PCB design software assistance

[[email protected]]

Hello,
I am new to this group, and I'm not certain that this question is
relevant. But I am looking for a software to design printed circuit
boards. I only make about 12 a year, so I don't want anything fancy.
What I need specifically is a software which will allow me to print out
the negative of the artwork, so that I can fabricate a prototype board
myself. And, I need a software which will give me all the required
gerber files so that I can have the board sent out for manufacture,
when I have multiple copies to make. Most of my boards will be two
sided.

thanks for your help,

Andrew

 

[PeteS]

Hello,
I am new to this group, and I'm not certain that this question is
relevant. But I am looking for a software to design printed circuit
boards.

There was a thread on this recently. See sci.electronics.cad (Cross
posted there for comments).

I only make about 12 a year, so I don't want anything fancy.

What I need specifically is a software which will allow me to print out
the negative of the artwork, so that I can fabricate a prototype board
myself.

Part of an earlier discussion was that it's cheaper to get prototypes
made than try to do them yourself nowadays, once you figure in the cost
of chemicals and equipment. There are a number of options for that on
the web.

And, I need a software which will give me all the required

gerber files so that I can have the board sent out for manufacture,
when I have multiple copies to make. Most of my boards will be two
sided.

Just about any standard PCB package will generate those.

thanks for your help,

Andrew

Cheers

PeteS

 

[Ian Bell]

Hello,
I am new to this group, and I'm not certain that this question is
relevant. But I am looking for a software to design printed circuit
boards. I only make about 12 a year, so I don't want anything fancy.
What I need specifically is a software which will allow me to print out
the negative of the artwork, so that I can fabricate a prototype board
myself. And, I need a software which will give me all the required
gerber files so that I can have the board sent out for manufacture,
when I have multiple copies to make. Most of my boards will be two
sided.

thanks for your help,

Andrew

Try Kicad. It's free. Find it at:

http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/index.html

Ian

 

[[email protected]]

Hello,
I am new to this group, and I'm not certain that this question is
relevant. But I am looking for a software to design printed circuit
boards. I only make about 12 a year, so I don't want anything fancy.
What I need specifically is a software which will allow me to print out
the negative of the artwork, so that I can fabricate a prototype board
myself. And, I need a software which will give me all the required
gerber files so that I can have the board sent out for manufacture,
when I have multiple copies to make. Most of my boards will be two
sided.

Check out

http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/ECADList.html

for a fairly comprehensiive list. I'm in the process of re-installing
the free gEDA package (including PCB) on my Linux partition - I've
just up-graded from SuSE 9.3 to 10.0 and that is easier if you treat it
is as a new installation - but there is plenty of other stuff around.

As has already been mentioned, sci.electronics.cad is the place to go
for this sort of question, but when I last looked they mostly seemed to
like Protel, which isn't cheap, though it used to be only half as
expensive as Orcad.

 

[JeffM]

I'm not certain that this question is relevant.

Andrew (andrewkgentile @ gmail.com)

If that was the case, it wouldn't have already been asked 1,000 times.
..
..

I am looking for a software to design printed circuit boards.

Previous threads on this:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....what-you-like+Protel-If+Accel-Bah+OrCAD-seems
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....*-runs-under-wine+other-software-*-*-*-useful
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....-are+not-particularly-realistic+license-costs
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....two-click-operations-*-twenty-click-operation
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....ybest-Vanguard-Pads-*-Protel-99SE-*-DXP+OrCAD
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....-*-PC-*-houses+obsolete-junk+black-background
http://groups.google.com/groups?scoring=d&q=ingroup:sci.electronics.*+pipex-com-ECADList

 

[belleblaas]

Please visit www.cadsoft.de an download the Eagle software an
manual
Decide if you like it

 

[[email protected]]

Many people seem to think that Eagle is a good deal for the money.
Does anyone have any experience with it? What I would like to know is
whether I can print out the artwork negative to make my own board. I
realize that this isn't cost effective, but I teach a class in PCB
construction, and it would be pointless to have the students send their
boards out.

thanks,
Andrew

 

[JeffM]

I teach a class in PCB construction

Andrew (andrewkgentile @ gmail.com)

....and you're not ALREADY familiar with low-cost ECADs??

KiCAD has already been mentioned in this thread.
It is open source software (gratis and libre)
and is ported to both Linux and Windows.
Every student could have his own copy for a grand total of $0
with no limitations on its use.

gEDA is also open source (built for Unix).
Ales Hvezda has ported earlier versions to Windoze
but it has been some time since he has done a release.
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....-Unix-like-*+runs-on-*-OSX+author:Ales-Hvezda
Perhaps a note to him will stir him to increased diligence.
..
..

Does anyone have any experience with [EAGLE]?

Yup. Properly, it is all capitalized
(being an acronym for Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor).
..
..

Many people seem to think that Eagle is a good deal for the money.

Yup. If you're NOT going to make any money thru its use,
the demo version can be used gratis.
Limits:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....le+80mm-*-100mm+Hobbyist-Demoware+zzz+2-layer
The demoware Schematic Editor
only does single-sheet schematics (not tabbed).

For a closed source app, it has very good user support:
a user-help Usenet group (besides the factory guys' newsgroup);
user-generated ULPs (scripts); etc.
http://groups.google.com/groups?sco...oft+-de+-dk+-elettronica+-elektroniikka+-bugs
..
..

What I would like to know is
whether I can print out the artwork negative to make my own board.

Yup. You need
1) a laser printer
that puts down a lot of toner and has good 1:1 calibration
2) a clothes iron
3) Press 'n' Peel
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....iks+toner-transfer+zzz+blue-stuff+white-stuff
4) an etching setup
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...ectricstuff/pcbs.html+Mike-Harrison+Copperset

There are also photographic techniques.
..
..

it would be pointless to have the students send their boards out

Maybe. Maybe not. Become familiar with the term "panelize".
If etching, be aware that ferric chloride stains things
and could spur a visit from the local hazmat folks.

 

[Robert Baer]

I teach a class in PCB construction
Andrew (andrewkgentile @ gmail.com)

...and you're not ALREADY familiar with low-cost ECADs??

KiCAD has already been mentioned in this thread.
It is open source software (gratis and libre)
and is ported to both Linux and Windows.
Every student could have his own copy for a grand total of $0
with no limitations on its use.

gEDA is also open source (built for Unix).
Ales Hvezda has ported earlier versions to Windoze
but it has been some time since he has done a release.
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....-Unix-like-*+runs-on-*-OSX+author:Ales-Hvezda
Perhaps a note to him will stir him to increased diligence.
.
.

Does anyone have any experience with [EAGLE]?

Yup. Properly, it is all capitalized
(being an acronym for Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor).
.
.

Many people seem to think that Eagle is a good deal for the money.

Yup. If you're NOT going to make any money thru its use,
the demo version can be used gratis.
Limits:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....le+80mm-*-100mm+Hobbyist-Demoware+zzz+2-layer
The demoware Schematic Editor
only does single-sheet schematics (not tabbed).

For a closed source app, it has very good user support:
a user-help Usenet group (besides the factory guys' newsgroup);
user-generated ULPs (scripts); etc.
http://groups.google.com/groups?sco...oft+-de+-dk+-elettronica+-elektroniikka+-bugs
.
.

What I would like to know is
whether I can print out the artwork negative to make my own board.

Yup. You need
1) a laser printer
that puts down a lot of toner and has good 1:1 calibration
2) a clothes iron
3) Press 'n' Peel
http://groups.google.com/group/sci....iks+toner-transfer+zzz+blue-stuff+white-stuff
4) an etching setup
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...ectricstuff/pcbs.html+Mike-Harrison+Copperset

There are also photographic techniques.
.
.

it would be pointless to have the students send their boards out

Maybe. Maybe not. Become familiar with the term "panelize".
If etching, be aware that ferric chloride stains things
and could spur a visit from the local hazmat folks.

You mean "loco" don't you?

 

[PeteS]

For what it's worth, I downloaded Kicad after a release announcement
perhaps a month or so ago, and found it quite easy to use. Like all
other tools, it has it's quirks, but there's a decent manual with it,
and no more of a learning curve than any of the other tools.

I needed a tool that gave me the complete design flow from schematic
through layout (and BOMs, gerbers, assembly etc) for a relatively
simple (6 layers) board and it did what I needed.

Cheers

PeteS

 

[Leon]

It's much easier to make boards with positive resist material, so a
positive transparency is required.

EasyPC is arguably the best of the low-cost packages (I used it for
years):

http://www.numberone.com

Leon

 

[Ian Bell]

For what it's worth, I downloaded Kicad after a release announcement
perhaps a month or so ago, and found it quite easy to use. Like all
other tools, it has it's quirks, but there's a decent manual with it,
and no more of a learning curve than any of the other tools.

I needed a tool that gave me the complete design flow from schematic
through layout (and BOMs, gerbers, assembly etc) for a relatively
simple (6 layers) board and it did what I needed.

Cheers

PeteS

If you keep using it you might consider joining the user group at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-users/

ian

 

[Robert Baer]

For what it's worth, I downloaded Kicad after a release announcement
perhaps a month or so ago, and found it quite easy to use. Like all
other tools, it has it's quirks, but there's a decent manual with it,
and no more of a learning curve than any of the other tools.

I needed a tool that gave me the complete design flow from schematic
through layout (and BOMs, gerbers, assembly etc) for a relatively
simple (6 layers) board and it did what I needed.

Cheers

PeteS

I e-mailed them asking for a CD and how much for it; downloading is
not an option for me as the file is toooooo biggggg.

 

[Robert Baer]

It's much easier to make boards with positive resist material, so a
positive transparency is required.

EasyPC is arguably the best of the low-cost packages (I used it for
years):

http://www.numberone.com

Leon

Thanks; will add to my growing list of "to try".

 

[PeteS]

I e-mailed them asking for a CD and how much for it; downloading is
not an option for me as the file is toooooo biggggg.

Hi Robert

email me personally with shipping details. I''ll burn a CD for you and
send it (assuming you are somewhere in Europe). Consider it a christmas
(your preferred holiday name here) present.

Cheers

PeteS

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

Go down to your local public library or over to your local community
college. Almost all of the computers in these places are on T1 lines and
your taxes paid for them.

Jim

 

[Robert Baer]

Hi Robert

email me personally with shipping details. I''ll burn a CD for you and
send it (assuming you are somewhere in Europe). Consider it a christmas
(your preferred holiday name here) present.

Cheers

PeteS

I am on the US west coast, however i am willing to compensate you for
the trouble.
I sent an e-mail query for a CD to [email protected] and it
bounced back.

 

[Robert Baer]

Go down to your local public library or over to your local community
college. Almost all of the computers in these places are on T1 lines and
your taxes paid for them.

Jim

And, pray tell, how do i transfer the downloaded file from that
computer to mine???

 

[Robert]

And, pray tell, how do i transfer the downloaded file from that computer
to mine???

With the 1Gig (and bigger) USB keys that have gotten so cheap.

http://www.bizrate.com/buy/products__cat_id--410,keyword--usb key.html

Robert

 

[John Devereux]

And, pray tell, how do i transfer the downloaded file from that
computer to mine???

Just email it to yourself!