PCB reverse tools?

[James]

Hi,

Currently i have a PCB board which i need to improve on. However,
i've lost all the scematics and gerber files on it. I understand that
to recover the schematic, i need to reverse engineer the board. Is
there any equipments or software that can help me to recover the
gerber file from the PCb and then, from the gerber, generate the
schematic. Pls do not list me the companies that provide these
services, what i need is the equipements and the software tools. Thank
You.

Rgds,
James'03

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Hi,

Currently i have a PCB board which i need to improve on. However,
i've lost all the scematics and gerber files on it. I understand that
to recover the schematic, i need to reverse engineer the board. Is
there any equipments or software that can help me to recover the
gerber file from the PCb and then, from the gerber, generate the
schematic. Pls do not list me the companies that provide these
services, what i need is the equipements and the software tools. Thank
You.

I suggest a pad of squared paper, a pencil, an eraser and a pot of
coffee. Plus a computer with a fast internet connection and a printer
to look up data sheets and print out the pinout information.

If it's more than two layers you might need more stuff. For two
layers, this is enough (oh, and a strong light). If you don't have any
bare boards around, a good desoldering tool wouldn't hurt.

Start with the schematic, then (re)create the layout from the
schematic, duplicating critical dimensions and layout where required.
If you know enough to modify the board electrically, you probably have
the schematic pretty much in your head anyhow.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Simon Peacock]

Just buy one of those old fashioned mouse called a digitizer.. then you can
copy any board directly into a PCB program.. but you will have to create
schematics the old fashioned way, just like everybody else who's backward
engineered a cable TV box.

Simon

 

[James Jackson]

Well, I think that others have already given you the correct answer to this
question.

I have done one or two of these boards myself, and you will need to start
with re-creating the schematic.

Pads of paper ($1.00 ea), pencils ($0.25 ea), datasheets (free from
internet), many cups of coffee ($1.50 ea)... all of these are helpful.

If you're dealing with a two layer board, it will be relatively easy. If
you're dealing with a multi-layer board, you may also need an ohmmeter to
'beep' out a few extra lines on the pcb.

Once you have the schematic, re-enter it into a schematic capture package
(Free - $500.00+). Then you can proceed to re-creating the pcb (Free -
$50,000+), which will then allow you to generate those Gerbers that you seem
to need.

Good luck.

Regards,

James Jackson
Oztronics

Note: Prices given are in U.S. Dollars and are an approximation - not meant
to be used in quotes.

 

[Pieter Hoeben]

Is
there any equipments or software that can help me to recover the
gerber file from the PCb and then, from the gerber, generate the
schematic. Pls do not list me the companies that provide these
services, what i need is the equipements and the software tools.

Hi, how about scanning the board. If you can create a black and white
picture of it, you can load into GerbTool of Electronics Workbench a
..dxf or a .hpgl file. I do not know if it is also possible in the
evaluation version, I have the full, legal, version. I have never
tried to do this before.

In Ultiboard you can also load a .dxf, I never tried this before
either.

Regards,

Pieter Hoeben

 

[Helge Wunderlich]

i need to reverse engineer the board

Circad from Holophase has a reverse engineering feature. They have a
demo available for download http://www.holophase.com