[sdiy] PCB / Panel Manufacture

[john slee]

Regarding doing panels in Eagle... this is what I do now, and I love it. I
design the PCB for my actual circuit first and add some custom attributes
(drill size, panel legend text, etc) to the parts that need to poke through
the front panel. When I'm done designing that PCB I save the board file.

Then I feed the Eagle board file for the circuit into an external app I
made — this generates a new, additional Eagle board file for the front
panel that is wide enough to attach the circuit PCB behind it, and also
correctly dimensioned (per Doepfer spec) for either 3U Eurorack, or either
of the Intellijel/Pulplogic 1U formats. I can then either use that board
file as-is, or customize it. In the example I posted in this thread, I
think the only change I made to the panel PCB design was to flood-fill the
top copper layer. Everything else is as generated by the software.

I like being able to quickly (re-)generate the panel as a "build artifact"
after editing the circuit board.

Another approach I considered was generating two sets of Gerbers — circuit
board and panel board — from a single board file, via adding additional
layers and using a pair of custom CAM jobs. But it would have been a lot
more work, and would mean I wouldn't be able to use the CAM job files
supplied by PCB fab shops. More complexity and more room for error at every
stage. Not my vibe at all.

An alternative might be to use some other kind of CAD software. Autodesk
seem to be working on integrating Eagle and Fusion360, with the idea
apparently being that you can work on your electronics and
mechnical/enclosure bits as a complete system. I haven't tried it yet.

For your initial attempts at PCB panels I would recommend keeping things as
simple as possible — 1.6mm 1oz FR4 — because it's much, much, much cheaper.
Once you're comfortable with the process, maybe consider 2mm for rigidity?

John


On Fri, 7 Feb 2020 at 14:33, Shawn Rakestraw <shawnrakestraw at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hey All! I'm new to the list and this is my first question.
>
> I want to dip into making some PCBs and possibly front panels. I am into
> eurorack, so that is what I will be aiming toward. I have been learning how
> to use Eagle to make my schematic into a board.
>
> Currently, I have been working on a power supply PCB that would mount
> inside of a case, so I don't have any major size constraints or precision.
> I will probably make a simple bus board next to distribute the power. Then
> I want to move on to an actual module. Something simple at first.
>
> I should also mention that I am in USA, although that probably doesn't
> matter that much anymore. I do prefer to order things in the US when I can
> though.
>
> I am asking for any advice at all really. My question begins with who /
> where to order from, but after that I am a bit in the dark about what to
> even ask. I don't know if copper trace thickness should be a concern.
> Obviously with power PCBs and distribution boards you want wide traces and
> I have done some research to try to learn how wide for certain amp loads.
> Really, any advice will be good for me - anything that you wish you had
> known before your first order could be helpful.
>
> Has anyone made panels and if so, what is the beginning process for that?
> Can you design them in Eagle using Nets or something? I don't know how
> people even design them.
>
> Thanks in advance, I look forward to your replies!
>
> - Shawn
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