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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PCB manufacture
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Herry Senior Member  Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Although I enjoy working with breadboards and then Vero board, where Pebble is a great design tool, and am rapidly getting used to sPlan for circuits, I am now thinking of the next step and progressing to custom made PCBs. I am only contemplating single layer (both sides) at the moment. What are recommendations for either a simple PCB design program and/or a company that reliably and reasonably cheaply makes custom PCBs in a quantity of one-to (say) six? Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
There are lots of PCB houses, but I personally like Shenzhen2U. US$9 for 10 pcs 50x50 double-sided PCB. US$12 for 10 pcs 100x100 double-sided PCB. They also do four-layer, and their premium PCB service(which is more expensive) lets you do 6 or more layers, buried vias, blind vias etc. You are not going to want that at this stage, I would think. 
There is also Itead Studio which come in a close 2nd for me, but SH2U seem to have the cheapest prices and I have been using SH2U now for more then a year and have never had any issues with their boards. Other members will no doubt come up with some other PCB houses. EDIT: Oh, and you mentioned PCB programs. I know is sounds like I am advertising for them, but I am really not. I use and love Sprint Layout 6. I use this all the time(even more often the Splan) to design all my PCB layouts, including 4-layer ones. There are even more PCB programs then PCB houses, so no doubt other members will chime in with their favourites. Sprint Layout is not free(like Splan), but I like it cos it is simple, small and efficient at what it does. The one thing it does lack is a good auto-router or the ability to dynamically place things and have the software auto-move existing tracks to make way for the new thing. It does have an auto-router, but it is a very basic one, and I never use it. This could be a pain depending on how you approach that issue, but for me, other then knowing that SL6 lacks that ability, I have not found it to stump my design process that much. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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bigmik Guru  Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2948 |
Hi Herry, I use autotrax DEX (costs $49 from kov.com) it is full featured and no limitations (except the free ware ELECTRA autorouter has some limits but you can manual route with no limit). There are free programs out there that others use to great effect. Shenzhen2U is my current PCB Manufacturer of choice. They do QTY 10 5cm square Double sided plated holes and silk screen solder mask etc for $8.90US ($11.90US for 10cm square) and shipping varies depending the choices but range from slow China post (about 3weeks) for $(US to DHL (about 4 days) for around $20US. Their quality is fantastic. They also send pictures to to you as they ship (If you check the box). Here is a link to the photo of my LATEST ORDER to give you an idea of what they look like. To see the boards themselves take a look at any of the manuals I have in my site for my boards at My Boards Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2948 |
Crikey, Pipped at the post by that damn kiwi again..
Got in whilst I was typing... Low act..   
Mick EDIT*** The cost for snail mail starts at around $9US and that link to my pictures is a dud.. This is the correct `working' link to the photo of MY LATEST boards.. Mik Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
Not on purpose, Mick. 
I think it was YOU who put me(and others at the time) on to SH2U anyway, so...... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2948 |
No problems (of course) Grogs, All good! Here is a link that can compare prices from 27 different manufacturers. PCB Shopper Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Trying Sprint Layout. It appears that you have to actually design the board (place the tracks) rather than make an autorouted board from a circuit. Am I expecting too much? Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
Yes. In SL, you have to lay all the tracks manually. This is something that irritates some people. Me, I get a feeling of accomplishment by manually routing all the tracks. "It appears you have to actually design the board" - I love that line! Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
I believe there are programs that will generate a board design given the circuit diagram and some details like the physical dimensions of some components. Having said that, further playing with this is making me more familiar. I noticed that when resiting some parts, the tracks moved to suit but crossovers were not avoided. Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Was a problem... solved! Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Re 'automatic' I have in mind those programs where you enter the nets and the traces are automatically routed between components that of course you first manually place. But I have been playing with Sprint for some days now and I really like it, although it doesn't do that. I especially like the test prod! Matthias (one of the developers?) always answers queries by email very promptly too. I am buying the full version today. Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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Clockmanfr Guru Joined: 23/10/2015 Location: FrancePosts: 437 |
bigmik, When you have finished doing your PCB, and go to publish for gerber files for shenzhen2u, could you explain what you actually do please. Thanks Everything is possible, just give me time. 3 HughP's 3.7m Wind T's (14 years). 5kW PV on 3 Trackers, (10 yrs). 21kW PV AC coupled SH GTI's. OzInverter created Grid. 1300ah 48v. |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Having finished and tested the design (using the test prod): File > Export > Gerber Export... (then you will find that the lower button to Create Gerber File is greyed out. You now need to select each layer by checking the boxes on the left. In my case it was C1, C2, S1 and Outline. The Create Gerber File Button will now be active.) I can't believe I'm actually answering something instead of asking it! Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Clockmanfr Guru Joined: 23/10/2015 Location: FrancePosts: 437 |
Thanks Herry. Okay will have to work around that some how. Everything is possible, just give me time. 3 HughP's 3.7m Wind T's (14 years). 5kW PV on 3 Trackers, (10 yrs). 21kW PV AC coupled SH GTI's. OzInverter created Grid. 1300ah 48v. |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
If you have the full paid for version (delete the trial version first) you should not have to workaround... Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
Yes, that test-probe is INVALUABLE. I use it ALL the time, to ensure that tracks go to where they should, and that I have not crossed it with something else by mistake. I also love the Photoview. It's fantastic to see how your board will look from the factory when you get it back. While this photoviewer cannot show 3D components like some of the other softwares(which is very sexy), I can live without that. I think you will find that the full version is money well spent. 
@ Clockmanfr - If you are playing with the trial version, I don't think you can export or print your designs. You need the full version for that from what I remember. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Yes, he does. And yes it *is* well spent. Just a few drinks at the local and less than a decent meal out for me +wife. And photoview is lovely. One of neatest pieces of software I have seen for a long time (not of course nearly as complex as say VB6, but up there for intuitivity). The only pity is that there is not an English help forum. Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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| Herry Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 261 |
Grogster: I was mystified by the little dots that showed up beside components on the silk screen,. I though I had found that they are there if you 'Add as a component' and go away if you 'Disintegrate a component' (sounds nasty... EDit: but no doubt a literal German translation -- after all it is 'removing the integration', it's just that the Elglish connotation and usage is more dramatic) And I was going to check with you my assumption for that for purely PCB manufacture, (rather than having the boards stuffed/populated) the components need not be 'added'. However, on trying both again this afternoon I cannot make the little dots show up again! EDIT: Found them. They are tinier that I remember this morning! Senior?! Whatever it says, I'm a complete and utter beginner... |
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lew247 Guru Joined: 23/12/2015 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1702 |
I've got to highly recommend http://www.pcbgogo.com/ I've had about 6 lots of boards made by them now. They are always efficient, best of all cheap and are very very helpful either by email or online chat and can usually help with almost any problem you put their way. The last lot of boards was finished on Friday in China and was delivered yesterday Monday by DHL (well they tried to deliver but I was out - it's coming today) If the cost of postage including import duties is too high - email them and they'll do their best to help. Sample of their pcb's I had done 
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