Left hand side menu, first icon (a TO220 device), hover over it and it says "add component", click it and you get the component library. You are not trying too hard I'd say.
Someone on another thread complained about there not being design rules checks and they must have been referring to an old version. This version has a very long list of DRCs.
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I would also add that the RS Components Design Spark software lets you import any previous Eagle designs you may have. This is "pretty cool", as it will output Gerber files directly, unlike Eagle. Great for sending them a PCB house for real boards. I use Gold Phoenix, $110. for 150 Sq. inches, 2 sided, fed-ex shipment included. Hard to beat that.
I like the unlimited board size, also unlike the free version of Eagle. Good for DIY power supply designs with big caps, and tube stuff. I had no problems with it, but then again, I've met and conquered a lot of these programs before. You know it has the "feature" you need, it takes some poking about, and reading help, to find it.
Bob
I like the unlimited board size, also unlike the free version of Eagle. Good for DIY power supply designs with big caps, and tube stuff. I had no problems with it, but then again, I've met and conquered a lot of these programs before. You know it has the "feature" you need, it takes some poking about, and reading help, to find it.
Bob
A quick note to those in Bangalore, India.
I have had good success in making my own PCBs, with almost professional results. You can buy all the stuff you need locally. You will need to make a UV exposure unit with a UV tube and a stand to hold your board. You will also need a darkroom for the lithography. You can buy lith film and all the developing chems locally. The steps are:
1) Make your layout. Print it out on good photo paper, inverted.
2) Expose lith film and make a contact negative 1:1.
3) Develop the lith film. to get a negative.
4) Prepare the copper clad board.
5) Coat with negative photo resist (available locally). Has a delightful smell
6) Expose the film and board with the UV light unit.
7) Wash the board with the PR developer (nasty!)
8) Highlight with the blue dye chem.
9) Wash with water
10) Touch up defects with indelible marker
11) Etch with Ferric Chloride.
Two sided boards are do-able, provided you dont make any vias under inaccessible holes. Ive been using this technique for many years. The results are very good, tho I will probably die of cancer or some other dreadful disease.
vkj
VKJ,
Are these available in hobbyist quantities? Could you
post the brand-names, approx costing and where they could be bought?
I guess these are typically stocked by silk-screen supply stores.
How about the UV light source - the UV tubes and ballasts?
Pics would be great. Thanks!
My point is - if I need a tutorial to put down one (any) component on the sheet, I really don't want to get serious about it. I have better things to do than to learn awkwardly designed and unintuitive UIs.
Eagle is far from intuitive too, but I could at least start right away without any tutorial whatsoever.
Thanks
Another tip: if your iron is too hot, try rolling plumber's copper (or alu) tube between iron and the paper. It will reduce the temp and at same time distribute pressure perfectly; or simply reduce the temp of the iron until it stops burning the paper
It takes time and experimentation. If your iron is too hot, it will melt and smear the toner, if it's too cold, the toner won't stick.
Sometimes one just have to bite the bullet......
I've been through several PCB programs during the last 25 years...
They all have one major thing in common - the very steep learning curve!
OTOH - if you've learnt one properly, there is a common funtionality among them, that makes it a lot easier to learn a new one......
Express PCB seems OK for small layouts. I've never tried Eagle, as we have used OrCAD at work for the last 15 years or so......
As for making he boards - positive resist PCBs seems to have the major share in prototyping boards, and are as I can see not very much more expensive than uncoated boards, probably due to the amount used. Using positive coatings saves one step - the film reversal, as we used earlier.
Developer for positive resist is usually nothing but caustic soda, usually at a concentration of 12-14 g/liter.......
Layouts can be printed on laser or ink jet transparencies, - sometimes one needs to stack a couple of films to get enough contrast. There are special films in the market to make these printouts, but it is somewhat expensive..
Just my 10c..........
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Indeed
For those that were asking about paper I use, it's this one:
Aro Photo Inkjet Paper Glossy - Testberichte und Preisvergleich von Shops
For those that were asking about paper I use, it's this one:
Aro Photo Inkjet Paper Glossy - Testberichte und Preisvergleich von Shops
I agree, anyone remember Dash-Able that ran on early PCs with a Hercules graphics card?
Dash-Abel schematic capture interface | Computer History Museum
I can't find any other mention of it on the web.
Another early system that I used was Mentor Graphics on Apollo workstations.
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Hi Pete,
You're old ....
Hi zdr,
Are you using an inkjet printer? I just realized what kind of paper you are using and I'm worried about running that through a laser printer. The fuzer is what might suffer here. I do have some inkjet transfer paper, but I was planning on using it for panel markings. It's probably cheaper to use for the component side lettering too.
-Chris
You're old ....
Hi zdr,
Are you using an inkjet printer? I just realized what kind of paper you are using and I'm worried about running that through a laser printer. The fuzer is what might suffer here. I do have some inkjet transfer paper, but I was planning on using it for panel markings. It's probably cheaper to use for the component side lettering too.
-Chris
Chris,
You have a valid concern, but I did not have any issues with this paper running through my laser printer Samsung ML1640. You mileage may vary (and probably will), so proceed with caution.
Toner peels of the paper so nicely, together with paper laminate, that I could not believe my eyes. It even leaves 0.6 mm drill holes without any trace of laminate or toner. I was soaking it in water before before I decided to try dry pull - and I am so glad that I did
Neb.
You have a valid concern, but I did not have any issues with this paper running through my laser printer Samsung ML1640. You mileage may vary (and probably will), so proceed with caution.
Toner peels of the paper so nicely, together with paper laminate, that I could not believe my eyes. It even leaves 0.6 mm drill holes without any trace of laminate or toner. I was soaking it in water before before I decided to try dry pull - and I am so glad that I did
Neb.
Hi Pete,
You're old ....
-Chris
I was thinking that having found software I remember and used in a museum, lol!
It ran on DOS 2.0 and did not require a hard drive, lol! The first PCs did not have
hard drives, just in case some do not remember those systems.
We used it several years later on 286 and 386 systems.
I came across the first circuit board that I made when I was about 9 years old.
It was this "Two-By-Two" Pre-amp from Popular Electronics:
Popular Electronics March 1967
My older brother made one also and I just copied what he did.
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I have no idea what type of developer comes with the presensitized boards that I buy. can anyone identify it? It looks like white crystalline substance (not much different from sugar, but whiter) and when dissolved in water has a kinda slippery feel to it much like soap or slime but does not form suds (bubbles).
Im assuming you are in Bangalore. Reading the recent posts on the "Laser Printer" method, I can say this process far more complicated. But I havent had any success with the Laser printer method, and moreover, I only have a cheap Epson inkjet
. So I use this. There are no brand names. The retailer re-packages the chems in smaller quantities. But they are still quite expensive. You need: (1) Negative Photo Resist (PR). (2) PR developer (3) Blue dye (4) PR solvent (5) Pumice powder. (6) Ferric Chloride
For the lithography: (1) Lith film (2) Lith film developer (3) "Hypo"
All these chems are available on one of the side streets off BVK Iyengar Road, near KG Rd. I would say the chems would cost you about Rs 600. Note that these processes are formulated for produciton quantities, so naturally making one board works out quite a pain in effort and expense and time. One batch of chems can easliy make about 10-15 boards. There will be quite a few failures at first, till you get the hang of it.
The UV tube lights are available in Chickpet. They are small (9" x 0.75" dia) tubes dark blue/black in color (Chinese make). I forgot how much I paid for them. I used two of them. You can also buy the ballast and starter from the same shop. I wired the whole thing up on a plywood base (standard tubelight wiring). Then made a "box" around it with thin "zinc sheet", top open. You could also use thin guage Al. sheet, readily available in any hardware shop. Can be cut quite easily. The CC sheet is placed face down on the top of this box. You will also need a 100W Phillips flood light for exposing the lith film (Chickpet/BVKI Rd).
You will also need a 5mm clear glass sheet A4 size, a mouse pad or some such soft pad, and a A4 size plywood sheet. This is required to hold the CC sheet for exposing to the UV (see above), as well as exposing the lith film.
Obviously you would need some convenient darkroom facilities, with access to water. I wouldnt advise using the kitchen
. The blue dye mentioned above has an uncanny ability to get into every nook and corner. And it is PERMANENT!If you still are interested, let me know. I'll furnish more details.
vkj
Could be sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH). This is what commonly used to be used for resist developer, it has fallen out of use because it is dangerous by comparison with modern alternatives(poisonous, burns the skin in high concentrations). Sodium hydroxide is a white crystalline chemical which readily dissolves in water with the evolution of considerable heat to form a solution which feels soapy to the fingers. It's a principal reagent in the production of soap, reacting with fats to produce (typically) sodium stearate with glycerine as a by-product. It is very hygroscopic (takes water from the air) forming a strong solution on the surface of the crystals which is very dangerous due to its high concentration. If it gets on your skin wash copiously with water or vinegar. In low concentrations it may have little immediate effect on the skin but it should not be left in contact for long. A slow itch is the precursor to a burn.
I use it all the time. You just need to be careful.
SY's arguments are so compelling he would never be reduced to name-calling by the back door.
I think you are correct as indeed it is hygroscopic. I keep it in a sealed container as it lumps and turns into solid chunks (and sometimes looses effectivity) when exposed to air for a while. Although I have not experienced the heating when dissolving in water. Probably because I never follow the instructions. I just add a little at a time until it develops slowly. Too much and it just strips all the resist off the PCB.
It is most certainly sodium hydroxide..... we buy it at the painters shop and in some household stores.....much cheaper than the little bags.....
Concidering it is a one-time use, I usually mix up 2,5 liter from 30grams of regular household caustic soda, for the boards we use, which usually comes from german Bungard. I sometimes buy PCB substrate from a couple of other vendors, though. Never given me problems.....
I do recommend to use the correct mix, as too low concentration can give you problems with areas that should be cleared, too high and you risk pinholes and ragged edges, not to mention partial stripping of the resist.
and you're absolutely right ... the recommended stripper is just the same stuff in higher concentration, about 50-100 pr liter.
Concidering it is a one-time use, I usually mix up 2,5 liter from 30grams of regular household caustic soda, for the boards we use, which usually comes from german Bungard. I sometimes buy PCB substrate from a couple of other vendors, though. Never given me problems.....
I do recommend to use the correct mix, as too low concentration can give you problems with areas that should be cleared, too high and you risk pinholes and ragged edges, not to mention partial stripping of the resist.
and you're absolutely right ... the recommended stripper is just the same stuff in higher concentration, about 50-100 pr liter.
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