Dave,
In TurboCad you can set layers and different
colors. Put alignment Crosses or holes in each corner
of the drawings. I just got the hang of the layers the
last month or so. I use single sided boards to keep
cost down. I use crossover jumpers.
John
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "ph4appl" <ph4appl@y...> wrote:
> John,
> All of my boards have been 2-sided so far. I haven't tried a single
> sided board yet. So, you can imagine the work that I had to do in
> TurboCad getting the layers to line up correctly. What a nightmare.
> That is what spawned the work on a tool path generator. So far, I
> only have one of my axis running on a 2sided board that my mill
> etched and drilled. There are many issues getting the layers to
line
> up, so I've only been successful once.
>
> I'll put up a pic so you can check it out.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "crankorgan" <john@k...> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > So you did a two sided board? Or one side of
> > the board got messed up?
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "ph4appl" <ph4appl@y...> wrote:
> > > John, I now know how you feel.
> > > I spent hours and hours drawing a board in TurboCAD only to
find
> > out
> > > that when I milled the board, I had inverted one of the layers.
> So,
> > > all of the holes and traces on the other side were off. So, it
is
> a
> > > pain. I agree. Hopefully this code we are working on will ease
> the
> > > pain until one of the comercial packages can save in GCode.
> > >
> > > Dave
> > >
> > > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "crankorgan" <john@k...> wrote:
> > > > Hi Dave,
> > > > I ment the guys who make Eagle or Target. Make a
drawing
> > > > program that saves the pad outlines as Gcode or PLT. Running
a
> > post
> > > > processor is after the fact. You have to put up with all
kinds
> of
> > > > garbage. I do beleive a program is comming! Lots of people
> talking
> > > > about milling circuit boards at the hobby level. I would even
> > > > go for a Gcode save in Turbocad at this point. I left out two
> > > > holes on my last circuit board. Now I have two or more hours
> > > > of work to fix it. Adding the holes is easy. Then I have to
> rotate
> > > > the drawing. Convert it to Gcode. Take out some junk. Add some
> > > > other stuff. Then center the Gcode, then offset it for the
> machine
> > > > I mill it on. All because I left two hole out. Now if I could
> draw
> > > > in GCode. We are talking minutes.
> > > >
> > > > John
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "ph4appl" <ph4appl@y...> wrote:
> > > > > Not easy by any stretch of the imagination. If anyone
doesn't
> > > > believe
> > > > > me, take a look at
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/studentwork/CESCG99/SKrivograd/
> > > > >
> > > > > This page describes some of the math involved with
generating
> > an
> > > > > outline or tool path.
> > > > >
> > > > > On a side note, I got ToolPathPro to compile this
afternoon.
> I
> > > ran
> > > > a
> > > > > sample DXF file through it and generated some rather
> > interesting
> > > > > GCodes. I'll have some pics on my website shortly. The good
> > news
> > > is
> > > > > that Alan has inspired me to keep on working on this thing.
> It
> > > can
> > > > > currently handle direct DXF export from TraxMakerPro and
> > convert
> > > to
> > > > > GCode. I still need to work on the optimization algorithm,
> and
> > > > forsee
> > > > > several weeks of coding, but it is in the works.
> > > > >
> > > > > Dave
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Alan Marconett KM6VV
<KM6VV@a...>
> > > wrote:
> > > > > > Hi John,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Well, I wouldn't say it's a "very simple program to
write",
> > > right
> > > > > Dave?
> > > > > > I've seen the three Gerber files from TCi. Silk,
> component,
> > and
> > > > > > solder. Both component (green) and solder (red) have
> traces
> > > and
> > > > > pads.
> > > > > > The silk (yellow) is component outline.
> > > > > > I only saw a few random blue and red lines when I loaded
a
> > TCi
> > > > > gerber
> > > > > > file into KCam. I suspect I have an old version. As
long
> as
> > I
> > > > can
> > > > > > convert the files, I'll just run them through my
> > own "process".
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hay! If the cost is high, maybe I can sell an
inexpensive
> > > > converter
> > > > > > program!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Alan KM6VV
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > crankorgan wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Hi Alan,
> > > > > > > TCI makes three Gerber files. One of them has
the
> > > > > > > pads and traces. When I plot the Gerber I get lots of
> > > > > > > BLUE lines. Red is cut and blue is travel. When I see
> > > > > > > more BLUE than Red I quit. I like my machine to spend
> > > > > > > it's time cutting not traveling all over. Most program
> > > > > > > that do outlines of traces are bogus. There are several
> > > > > > > new ones coming out. Big money! A very simple program
to
> > > write.
> > > > I
> > > > > > > think the cost is high because there are so few
PCBMills
> in
> > > > > > > use. They are very expensive to buy. I got laughed at
last
> > > > > > > year when I came out with my plans. Now there are
several
> > > > > > > people with homemade PCBMills. Here is your chance to
get
> > > > > > > in on the fun!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > John
> > > > > > >