gerber milling

[smarbaga]

i have a gerber file here.
i was wondering if anyone could load it into there mill software to see if it will
run ok ( dry run perhaps )
i believe that kcam can accept gerber and excellon files.
i would like to know before i choose a software package to use.

attached gerber data file:gerber.txt
what it should look like:gerber.jpg

this is a pc board layout that the pc board manufacturers run in there photo plotters.
excellon files are the pc board drill files
i have those files as well but if the software can understanf gerber files it should be able to run excellon files as well ( i guess)

thank you

[CLaNZeR]

Just pulled it into Kcam and seems to of isolated it okay.

Find attached the result.

Regards

Sean.

[smarbaga]

ty very much sean.
what would you say a good minimum trace width for a mill to handle would be ( say no backlash ) and trace distance apart ?
would you say kcam is one of the more popular porgrams for home use ?

[Karl_T]

Say,

I was all set to mill myself a board a while back...

I found this place could do it better and for less cost than the tooling I'd need.
https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp

[smarbaga]

thanks karl
i have delt with these people before,
friendly, profesional and reasonabally priced

[CLaNZeR]

Kcam seems an easy option if you can get your Gerber exported in the right format to suit the options defined in Kcam and using Protel it does a pretty good job.
Make the space between your tracks as wide as you can and same goes for the width of the actual tracks.
I got a bad habit of letting the Autoroute choose my track sizes and best routing policy, as have spent years sending away double sided protoype boards, but now playing with milling them out it does take a bit of thought.

Found another PCB package the other day that does the Isolation for milling and exports it as a DXF.
You can download a trial from http://www.diptrace.com . Must admit I did not have time to try it out fully as the trial ran out and as usual it takes time to get used to laying up in a new application.
Starting at $145.00 for small pcbs with upto 500 pads, it is a good price and a nice milling feature chucked in.

Regards

Sean.

Originally Posted by smarbaga ty very much sean. what would you say a good minimum trace width for a mill to handle would be ( say no backlash ) and trace distance apart ? would you say kcam is one of the more popular porgrams for home use ?

[smarbaga]

thanks CLanzer .
i use orcad, i guess there gerber is the same as protel, the pc board houses don't complain.
i have a couple of sop's ( small outline package )
the trace width is 0.010" and 0.010" apart.
is this number out of the question for say an engraver bit or something like that.
i think my almost done machine will have the acuracy.( 6" x 6" x 2" movement) backlash not measurable with the guage i have. 0.0005"
i know tsops ( tiny small outline package ) would be out with tracks at (0.004" wide, 0.004" apart

karl t
all pc board houses can do a better job than a mill can.
.. sorry to say ..

[CLaNZeR]

Hi Karl

I will get out me conversion program and let ya know LOL! to used to working in MM's here.
You will be surprised at how close you can get the tracks if you get the spindle speed nice and high along with the correct travel speed. I carved a piece of FR4 up left right and center while experiementing with speeds and feeds.
check out the PCB example I have on my site at http://www.cncdudez.com

Am still working on a floating head here that I feel will improve it no end.
The theory with a floating head is that using the right engraving bit combined with the correct feed and spindle speed then the cutter will only drop as deep as it can while moving and setting the correct depth on your Z-Axis is then not a issue as it will be level even across workpieces that are uneven.
Engraving machines have used floating head spindles for years but they are either very expensive or very hard to source.
Find picture attached of an example.
I do not think you will have any problems with the backlash you are talking there, as the pressure when engraving onto a blank pcb is hardly anything at all to effect your machine.

I agree that I can also get better results using a light box and chemicals or a pcb factory, but I would love to get 100% away from chemicals and get it off to a fine art.
Just being able to use the machine for the drill files is a bonus compared to doing it by hand.

Regards

Sean.

Originally Posted by smarbaga thanks CLanzer . i use orcad, i guess there gerber is the same as protel, the pc board houses don't complain. i have a couple of sop's ( small outline package ) the trace width is 0.010" and 0.010" apart. is this number out of the question for say an engraver bit or something like that. i think my almost done machine will have the acuracy.( 6" x 6" x 2" movement) backlash not measurable with the guage i have. 0.0005" i know tsops ( tiny small outline package ) would be out with tracks at (0.004" wide, 0.004" apart karl t all pc board houses can do a better job than a mill can. .. sorry to say ..

[smarbaga]

with everything integrated these days and the complexity some that some of these tasks requirethe breadboaed thing is sometimes out of the question,
especially if you want to test your design in its proposed enviorment ( shaking , hot cold, whatever).
the convenience of being able to run off 1 or 2 would be a great savings not only in time but in dollars (large).
i try to make things in interchangeable modules so if it works well and i get another get rich brainstorm ( will i guess the next will be the first) i don't have to re-invent the wheel.