Dustin said:
I have some projects I'm working on, that I would eventually like to
have designed on pcb software, so I can send designs to a manufacturer
in gerber format (right?) Does anyone have recommendations about how
to go about getting ready for this? I was thinking of making some
extremely simple circuits, and having a manufacturer print a circuit
board as simple as just a power connection to connect an LED to, or
similar, and only stepping up what I designs when I'm sure that what I
think will be created is what really will be created. Would a
manufacturer find this a waste of time? Is there some other way to
double check designs so that I don't have to pay to have something
manufactured that I'll probably have no use for? i.e. can I send
gerber files to some forum willing to analyze them and answer
questions I have, or send a gerber file to a simulator?
Dustin
Hi Dustin,
You are correct, you normally send designs in Gerber format. Also, most
of the PCB software I have used has electronics rules checks and design
rules checks to make sure the board is at least sound be design. It
might not do what you want it to, but it should manufactured correctly.
I've just recently gotten into making my own boards, and it's coming
along nicely. My method is to use the free layout software Eagle
(
www.cadsoft.de) to design my schematic and board, then laser print the
board onto high gloss paper, iron the paper (toner, really) onto a
copper clad board and then etch with ferric chloride.
There are a lot of variables that go into it, and I've messed up as many
boards as I've made good but that has been because of experimenting with
different line widths and pads and such.
One of the most critical things I've found is the type of paper you
print onto. I've found "HP Photo Paper" with the following labellings to
be very good: Laser, Glossy, 8.5x11", 7.5 mil, 58 lb, 97 brightness, 100
sheets. I got it at Office Max for I think around $10.
There's a billion sites on the net that detail this method of PCB
manufacture, just search for "PCB laser print" or some such.
Now, while this method works find for boards with low part density and
large line widths, the ideal (home brew) method is with photo etching
where you use pre-sensitized boards, transparencies for your artwork and
UV illumination to expose the board. I am in the process of gathering
the tools to try this method now.
I found the book "Build Your Own Printed Circuit Board" by Al Williams
(Tab Electronics) to be pretty useful for learning the basics of Eagle
and home PCB manufacture. After that it's a matter of honing your
methods and learning from the Internet.
Finally, if you would prefer to spend a little cash but get professional
boards, check out
www.expresspcb.com and
www.pad2pad.com. Both have free
CAD software and you can send your design right from the software and
have boards in your mailbox a few days later. ExpressPCB even has a
"MiniBoard service" where you can get three 2.5x3.8" double sided boards
for $51. It's a great deal, and you don't have to worry about a
manufacturer laughing at you for testing simple designs
If you'd like to see a board I recently made using the home brew
process, check out:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vonnieda/352415008/in/photostream/
It's the first I ever made, and it works great. It's a simple AVR
breakout board for prototyping microcontroller programs.
And here's a few more handy links:
Web-Tronics - Good source of PCB supplies
http://www.web-tronics.com/printed-circuit-board-supplies.html
Drill Bit City - Great source of cheap, tiny drill bits
http://drillcity.stores.yahoo.net/
BatchPCB - Very cheap boards but long wait time. They batch their orders
to China. They also have a design rule checking system. You can upload
your design for free and it will email you to tell you if it's sound.
http://www.batchpcb.com/
Good luck!
Jason von Nieda
