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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Selecting Method For Prototype Boards

From: David Lyon <david.lyon.preisshare@...>
Date: 2014-07-21

The commercial pcb services are really good at the moment.

Spend more time proof checking your pcb image.

Last time I received a diptrace file from a client it was a big drama and cost a lot in fixups.

I find Fritzing gives no problems.




On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 9:00 AM, James bitsyboffin@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

For the design software, I'd recommend DipTrace (be sure to use the latest beta version) over DesignSpark.

Board houses use Gerber files exported from your design software to produce their artwork, so, ideally you want to do that too.  To facilitate that (although not for that reason, just because it was a good way to get the output I wanted) I wrote a script which converts Gerbers into a PDF file that can be used for toner transfer or UV exposure homebrew pcbs.





On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 10:11 AM, palciatore@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

I have lurked here for a while and perhaps made one or two posts. But now is the time for action.


I go back a way and have made PC boards at home before, using high contrastnegatives from artwork that I created. But just try to get such a negativetoday and even if you can, using two of them to make a double sided board isnot the easiest thing. So, I must use more modern methods.

 

I am designing a board for a project and will ultimately beordering between 50 and 350 of them in an initial order. This represents asignificant expense for me and I do not want to place such an order until I amreal sure that the foil is 100% OK. I can accept minor silk screen errors sothat is not as important. So I need to make one or a few prototypes FROM THEVERY ARTWORK printed from the PC design program I choose. I haven't chosen ityet but am leaning toward a system called Design Spark. I haven't played withit yet, but it looks a lot like the software used by Advanced Circuits.

 

I know I can order several boards for about $65 withshipping but if there is a mistake, then I have to do it a second time andheaven forbid, a third. So am looking for a low cost method to do this at home.My time is precious, but I can spend some on this if it lowers the cost. I amlooking for suggestions with specifics (like the model number of any equipmentsuggested) for doing this. I count expendables as project cost and equipment ascapital expenses. So the equipment is easier to justify in my eyes. Sorry if Isound like a bean counter, but the equipment can be used on future projectswhile the expendables are gone with this one.