Loads of Newbie Questions about my first PCB

On 1/28/2012 7:09 AM, Casey Killian wrote:

First, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to read this, and offering your help!

 

I have my PCB outlined, layed out, components are where they should be.  I'm building a simple fan controller for my computer, and rather than try to breadboard the thing together decided to try getting a PCB made.  I'm currently looking at having BatchPCB make it since its should be a one off board, and I don't have a laser printer to etch my own.

 

First, when I laid down the components, it did place an appropriate pad for the component, but my question is, will it automatically create the associated hole for me to solder the component through?

 

The next question I have is before I get this produced, several of the components I have found have been in libraries, such as the resistors, and various connectors, but none stated what size they were.  Is there anyway in Eagle to check the dimensions accurately to make sure I have selected the proper components?

 

I've attached the eagle board file, feel free to take a look at it and give me some pointers.  The resistors are all going to be approximately 1W resistors, the jumpers I think I added are standard Motherboard Jumpers, and the rest should be standard Molex Disk Drive power connector and 3 pin PC fan connectors.

 

The last question I have is for someone who has used Batch PCB.  Exactly how would I break the file apart to the various Gerber Files they need?

Hi Casey,

The holes in the pads are put in when the part is made in the library

editor, you can view that info there.

If you have any further questions about that then run the cam processor,

select a cam job such as RS274X and adjust the layers to suit your

needs. Each tab will produce one file with the layers selected on it. Be

sure to ru the Excellon cam job for the drill info.

Then look at it in a gerber viewer. I use GCprevue, it is a free download.

There are a couple of ways to measure the hole spacing and drill size.

In the board editor place a Mark (found in the menu on the left) on the

center of one hole and place the cursor in the center of the other.

You can then read the relative numbers at the upper left of your screen.

This will snap to your grid and may not be exact.

Second you can open the part in the library editor and right click and

select properties on each hole, This will give you the exact X any Y

coordinates - just subtract, this will also tell you the drill size

Doug

Hello Doug,

I keep getting errors when I try to open the file to view in the GCprevue software?  I'm selecting gerber file, and it gives me a long list of errors about preceeding, and nothing shows up?  When I export the layers, I choose Botom (SInce my traces are on the bottoms), Pads, VIAs, as well as Tnames?

On 1/28/2012 12:31 PM, Casey Killian wrote:

Hello Doug,

 

I keep getting errors when I try to open the file to view in the GCprevue software?  I'm selecting gerber file, and it gives me a long list of errors about preceeding, and nothing shows up?  When I export the layers, I choose Botom (SInce my traces are on the bottoms), Pads, VIAs, as well as Tnames?

 

I suspect that you are trying to feed GCprevue the brd file directly.

You need to run the cam processor to generate gerber files...then

GCprevue can open them.

Jim

On 1/28/2012 9:31 AM, Casey Killian wrote:

Hello Doug,

 

I keep getting errors when I try to open the file to view in the GCprevue software?  I'm selecting gerber file, and it gives me a long list of errors about preceeding, and nothing shows up?  When I export the layers, I choose Botom (SInce my traces are on the bottoms), Pads, VIAs, as well as Tnames?

 

With GCPrevue you would open it and select new from the file pulldown menu.

Then you would import the files. At this time you can select colors and

tell it what type of gerber it is (Copper, Soldermask Silkscreen etc) if

desired.

For the Cam output it might be best to use one of the stock jobs like

gerb274X and use that as a starting point. You can save it with a new

name and remove the tabs that you do not use or simply select the tabs

and select process section for each one that you want. Of course you can

process them all and just not use the unwanted files.

-D

On 01/28/2012 10:09 AM, Casey Killian wrote:

The last question I have is for someone who has used Batch PCB.  Exactly how would I break the file apart to the various Gerber Files they need?

Once you get the Gerber files generated checked with your local Gerber

viewer I then zip the Gerbers and use freedfm for a check. If OK then

upload to batchpcb.

Paul R.

For BatchPCB, Sparkfun provide an excellent tutorial http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/109. It provides a reasonable guide to what you need and also includes a link to a cam file. This file, when you run it, will generate all the gerber files according to their requirements and will explain which you need and how to zip them. Its a decent place to start for general PCB layout tips too, especially for their service.

On 28/01/2012 19:17, Doug wrote:

On 1/28/2012 9:31 AM, Casey Killian wrote:

>> Hello Doug,

>>

>> I keep getting errors when I try to open the file to view in the

>> GCprevue software? I'm selecting gerber file, and it gives me a long

>> list of errors about preceeding, and nothing shows up? When I export

>> the layers, I choose Botom (SInce my traces are on the bottoms), Pads,

>> VIAs, as well as Tnames?

>>

>

With GCPrevue you would open it and select new from the file pulldown menu.

Then you would import the files. At this time you can select colors and

tell it what type of gerber it is (Copper, Soldermask Silkscreen etc) if

desired.

 

For the Cam output it might be best to use one of the stock jobs like

gerb274X and use that as a starting point. You can save it with a new

name and remove the tabs that you do not use or simply select the tabs

and select process section for each one that you want. Of course you can

process them all and just not use the unwanted files.

 

>

-D

Doug,

Once you created the Gerber files with an Eagle CAM job, you have a

number of individual files in a directory. To look at them, download a

free copy of GerberLogix (www.easylogix.de, registration required).

GerberLogix is a simple viewer that is **much** easier to use than

GCPrevue.

GCPrevue is more an editing / viewer tool (and a nightmare for a

beginner, as I found out, since their documentation assumes that you

know how it works).

Anyway, it is much easier to find a boardshop that directly takes your

Eagle .BRD file. I have done 100's of dual layer boards that way.

Robert

Am 28.01.2012 16:09, schrieb Casey Killian:

First, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to read this, and offering your help!

 

I have my PCB outlined, layed out, components are where they should be.  I'm building a simple fan controller for my computer, and rather than try to breadboard the thing together decided to try getting a PCB made.  I'm currently looking at having BatchPCB make it since its should be a one off board, and I don't have a laser printer to etch my own.

 

First, when I laid down the components, it did place an appropriate pad for the component, but my question is, will it automatically create the associated hole for me to solder the component through?

 

The next question I have is before I get this produced, several of the components I have found have been in libraries, such as the resistors, and various connectors, but none stated what size they were.  Is there anyway in Eagle to check the dimensions accurately to make sure I have selected the proper components?

 

I've attached the eagle board file, feel free to take a look at it and give me some pointers.  The resistors are all going to be approximately 1W resistors, the jumpers I think I added are standard Motherboard Jumpers, and the rest should be standard Molex Disk Drive power connector and 3 pin PC fan connectors.

 

The last question I have is for someone who has used Batch PCB.  Exactly how would I break the file apart to the various Gerber Files they need?

Well, I looked at the files. Before thinking of going any further you

should straighten your design. In your .sch not all of the bottom pins

are connected, therefore the .brd is not correct. In the .brd file you

have mixed physically parts of Pot1 with Pot2. Creating gerbers now will

not correct your errors

First clean up your picasso sheet and check for missing connections.

Second rip up your layout and rearrange your terminals.

Third route your board according the airwires THEN you might talk about

production.

Easiest way for you is a .brd printout so that you can place your parts

on the paper to check if they fit.

--

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With best regards

Joern Paschedag