Opensource Code Pcb Designing

[crazy-modder]

Well guys, i had a little spare time on my hands today and decided i was gonna make some micro pcb designs for our opensource codes. This is a VERY small chip as you can see. It is made for tops fader code. I added a regular power supply point that that is used for 5v or lower and also added a spot for a resistor if you decide to run more than 5v. I also added 4 solder points for pins 5,6,7 of the 12f683 chip so you can wire multiple leds in parallel without having a huge glob of solder on the pins. This is cv.01 and i decide to make updates as i get better with this new program i have.

THESE DESIGNS ARE FOR HOMEMADE PRINTING (using a laser jet etc.) Tutorial coming soon, once i get a laserjet lol.


This chip is about the size of a dime and can be placed in the smallest of spaces. Give me ideas on other pcb designs you would like to see. I am also open to suggestions (take it easy on me since im still getting used to this program.


Updated

[bdogpot]

Up on the top left hand corner wouldnt you need another vias or pad under the arrow with a trace connected to the point that the resistor leads to. so that way the resitor dosnt just lead to know where.

[crazy-modder]

lol, it doesn't lead to nowhere. The other end of the resistor is where you connect your power to. The green circle is where the hole would be drilled.


Modified post: Ahh yes, i do see what you are saying. I will have to add a small trace to another pad to correct that. Thank you for pointing that out.

[Hazer]

He means you should have a seperate pad to solder to instead of having to solder to the leg of the resistor.

PS: Using a resistor to 'drop' your voltage is a bad idea.

PSS: If your going to provide LED solder points, it would have been nice to have the resistor for them on the PCB. Now you have to free-form solder the resistor and ground for each LED. If you do the 4 pads on the ground like you did for the LED that should help.

Its still good work though. Keep going and find harder circuits to keep getting used to it.

[crazy-modder]

Thanks for the help hazer. I will redesign this tomorrow, its always good to get helpful suggestions

[FOOKz™]

Hey since you're doing this tutorial on how to design PCBs i will hurry up and the video demonstration this week on how to etch PCBs using toner transfer paper. We can link tutorials together.

(I still prefer toner copiers for it's thicker ink coating)

[bdogpot]

I just wanted to let you know i wasnt trying to be mean with what I said, just tryin to help. What program are you using, I just tried my drawing my first one last week. Eagle cad was what I used, seems like an ok program. Do you know of any better open sourse drawing programs like eagle cad? lookiing to find  one that really  suits they way I want to draw them.

[crazy-modder]

Hey bdog, no offense taken. Im glad you pointed that out, i cant believe i missed that lol. I also use EAGLE, its an amazing program so far.

@FOOKS That sounds great bro, it would save me tons of time and i dont have the cash right now to go buy a laser jet lol. I dont plan on making a tutorial on using EAGLE since I myself am still new to this program. What i had planned was to make requested pcb designs and designs for the opensource codes. There is also a way to do this with an inkjet, but you have to go buy some kind of 3m clear paper. But as you said, i recommend toner.

[Hazer]

Eagle is a great free program. Remember that most programs like this cost over $10K so a free one that has enough functionality to order boards is amazing. Its not like there are tons of other programs to chose from.

If you cannot afford a laser printer (they are <$40 now a days) you can always print on inkjet and then copy that print-out on a copier to get the toner on the sheets. You can have staples or other places do that for you for less than a buck on a high-end copier.

Oh, a good tutorial for Eagle:

Eagle Pcb Layout Tutorial 010709

[hyper999]

got something a little more complex you can try if you want (schematic attached)

its for the transistor tester we are trying to build, i know the schematic is correct but all of my pcbs have failed, i have been using expresspcb, im trying to move on to eagle but its slow.

and if you post it up here i'll even build it and test it in real life

[802Chives]

heres a tut some joker wrote for eagle quite a few years ago... probly not very up to date but was a first page hit on google until all the big shot universitys jumped on the bandwagon.  LOL

http://web.vtc.edu/elm/projects/2005-2006/FireFightingRobot/EagleStuff/EagleTutorial.pdf

I am using DipTrace now, which also has a free trial and is as cheap as eagle (if you buy it).  I used OrCad for several years and as a $10k program I always felt like it was an unfinished product that continually made you want smoother user interface, and less convuluted methods for trivial things like paneling designs.  The one program that made OrCad work and work well was GerbTool, without it OrCad was a 90% solution to PCB manufacture.


I recently went with DipTrace over Eagle because their user interface features are so intuitive that it was the fastest program for an experienced designer to get up and running on, and for $500 I felt like it was a better bang for the buck then the rest.  However on a hobby level I think that Eagle has the edge because they offer freeware and diptrace only offers a trial version.   I suspect DipTrace will become more popular as they continually improve the software and catch up to Eagle in user volume, just as a gut reaction to my user experience with both.

[Modded Matt]

the joker that wrote that paper is some piece of work huh?

[802Chives]

yeah I wrote it in the last couple of weeks in my last semester of college... not the biggest effort ever put into a tutorial, but I remember it coming out better then I thought it would.... could probably find the "companion file" for it.  LOL that was kindof of copout move hehehehe.

[FOOKz™]

The actual process of designing the PCB on any CAD program you want. Then this tut is gonna go through how to print, etch, clean, drill and then solder the board.

going to the library now. BRB.

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