FBJ said:
Thanx, just a couple of comments.
I know Borbely sells them, but i was trying to illustrate the difficulty by which to obtain these parts.... i am not aware of a single place in my entire country that sells violets and i know many others are in a similar position.
I agree totally that most DIYer's want there creation to be individual and i too am of that opinion but for most of us, quality heatsinks and cases or even the raw materials are often very difficult to obtain .... i'll be building a case for my XA/X-Aleph when i get around to it but i have to send the case 1/2 way across the country to get the anodising done .... quite frankly, the lack of access to resources does begin to get a little frustrating.
I'm not familiar with ExpressPCB or Orcad Layout or any others method ....... I'm just curious if this layout can be drafted on ACAD and somehow the production company can convert that into some other format to make the board.
Or ..... it may not even have to convert to anything ........ just "iron" this layout onto the bare raw board and pour "chemical" onto it ...... doing it the crude way ...... not so good looking ....... but can be done?
Or ..... it may not even have to convert to anything ........ just "iron" this layout onto the bare raw board and pour "chemical" onto it ...... doing it the crude way ...... not so good looking ....... but can be done?
Pass DIY Addict
Joined 2000
Paid Member
Hello all -
I was definitely joking about Nelson opening stores... Although having a reliable source for parts would be great!
Brian - The board layout looks nice. I have yet to check against schematic but will do so tonight. A couple of suggestions:
a) I would suggest mounting holes in each of the four corners unless you have some other plan for mounting...
b) Are you planning on a ground plane on the unused side of the board? I think it could be to our benefit...
That's all for now...
Thanks for all of your effort!
Steve
I was definitely joking about Nelson opening stores... Although having a reliable source for parts would be great!
Brian - The board layout looks nice. I have yet to check against schematic but will do so tonight. A couple of suggestions:
a) I would suggest mounting holes in each of the four corners unless you have some other plan for mounting...
b) Are you planning on a ground plane on the unused side of the board? I think it could be to our benefit...
That's all for now...
Thanks for all of your effort!
Steve
Apogee:
As stated, this is not the final board, I made it so that I can get a layout of components and routing that I liked. I am redoing it in gerber now, with better spacing, and mounting holes.
I have been trying to use Orcad Layout, but I think I will give this a rest and use Protel 99 instead. There is a free fully functional 30 day demo that you can get from their site. I also think they have a fairly cheap educational student deal, which I might get if I like it. It can export Gerber files.
I talked to Empire Electronics today, and will get exact quotes from them when the gerber files are done.
If anyone wants to draft up a board layout for the output transistors, I can send it to them along with the gerber format and get an estimate for those also interested. My preferred format for the output board would be to make it for 3 devices, requiring 4 boards for an Aleph 2. This would be the most versatile, and would work for other smaller Aleph projects. You can easily make the board so that you can tie 2 - 3 device boards together with a few wires. The cost for 2 small boards compared to one big one, is the same, if the total size is the same.
I will post the gerber layout pictures when it is done.
Please take some time and make sure that my layout matches the schematic correctly. I am pretty sure that it does.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
As stated, this is not the final board, I made it so that I can get a layout of components and routing that I liked. I am redoing it in gerber now, with better spacing, and mounting holes.
I have been trying to use Orcad Layout, but I think I will give this a rest and use Protel 99 instead. There is a free fully functional 30 day demo that you can get from their site. I also think they have a fairly cheap educational student deal, which I might get if I like it. It can export Gerber files.
I talked to Empire Electronics today, and will get exact quotes from them when the gerber files are done.
If anyone wants to draft up a board layout for the output transistors, I can send it to them along with the gerber format and get an estimate for those also interested. My preferred format for the output board would be to make it for 3 devices, requiring 4 boards for an Aleph 2. This would be the most versatile, and would work for other smaller Aleph projects. You can easily make the board so that you can tie 2 - 3 device boards together with a few wires. The cost for 2 small boards compared to one big one, is the same, if the total size is the same.
I will post the gerber layout pictures when it is done.
Please take some time and make sure that my layout matches the schematic correctly. I am pretty sure that it does.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Update on current status of pcbs and purchase:
I managed to download the free fully functional 30 day trial of Protel 99, which allows for the creation of gerber files. I have the board partially layed out. It is pretty easy to learn. It took me a couple of hours to learn about the functionality and layout about 20 components and wire them together. I am just copying the layout that I made with ExpressPCB.
People have e-mailed me asking for around 20 sets of boards. This is good. I might cap the order at 50 boards (25 sets). If you still want in on the order, e-mail me at: gte619j@prism.gatech.edu with the subject "Aleph pcb boards"
The cost most likely will be $50 for 2 main aleph pcbs shipped to you. They should be good looking boards. Once I get the layout transferred to gerber, I can send it to board manufacturers and get exact quotes on the price. Once I get these, I will put up a webpage with pictures of the layout and details on the price, and where to send money.
I am hoping to get the board finished tommorrow. I am taking off work to match 125 IRFP240 devices. I will post my matching yield, if anyone would like to also purchase matched sets of them.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
I managed to download the free fully functional 30 day trial of Protel 99, which allows for the creation of gerber files. I have the board partially layed out. It is pretty easy to learn. It took me a couple of hours to learn about the functionality and layout about 20 components and wire them together. I am just copying the layout that I made with ExpressPCB.
People have e-mailed me asking for around 20 sets of boards. This is good. I might cap the order at 50 boards (25 sets). If you still want in on the order, e-mail me at: gte619j@prism.gatech.edu with the subject "Aleph pcb boards"
The cost most likely will be $50 for 2 main aleph pcbs shipped to you. They should be good looking boards. Once I get the layout transferred to gerber, I can send it to board manufacturers and get exact quotes on the price. Once I get these, I will put up a webpage with pictures of the layout and details on the price, and where to send money.
I am hoping to get the board finished tommorrow. I am taking off work to match 125 IRFP240 devices. I will post my matching yield, if anyone would like to also purchase matched sets of them.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
yes, drop me an e-mail. I will post the results tommorrow night and if I have two more sets left, I will offer them to people.
I figured $100 for 24 closely matched devices. That covers my cost, my time matching and shipping. (I dropped quite a bit of cash buying 125 devices).
I will post an excel spread sheet of the measurements of all of the devices, once i get them all matched.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
I figured $100 for 24 closely matched devices. That covers my cost, my time matching and shipping. (I dropped quite a bit of cash buying 125 devices).
I will post an excel spread sheet of the measurements of all of the devices, once i get them all matched.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Current status of Aleph PCB order
Current status of the Aleph PCB order:
I spoke to some professors, and I have reworked the board for optimum layout, with 45 degree angles when possible. It also will be more symetrical. I am almost done with it, with Protel99, which will output in gerber format. I should have the cost of the boards determined on monday when I send them my board layout in gerber. From that point, I will post the cost and details. I have had 20 people express interest in buying a set so far.
As for the confusion of the C7, and the variations with other Aleph amplifiers, besides the Aleph 2, I asked Nelson Pass, and got this response:
"The value of the npn compensation cap pretty much depends on the placment. .001 for CB or .01 for CE."
This means that it does not matter if you put it from the collector to base, or from the collector to emitter, as long as you use the right value.
The board is looking much better then the last design with ExpressPCB. I will post picture once I finish it and debug it appropiately.
As for the matching of the Mosfets, I spent over 10 hours in the senior electronics lab, matching them, and I had an unfortuate problem of losing a bunch of measurements, due to my forgetting to save the spreadsheet. I have matched 72 of the 125 so far, and the results are very good.
Excel spreadsheet of first 72 measurements
I will get the rest matched next week.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Current status of the Aleph PCB order:
I spoke to some professors, and I have reworked the board for optimum layout, with 45 degree angles when possible. It also will be more symetrical. I am almost done with it, with Protel99, which will output in gerber format. I should have the cost of the boards determined on monday when I send them my board layout in gerber. From that point, I will post the cost and details. I have had 20 people express interest in buying a set so far.
As for the confusion of the C7, and the variations with other Aleph amplifiers, besides the Aleph 2, I asked Nelson Pass, and got this response:
"The value of the npn compensation cap pretty much depends on the placment. .001 for CB or .01 for CE."
This means that it does not matter if you put it from the collector to base, or from the collector to emitter, as long as you use the right value.
The board is looking much better then the last design with ExpressPCB. I will post picture once I finish it and debug it appropiately.
As for the matching of the Mosfets, I spent over 10 hours in the senior electronics lab, matching them, and I had an unfortuate problem of losing a bunch of measurements, due to my forgetting to save the spreadsheet. I have matched 72 of the 125 so far, and the results are very good.
Excel spreadsheet of first 72 measurements
I will get the rest matched next week.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
If you know me an easy method of shipping them to you, I will ship them.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
hmmm, maybe if i get them shipped to san fran, i could get a mate to bring them down to me......
count me out for the first shipment, but ill assume that you will be doing more in the future, so ill hold out till then, im just buying some new Seas tweeters for evaluation, use, and probably a few (7) AKSA amps.
count me out for the first shipment, but ill assume that you will be doing more in the future, so ill hold out till then, im just buying some new Seas tweeters for evaluation, use, and probably a few (7) AKSA amps.
USPS Global Priority
Hey guys, the USPS will deliver, to Australia, up to 8oz (14g) in 4-5 day via Global Priority for $9 USD. Here's there site.
http://ircalc.usps.gov/speed.asp?Country=Australia&Pounds=0&Ounces=8&cmdSubmit=Continue&Contents=0
As long as the buyer pays the shipping, it's pretty easy and quick.
In this deal, the more the merrier, and the cheaper.
Rodd Yamashita
Hey guys, the USPS will deliver, to Australia, up to 8oz (14g) in 4-5 day via Global Priority for $9 USD. Here's there site.
http://ircalc.usps.gov/speed.asp?Country=Australia&Pounds=0&Ounces=8&cmdSubmit=Continue&Contents=0
As long as the buyer pays the shipping, it's pretty easy and quick.
In this deal, the more the merrier, and the cheaper.
Rodd Yamashita
we must also consider customs duties payable for overseas shipments.... in australia it works out to about 15% on top of product + shipping cost and there is also the exchange rate which is not particularly friendly to us here ... so if a pair of boards was say US$50, then it'd be about AU$135 by the time they arrived here.
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