SV: [EFM] Been quiet lately... too much DIY ?

[Karl Helmer Torvmark]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Theo <t.hogers at home.nl>
To: <synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl>; Paul Perry <pfperry at melbpc.org.au>
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2000 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [EFM] Been quiet lately... too much DIY ?


> Sounds like you exspect the auto router to do it all on its own.
> I like to use it more as an interactive tool.
> Power stucture routed by hand.
> Then auto route seclected parts, like busses or all short nets from one IC.
> In some cases the auto routed traces need editing and sometimes the router
> doesn't see the obvious solution.
> Some times it may help if you make things easier for the auto router, eg
> pushing a trace to the other side to make some room.
> This way auto routing realy speeds up board disign, I like it.

This is the way to do it. At work we have one guy who does all the routing.
On average, he does one board each week (In addition to keeping the IC
library of the CAD-system updated etc.) He'd never be able to do this
without using the autorouter. Of course, you need to have a decent
power layout with power planes etc. Most people I know of use four layers
or more, this helps alot (2-layer boards are the most difficult boards EMC-wise).

Complex digital boards would be impossible to route in practice without using an
autorouter (at least if you figure in the price of hiring the guy to do it if you're
making a board in small quantities). Even mixed analog/digital designs are handled
nicely by the autorouter - if you do your homework beforehand.

Of course, we don't use Protel. If you want a decent autorouter, you'll have to
buy a >$10.000 CAD package... So for DIY, manual routing is probably your only
bet.

---------
Karl H.