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Off board components

Former Member

I've been working my way through all the example projects I found on the

Cadsoft site, wow... They are useful.

 

Because I want to develop good habits from  the start and I'm trying very

hard to unlearn some very awkward techniques I bring from the "other"

commercial software I was using, so I really appreciate any advice you can

give me.

 

I want to show off PCB components on the schematic, like a panel mounted

pot, or switch, or jack because I want them to be included in the bill of

materials.

 

So, what is the preferred method to do this? I see most just leave them off

the schematic and use a connector or pads for the off board stuff.

 

In the "other" software, I created some panel components that just had pads

for the PCB package. It worked OK.

 

Are there already some "off board" components like this? I've tried every

keyword I could think of to search the libraries, but no luck yet.

 

Thanks for you patience with a new user.

 

David

 

--

Browser access to CadSoft Support Forums at http://www.eaglecentral.ca

 

Parents

  • On 2/28/2010 9:21 AM, Olin Lathrop wrote:

    dingebre wrote on Sun, 28 February 2010 05:03

    I want to show off PCB components on the schematic, like a panel

    mounted pot, or switch, or jack because I want them to be included in the

    bill of materials.

     

    You have to be consistent with what a BOM is for and what a "board"

    means. In any place I've worked with, you wouldn't want a panel mount

    switch on

    the same BOM as that of the board. The board needs pads or a connector for

    the switch wires, so that is shown on the schematic and goes on the BOM for

    the board. The switch goes on the BOM of another assembly. Then the

    larger unit is another assembly that shows the board and the switch with

    cable installed onto the board as subassemblies.

     

    You can put a comment in the schematic explaining what is intended to be

    connected to the pads or connector that is on the board, but that's as far

    as it goes and should go. Think tree structure.

     

    Olin, in large work environments, that's the way it should be. However

    for someone who does smallish projects and assembly, or does it all

    themselves, it's helpful to integrate into the board's BOM so that you

    don't forget to order those parts.

     

    Also, for someone like me who changes things fairly often to support new

    features on a board, it would be hard to manage multiple sets of parts

    lists for multiple devices each with multiple versions... To stay sane,

    I have to keep it in the schematics. I actually made a part that's

    nothing but a value-label so I can "create" those things I need just by

    putting in it's part number as the value. Crude but fast and effective.

     

Reply

  • On 2/28/2010 9:21 AM, Olin Lathrop wrote:

    dingebre wrote on Sun, 28 February 2010 05:03

    I want to show off PCB components on the schematic, like a panel

    mounted pot, or switch, or jack because I want them to be included in the

    bill of materials.

     

    You have to be consistent with what a BOM is for and what a "board"

    means. In any place I've worked with, you wouldn't want a panel mount

    switch on

    the same BOM as that of the board. The board needs pads or a connector for

    the switch wires, so that is shown on the schematic and goes on the BOM for

    the board. The switch goes on the BOM of another assembly. Then the

    larger unit is another assembly that shows the board and the switch with

    cable installed onto the board as subassemblies.

     

    You can put a comment in the schematic explaining what is intended to be

    connected to the pads or connector that is on the board, but that's as far

    as it goes and should go. Think tree structure.

     

    Olin, in large work environments, that's the way it should be. However

    for someone who does smallish projects and assembly, or does it all

    themselves, it's helpful to integrate into the board's BOM so that you

    don't forget to order those parts.

     

    Also, for someone like me who changes things fairly often to support new

    features on a board, it would be hard to manage multiple sets of parts

    lists for multiple devices each with multiple versions... To stay sane,

    I have to keep it in the schematics. I actually made a part that's

    nothing but a value-label so I can "create" those things I need just by

    putting in it's part number as the value. Crude but fast and effective.

     

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