All modern PCB drawing software generates gerber (fabrication) files, which not only include copper and silkscreen data, but also drill hole position and size.
And also extras such as solder mask data mounting holes, etc.
If all you have is an image, only a few PCB shops will take them, not easy to integrate them with other jobs.
The "secret" behind ultra cheap PCBs is that they can "join" many together into a huge, econonmy size one, and save a ton on setup and processing time, then they split them apart before delivery.
A typical "magazine photocopy" or printable PDF requires individual treatment and way higher waste of time.
These are meant for home DIYing
Just as an example, I make Guitar amplifiers and make my own PCBs in house, never order them from China.
In the large sizes I need (a guitar amp preamp board is almost as wide as the front panel because it includes all pots, switches, jacks, Leds, etc) and soon becomes very expensive, the typical "$5 sample" tends to be 5 x 5 cm or so, useless for me, so I use just the images to burn silkscreens and print them in large quantities.
I "should" buy a CNC controlled PCB drilling machine and there I would use Gerbers to control it.
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The images you saw in the thread were mostly screen captures, taken from the pcb editor (eagle in this case). The gerber files inside the zipped folder are not images but special files that a pcb manufacturer will use. You can just upload the zip at the ordering tool from JLCPCB.com for example and the online tool will calculate everything, no need to change anything (except the color if you really want to).
Btw, the gerbers are at post 80. I really need to create a blog for this. Beware that I also provided a zip with the orginal files from Eagle, no need for that. I've just reuploaded the correct zip to this post.
And finally, someone is selling a pair of boards right now : For sale - spare open source LM3886 PCB No affiliation but they look fine.
Hey, they turned out real nice!!! 😀
Congratulations. 😀
I only wish they would have included some text such as "designed by DIY Audio 00940" or something. 🙄
Due recognition for a tedious and well done job. 😎
Congratulations. 😀
I only wish they would have included some text such as "designed by DIY Audio 00940" or something. 🙄
Due recognition for a tedious and well done job. 😎
this world of electronics applied to music becomes more and more fascinating, now I try to upload your zip file 00940 to a site that produces pcb.
I managed to upload it to elecrow, a pcb site, I put it in the cart and with 5 € they send it to me right? It,'s fantastic.
with 9 € they send it to me in Italy, I'm ready to place the order, what do I do? Any other advice?, you also have the list components 00940?
@csdcar: NealJ kindly corrected and completed the BOM here: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/chip-amps/321922-source-layout-lm3886-19.html#post6329280 It points to Mouser which is a good, reliable source of components.
Here's a more generic list, if you want to order from another place (R for resistor, C for capacitor):
C1 - 2.2µ - various footprint available - mkp or at least mks
C2/C3 - 330p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C4 - 220p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C5 - 47p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C6 - 100µ/50V - 5mm spacing, 10mm diam - bipolar
C7 - 56n/100V - 5mm spacing - mks
C8 - 100u/16V - 2mm spacing, 5mm diam - cheap electro
C9/10/11/12 - 470µ/50V - 5mm spacing, 10mm diam - decent electro
C13/14 - 22µ/50V - 3.5mm spacing, 8mm diam - polymer cap
C15/16 - 4.7µ/100V - 5mm spacing - X7R
R1 - 220K - 1/8W
R2 - 22k - 1/8W
R3 - 1k - 1/8W
R4 - 1k - 1/8W
R5 - 22k - 1/2W
R6 - 1k - 1/2W
R7 - 22K - 1/2W
R8 - 22K - 1206 smd
R9 - 4.7 - 2W
R10 - 10 - 2W
R11 - 4.7 - 1/8W
U$1 - LM3886
Once you place the order for the PCB, shipping from China can be quite slow (a few weeks). That's the price to pay for such low prices.
@JMFahey: thanks for the kind words.
Here's a more generic list, if you want to order from another place (R for resistor, C for capacitor):
C1 - 2.2µ - various footprint available - mkp or at least mks
C2/C3 - 330p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C4 - 220p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C5 - 47p/50V - 2.5mm spacing - C0G
C6 - 100µ/50V - 5mm spacing, 10mm diam - bipolar
C7 - 56n/100V - 5mm spacing - mks
C8 - 100u/16V - 2mm spacing, 5mm diam - cheap electro
C9/10/11/12 - 470µ/50V - 5mm spacing, 10mm diam - decent electro
C13/14 - 22µ/50V - 3.5mm spacing, 8mm diam - polymer cap
C15/16 - 4.7µ/100V - 5mm spacing - X7R
R1 - 220K - 1/8W
R2 - 22k - 1/8W
R3 - 1k - 1/8W
R4 - 1k - 1/8W
R5 - 22k - 1/2W
R6 - 1k - 1/2W
R7 - 22K - 1/2W
R8 - 22K - 1206 smd
R9 - 4.7 - 2W
R10 - 10 - 2W
R11 - 4.7 - 1/8W
U$1 - LM3886
Once you place the order for the PCB, shipping from China can be quite slow (a few weeks). That's the price to pay for such low prices.
@JMFahey: thanks for the kind words.
Gerber file ? You mean his BOM ? https://enjon.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Mouser-lm3886-updated-project-bom.pdf
He has a nice writeup of his build here: An open source LM3886 chip amplifier. – (mis) Adventures in Hi-Fi
He has a nice writeup of his build here: An open source LM3886 chip amplifier. – (mis) Adventures in Hi-Fi
I placed the order, let's see how it goes, it was very easy, I hope I didn't do something wrong, but once the file is uploaded, nothing else needs to be done, it's all included.
ahh and to think that not so long ago you where frustrated with a simple 1875 chip!!
now your discussing gerber files...
now your discussing gerber files...
??????????? 😕
Just went through google translate and it says
😕
If anything, it might be considered unapproppriately familiar by an uptight British reader, IF it were included in a commercial letter to somebody you really don´t know socially. And even so ...
While grinning open minded Australians would find it quite normal.