424
edits
Guides/PCB Fabrication: Difference between revisions
From London Hackspace Wiki
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
=== EAGLE CAD === | === EAGLE CAD === | ||
[[File:Eagle screenshot.jpg]] | [[File:Eagle screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|300px]][http://www.cadsoftusa.com/eagle-pcb-design-software/product-overview/?language=en EAGLE] is a low cost, hobbyist friendly bit of software that allows you to do schematic capture and PCB design. There is a freeware version, with some limitations on what you can do. The [http://uk.farnell.com/cadsoft/lsr-1ss/eagle-pcb-tool-lsr-hobbyist-1user/dp/2067881?Ntt=eagle+hobbyist Hobbyist license] costs £120. The layout area is restricted to a maximum of 160mm x 100mm (6.3inch x 3.9inch), a schematic can consist of a maximum of 99 sheets and a maximum number of 6 signal layers are allowed. Many thousands of components in Farnell's catalog are associated with EAGLE libraries. | ||
[http://www.cadsoftusa.com/eagle-pcb-design-software/product-overview/?language=en EAGLE] is a low cost, hobbyist friendly bit of software that allows you to do schematic capture and PCB design. There is a freeware version, with some limitations on what you can do. | |||
There are a number of tutorials available on the [http://www.cadsoftusa.com/training/tutorials/ Cadsoft website] and also [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG0O9LKH-_E&feature=share&list=PLB4C63828A483E756 youtube] | There are a number of tutorials available on the [http://www.cadsoftusa.com/training/tutorials/ Cadsoft website] and also [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG0O9LKH-_E&feature=share&list=PLB4C63828A483E756 youtube] | ||
| Line 23: | Line 21: | ||
=== KiCad === | === KiCad === | ||
[[File:Kicad pcbnew.png]] | [[File:Kicad pcbnew.png|thumb|right|300px]][http://www.kicad-pcb.org/ KiCad] is an EDA software suite for the creation of professional schematics and printed circuit boards up to 16 layers. KiCad runs on Windows, Linux and Apple OS X and is released under the open-source GNU GPL v2 free of charge. | ||
[http://www.kicad-pcb.org/ KiCad] is an EDA software suite for the creation of professional schematics and printed circuit boards up to 16 layers. KiCad runs on Windows, Linux and Apple OS X and is released under the open-source GNU GPL v2 free of charge. | |||
The particularly useful thing about KiCad is that it is entirely unlimited, and also free. This means you can design 4 layer boards without having to buy any (possibly restrictive) software licenses. It's extremely powerful, but somewhat unorthodox. | The particularly useful thing about KiCad is that it is entirely unlimited, and also free. This means you can design 4 layer boards without having to buy any (possibly restrictive) software licenses. It's extremely powerful, but somewhat unorthodox. | ||
There is a full [http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/Tutorials Getting Started guide] on the KiCad website, as well as various tutorials on [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kicad+tutorials youtube] to help you get started. | There is a full [http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/Tutorials Getting Started guide] on the KiCad website, as well as various tutorials on [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kicad+tutorials youtube] to help you get started. | ||
=== DesignSpark PCB === | |||
[http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/eng/page/designspark-pcb-home-page DesignSpark PCB] is free, has unlimited schematic sheets per project, up to 1m squared of board size and no limits on layers. It can be used for schematic capture, PCB board design & layout, generating 3D views, and generating manufacturing files. Where appropriate, generating a Bill of Materials (BOM) report gives RS Components order numbers. | |||
=== Fritzing === | |||
[http://fritzing.org/home/ Fritzing] is open source, free software, devoted to making creative use of electronics accessible to everyone. It can be seen as an electronic design automation (EDA) tool for non-engineers. It uses a breadboard prototyping as the design basis. | |||
=== DipTrace === | |||
[http://www.diptrace.com/ DipTrace] offers schematic capture, PCB layout, component library creation and 3D modeling. There is a free version, ''DipTrace Lite'' which allows 500 pins and, 2 signal layers. Also it does shape-based auto-routing for optimizing length of traces. | |||
== Fabrication == | == Fabrication == | ||
