I just saw this article (http://hackaday.com/2009/03/11/batchpcb ... -la-carte/) about how to design your own PCBs for free and send them off to be manufactured cheaply. I wasn't sure if anyone here would need this, but I thought I'd post it anyway.
What could you use this service for, like making custom slimmed controllers or something?
designing your own PCBs
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jjhammerstein
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Re: designing your own PCBs
Custom switching voltage regulators would be very useful. Save the time and trouble of the TI ones.
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eagle5953
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Re: designing your own PCBs
I know people stress over trying to split up voltages on the newer systems, such as the Gamecube (12v, 5.5v, 3.3v, 1.9v). If someone came up with a functional design, would something like that make sense?jjhammerstein wrote:Custom switching voltage regulators would be very useful. Save the time and trouble of the TI ones.
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nevermind1534
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Re: designing your own PCBs
How about we have somebody design one up for us
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jjhammerstein
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Re: designing your own PCBs
he never willSomebody call Electric Rain.
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jjhammerstein
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Re: designing your own PCBs
Yeah, didn't think so. XD
Someone call... Marshallh? Batman? Bill Gates?
I don't know. You figure it out.
Someone call... Marshallh? Batman? Bill Gates?
I don't know. You figure it out.
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Re: designing your own PCBs
I use KiCAD for designing schematics and FreePCB to design PCBs. Both are Free and open source and allow exporting to different formats.
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Re: designing your own PCBs
I'm still epic failing at trying to use Eagle. The only program that makes enough sense to me is ExpressPCB. I'll try that FreePCB program sometime.
Re: designing your own PCBs
FreePCB is fantastically easy to use. I much prefer Eagle myself, though.
In any case, yes, as long as you have a workable PCB design then it's relatively simple to have a PCB manufactured for you.
In any case, yes, as long as you have a workable PCB design then it's relatively simple to have a PCB manufactured for you.
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Kurt_
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Re: designing your own PCBs
Look into circuit board etching. It's cheap and easy to do on your own. All you need is a laser printer (or some paint and a steady hand), the blank circuit board, and some etching compound, which is basically just an acid that can dissolve copper, I believe.
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eurddrue
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Re: designing your own PCBs
My buddy uses clear nail polish or something like that, he etched the one in my news thread, the led blinker.Kurt_ wrote:Look into circuit board etching. It's cheap and easy to do on your own. All you need is a laser printer (or some paint and a steady hand), the blank circuit board, and some etching compound, which is basically just an acid that can dissolve copper, I believe.
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Re: designing your own PCBs
Just thought I'd add something real quick-like.
For making your own PCB, there's always the additive method that's been discussed, which is pretty cheap and produces decent results. (Adding your resist to the copper board then etching). But if anyone's seriously considering reproducing a decent amount of the same circuit board and needs things small/accurate, you might want to try your hand at the subtractive photo-resist method. The setup will cost a little extra cash initially, but the results are crazy accurate and easy to reproduce.
I've got a basic rundown of how it works here: http://www.stupidfingers.com/projects/h ... iypcb2.htm
I can't remember where I saw it (might have been Fry's), but they sell basic home kits for this stuff that comes complete with a little etching tank and exposure lamp. And I don't think they were TOO expensive. Maybe a hundred bucks or so. Just something to think about.
For making your own PCB, there's always the additive method that's been discussed, which is pretty cheap and produces decent results. (Adding your resist to the copper board then etching). But if anyone's seriously considering reproducing a decent amount of the same circuit board and needs things small/accurate, you might want to try your hand at the subtractive photo-resist method. The setup will cost a little extra cash initially, but the results are crazy accurate and easy to reproduce.
I've got a basic rundown of how it works here: http://www.stupidfingers.com/projects/h ... iypcb2.htm
I can't remember where I saw it (might have been Fry's), but they sell basic home kits for this stuff that comes complete with a little etching tank and exposure lamp. And I don't think they were TOO expensive. Maybe a hundred bucks or so. Just something to think about.
