From schematic to PCB?!

[jhovel]

With some help from a friend, I have designed a circuit to control the motor of a special felt rolling machine I built for my wife.
The prototype is working just as intended but is "birdsnest" construction.
And now she wants another machine
I really would like to do a PCB for both machines (print-iron-etch) and so have tried a couple of ways of laying out the tracks - and failed miserably.

I've tried it manually with ExpressPCB(.com) but got nowhere at all.
Next I tried Eagle from CadSoft.de - and only got little closer using it's autorouting feature.

What I seem to be missing is the mental image of where to put the components in relation to each other. I can move things about and watch the traces get more or less tangled, but I can't get anywhere with any of the strategies I tried.

I'd really like someone to have a look and help me - or point me in the right direction.
It needs to be a single-sided PCB but I don't mind using wire bridges to help untangle the traces.

I've attached the original schematic and both EAGLE and ExpressPCB file attempts.

Anyone here clever enough to get me under way again?

Cheers,
Joe

[GeorgeRace]

Below is a link to the DesignSpart program. It will take your schematic diagram and create a complete printed circuit board layout, all by itself.

It can be downloaded from the link below. The best part, it is a free program and it really works very well for making a PCB from a Schematic Diagram.

DesignSpark | The gateway to online resources and design support for engineers

Hope this helps,
George

[mmcp42]

well I downloaded your EAGLE files
got about 90% through routing

hmm some of your components (R5 and C5 for example) only has one end connected
R9 (pot) seems to have all 3 joined together!!

also, what version of EAGLE are you using?
the schematic is frozen and seems to be missing a lot of layers

I'm using 5.11.0

as a general guide, rather than laying your components out to make pretty patterns
lay them out a bit like the schematic
turn them round if it makes routing easier
also a neat trick is to route wires under larger components like resistors
means fewer links are required in a single sided board

here's as far as I got

[mmcp42]

very odd
opened the files up again - and seems to be ok to edit the schematic now!

I noticed you are dropping pads at every joint
you only need them where there are two wires, not at each end of every component

[mmcp42]

ok managed to route it all bar about 4 wires



if you like I can post the EAGLE files

disclaimer
btw I did no sanity checking on the layout itself!!!

[mmcp42]

finally
just two wire links required
but I did re-arrange the larger components to get there



PS if you want these removing - just bellow!

[doorknob]

Not to trivialize its usual meaning, but in light of your efforts to help the OP, the phrase, "above and beyond the call of duty" comes to mind.

[jhovel]

Man that is brilliant!
mmcp42 - that is very much appreciated, and well beyond the call!
To answer your questions: I'm using Eagle 5.10 and this was my first attempt beyond the tutorial.I didn't drop pads deliberately, they seemed to be put there by Eagle as I worked. I'm not sure what you mean by "missing layers" and couldn't figure out why some things didn't connect when they looked connected in the schematic (like one leg to the potentiometer R9).
Is there a way to include component-side wire bridges as components in PCB layout? I had a go a inserting 0ohm resistors, but that made things worse.
Anyway, I would appreciate the Eagle files posted so I can examine and learn from what you modified and how.
Many thanks again!
Joe
(joe AT hoevel DOT org)

[mmcp42]

I had a bit more of a play

I think the "missing layers" was because my first edit was directly from the zip file
(idiot - should have unzipped it, then run EAGLE)
so ignore that one

don't understand the extra pads
I always have to add them manually when it moans at me!

I fixed the missing connections - in the schematic - grab each component and "wiggle" it
the wires should move as well!

you also had a couple of extra wires that shorted some compenents (joined both ends)
zoom in and you can see them
I fixed those

anyway - here's the results
do check it carefully, though!

I've not worked out out to do links either
best I can do is break the wire and put pads at each side of the break

let me know if you have any queries
good luck

FeltRoller.zip

[jhovel]

Thank you once again mmcp42!
With your help, I have got a lot closer to understanding Eagle and how to use it.
I have managed to optimise the board a bit more and inserted the wire bridges as pairs of "vias". I also added a couple more to move the solder pads of the little transistor to get better clearance. I'll just "white-out" the tracks from the vias to the transistor pads after printing and bend it's wires a little.
I cleaned up the schematic a lot - now that I understand how (removed redundant pads etc).
Again, Thanks a lot!
Joe

[mmcp42]

my pleasure
didn't take that long to do

I've got so much out of this forum, it's nice to be able to give something back

do check the circuit carefully though!

good luck
Mike