oh dear...need bottom & top layer changing....

On 7/31/2013 11:37 AM, Robert Smith wrote:

So after putting the finishing touches to my pcb design on a long

journey, I'm at the point where I can almost submit to a Chinese fab

house ...but I've just found out that most aren't keen (read won't) to

do a bottom silk screen.

I have never had a problem with this.

They do charge more, but not much.

You might want to check other boardhouses.

-D

On 07/31/2013 02:37 PM, Robert Smith wrote:

So after putting the finishing touches to my pcb design on a long

journey, I'm at the point where I can almost submit to a Chinese fab

house ...but I've just found out that most aren't keen (read won't) to

do a bottom silk screen....and the way I've done my board, a bottom

silkscreen is essential (the silk screen will aid installation for those

not familair with the pcb) - now as it goes, I don't need a top

silkscreen, so I'm thinking that really I would like to  simply call my

bottom layer the top layer & my top layer the bottom layer.

 

My new top layer (old bottom layer), can then have a silkscreen...in

theory, it ought to be simply.

 

Now I've seen some ulps that swap layers, but frankly my brain starts

hurting at what cvould go wrong (for example drill holes being drille

din the wrong location) ...I've also read of some folks  'mapping' the

eagle layers in the cam jpb to their own layers of choice....I feel

comfortable doing neither.

 

Which is the least worst way of proceeding here?!!

Make sure all your components are unlocked.  Group all, and mirror the

group.  Then reposition the board back into Quadrant 1.

Have you tried that yet?

    - Chuck

It seems to me you could simply rename the gerber files so they stack up in

the reverse order. Remembering to change your notes to the board house.

If it's a multi layer board watch out for the drills of vias that dont go

from top to bottom.

HTH

Warren

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

On 07/31/2013 09:03 PM, Warren Brayshaw wrote:

It seems to me you could simply rename the gerber files so they stack up in

the reverse order. Remembering to change your notes to the board house.

That will only work if you insert your components from the same side.

Not only that but the lettering on the silk screen would be mirrored.

But I'd checkout other board houses.  We generally use Advanced

Circuits, 4pcb.com.

    - Chuck

I think he may also want to 'flip' the detail as Chuck mentioned, otherwise it may cause confusion for the manufacturer (not sure, I've never had this issue to deal with! :-) unless he can explain it in the notes successfully as you say.

Or, if the files have already been generated, a program like 'gerbv' will allow you to flip gerber files, or the manufacturer can do it themselves - but again, it's down to how well he can explain it to the manufacturer.

Unless you really can't pay any more I suggest you find a board maker that will do what you want:

Try www.pcbtrain, eurocircuits, pcbpool etc.

MK

Thanks guys...I'll see if I can find a fab house that will print on the bottom layer (because mirroring - or the notes method - could quite easily have a costly erroneous outcome!)...the thing is, this needs to be a low cost pcb, as I intend testing the market with a low cost product!

Chuck Huber wrote on Fri, 02 August 2013 01:30

On 07/31/2013 09:03 PM, Warren Brayshaw wrote:

It seems to me you could simply rename the gerber files so they

stack up in

the reverse order. Remembering to change your notes to the board

house.

 

That will only work if you insert your components from the same side.

Not only that but the lettering on the silk screen would be mirrored.

 

But I'd checkout other board houses.  We generally use Advanced

Circuits, 4pcb.com.

 

    - Chuck

The OP wanted to call the bottom, top and top, bottom. so the factory sees

bottom silk as top silk. Phyically the board was not changed

Gerbers are top down view. It's the board house that applies the required

mirroring for a layer. It has to be this way. Think of layer 2 of 4. The

litho for layer 2 needs to be different depending on the board stack up ie

Laminate/prepreg/laminiate or Prepreg/laminate/prepreg

HTH

Warren

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

On 08/01/2013 10:08 AM, Robert Smith wrote:

Thanks guys...I'll see if I can find a fab house that will print on the

bottom layer (because mirroring - or the notes method - could end up as

a costly rerroneous outcome!)...the thing is, this needs to be a low

cost pcb, as I intend testing the market with a low cost product!

I've had good results from PCB-Pool. They accept Eagle .brd files

directly (no Gerbers!), offer a customized DRC file for Eagle to avoid

incompatibilities, and I know they'll print on either side.

They have several fab sites (Germany and South Africa, and maybe a new

one in California), but final shipments appear to originate from

Shannon, Ireland. If you're in the UK, that'll save you long delivery

times and save you on shipping.

-Reece