Looking for PCB software

[cncadmin]

Need some links and suggestion for PCB software creation, something like eagle software.

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[trubleshtr]

I was just looking at building my own pcb boards with my robot and came accross this site with free software.

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Tips.htm

the free cad stuff is at the top right of page.

[pminmo]

Eagle hands down. www.cadsoftusa.com

Phil

[cncadmin]

Eagle won't run on WinXP.

[KissSys]

I have Eagle 4.08 and 4.13 running on XP

Best deal going is Eagle.

Steve

[fyffe555]

I've got the latest Eagle 4.13 r1 free running on XP sp2 right now...

[cncadmin]

any of you guys using it for mechanical etching? How are you producing the g code?

[fyffe555]

any of you guys using it for mechanical etching? How are you producing the g code?

Yes - with a few limits....

You've probably seen that Eagle can run script. In Eagle they're called ULP's and theres a ULP to process a Board layout (.brd). The output from the ULP is a board outline file, A board top file, a board bottom file and a Drill file. All are basically G-code that will run on TCNC or Mach2 with no or little editing.

Here are the limits;

The gcode for board top (and bottom if it's double sided) is for the outline of each track with no tool offset. You have to compensate when laying out the track width to add the width of the cut (half tool width each side) and if you don't it's easy to cut the track away entirely as the pass each side overlap and so wider than the remaining track.

If you have two tracks parallel the gcode produced will cut both sides even though its not required. This can limit how close you can place stuff on a board because you have to add the width compensation twice.

The drill file lists at the top all the tools sizes (t0, t1,... Tx) and puts tool changes in tehre. The tool size is dependant on th epart and library you selected and so might not match what you have. You need to do some editing to firstly set the sizes to the drills you do have and also I seprate out the tool sizes into seperate files. Avoids trying to manually change a tiny carbide bit with the machine on.

the Eagle freeware limits you to fairly small board sizes (100x80mm?) you can get around this by panelling the board, run several sets of gcode together and just do an offset.

Not an Eagle specific issue but a general isolation milling issue, unless your machine is *very* accurate and you're cutting bit and height control can produce an 8mill or so cut then you're limited to simpler boards with wide spacings, small surface mounted are tricky to do.


I've settled on a hybrid method where I use eagle to produce the .brd and ULP output gcode. I mill the board to shape and drill the part and mounting holes and then toner transfer etch using the holes to line up each side. Works well, is fast and I've recently got it down to 8mill tracks reliably and can go from a .brd file to soldering in around an hour.

It's a Shame my design skills are not up to speed yet...

Andrew

[alphatroniqu]

Hi admin ;-)

Most pcb milling machine that im have see is specialy made for this
and use Modified HPGL Language and most of time costom file format
my LPKF protomat use dedicated cam/controller software

also mechanical pcb etching is not realy doable whit a mill
ya im knot that some ppl made it but this is a bit unreliable
but for got a chache to made it you need a way to keep bit at
less that +/- 1mill from pcb surface (adjsutement on a lpkf milling is +/- 18 micron) ther machine use feet around the bit for push down the pcb material and sense the height also pcb miling bit need at least 20k rpm for good cut ..

so if you planig to made torug hole pcb whit 20mil wide trace this may ok
but if you try to made 4 mill wide trace smt circuit a mill is not the solution

personaly im have both im have a taig mill and a LPKF protomat C60 PCB milling

Best Regard
Marc lalonde
IPC Certified PCB Designer
Alphatronique

[pminmo]

I run Eagle 4.13 on XP sp2 fine.

Phil

[cncadmin]

It's a friend of mines computer it will not load on, I tried it on mine and it works no problem.

[sbrpollock]

Paul:

In order to get it to install on one of my machines I had to set the instalation ".EXE" file to run in compatibility mode.

In other words, once you have it downloaded and are ready to install, right-click on the file "eagle-4.XXr2e.exe", click on properties, click on the compatibility tab, put a check mark in the box that says:"Run this program in compatibility mode for:", and then select "Windows 2000" in the drop-down menu box.

Once you do this, when you click on the instalation file, it will run and install.

NOTE: Doing this ONLY runs the "instalation program" in compatibility mode and does not affect the way Eagle runs after it is installed.

[cncadmin]

Thanks that's a great tip, I will have my friend try that.

[TigerPilot]

I have both the Eagle and the ExpressPCB and I found the Express to be more intuitive than the Eagle. I have not much usage time on either so that my comments are only first impressions. I couldn’t find how to draw library components in Eagle but had no problem doing it with Express. I found the options for line drawing in Eagle way superior.

Yoram