to the wrist and improves motion sensing stability.

Has anyone here worked with flex PCBs before? How was your experience?

We've just added support for Build123d STEP files, so you can now directly import them into PCBWay for instant quoting and manufacturing.

If you've been using Build123d for your CAD work, feel free to give it a try and see how it fits into your workflow. We’d love to hear your feedback.

This project by constructivechaos7 (IG) replaces traditional bicycle wheels with solid steel saw blade wheels, creating a unique experimental mechanical build.

PCBWay sheet metal manufacturing helps build this project. Sheet metal provides high strength, precise flat geometry, and fast manufacturing, making it ideal for experimental mechanical structures like this. If you are working on similar designs, you can place an order on our website!

Batman Gaming Controller is a fully handmade custom game controller built by __.leu (IG). The project features a custom PCB and an Arduino Pro Micro, designed to bring a unique Batman-inspired gaming experience to life.

PCBWay helped manufacture the custom PCB, helping turn the design into a reliable working hardware build. If you are building your own DIY electronics or gaming projects, feel free to order on PCBWay!

It has LoRa, WiFi, Bluetooth, Sub-GHz, IR, 4G LTE, GPS, a MicroSD card slot, and a 3.5" display at only 15mm thick! its an iteration of my older design which was 30mm thick, it also has USB-C, a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio, 1A charging, and sensors, like an IMU, Fuel Gauge, The only thing that the flipper zero has that this doesnt have, is RFID/NFC which would have made the single sided 4 layer board more expensive, and dual sided, not to mention the noise from the coil loops. This is my third PCB i have ever made!

Made in Kicad 10.
And its also fully OSHW! the files can be found here: https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/4G_Hacker_Phone_0f2b8473.html

This project by adamtronics (IG) is a DIY tech build focused on creating a functional electronics product entirely without using AI tools, relying purely on hands-on design and engineering. During the build, the first attempt at soldering the MCU unfortunately failed, but luckily extra PCBs were available, allowing a successful second attempt and saving the project.

We supported this project by manufacturing the PCBs used in the build. If you're working on your own hardware idea, check out PCBWay!

I build a custom case for my beelink S13 to unchain it from thermal throttling. It might be a bit overkill but hey - why not

https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/From\_thermal\_bottleneck\_to\_first\_PCB\_designing\_a\_Beelink\_S13\_fan\_controller\_wit\_857f2565.html

Feedback is welcome

I came across the Livegrid OpenMatrix aquarium a while back and really liked the idea, but it was made for HUB75 RGB matrices, and I just had a Cheap Yellow Display (ESP32-2432S028R) lying around. So I figured I'd see if I could get it living on that instead.

It's at the point now where it just quietly runs on its own. I pulled out the bits I didn't need and kept the parts I liked.

The fun part was that the original draws to an actual RGB matrix, so getting it onto a plain ILI9341 TFT meant writing a dot-grid renderer and squashing the whole scene into an 80x106 logical frame, so it still reads like a tiny LED matrix rather than a normal screen. That dot look is honestly my favorite part. There's fish, turtles, octopuses, snakes, a few boids, plus plants and food drifting around, all moving on their own. You can tap to feed them if you feel like it.

I also added a 12-hour clock with the date, optional NTP sync (it drops Wi-Fi once the time is set), and the backlight dims itself off the onboard light sensor. No extra sensors, just the board.

It's been a fun little thing to have sitting on the desk. Repo with a demo and the full build and flash steps is here, in case it's useful to anyone: https://github.com/Lagerpun/esp32-cyd-aquarium

>Meshlet V2 - A Compact & Versatile RP2350 Node

Meshlet V2, developed by u/dj505 is a compact RP2350-based Meshtastic node for portable mesh networking. It combines wireless connectivity, low power design, and a small form factor for both everyday use and experimental deployments. Read more about the design here.

Bringing compact RF designs into physical form requires precise PCB fabrication and SMT assembly, since layout and component placement directly impact signal stability and performance in real-world use. If you're building similar custom parts, PCBWay.com can help.

>Real-time London Overground departure board

Created by u/PDConAutoTrack, this ESP32-powered London Overground departure board shows real-time train arrivals in a compact desktop display. It recreates station-style information boards using live transit data, making it suitable for smart home setups and transport enthusiasts. More details here.

>A web server that runs on sunlight and 27MB of RAM

Built by u/Quackyducky_things, this self-hosted project runs a lightweight web server on solar power using only about 27MB of resources. It showcases an ultra-efficient, low-power approach to experimental hosting. Check out the original project post here.

That's it for today's highlights — a mix of compact, creative hardware builds ranging from low-power systems to real-time displays and mesh networking devices. If you're building something similar, feel free to share it with our subreddit and your projects may be featured in future highlights!