Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by jackbauer

What about "hacking" the output files from The Advanced Circuits software into something useable?

Unfortunately I can quickly kill that idea... They have encrypted all the positions and data in the files... I tried all I could to import/convert them to a useable gerber... Didn't work out as they swap the data around as well as encrypting it with a completely non standard system... Given a lot of time I could probably crack it... But it would be a lot faster to re-do the boards in Eagle...

They clearly want you to use them for manufacturing... And Then once you have done that, they say they can give (sell?) you the gerbers... Screw that...

[adamj12b]

I love Eagle!! Ive been trying to get Paul to use it for months now!! he tried it once, then went to PCB Artist....Darn you Paul!! I knew it would come back to bite you!!. LOL

One thing that I have trouble with that Paul and I were talking about yesterday was how to create a massive pad for a bus bar??

When I draw a Polygon in the pad layer, and hit ratsnest to redraw the planes I have drawn, the planes apply the .1" isolation to the big pad....And since you cant name polygons in the pad layer.....i have no idea how to fix it. lol

Would you use like the Restrict or Keepout layers to keep solder mask from be applied to the areas of the bus bars??

This is the only problem I have had so far... Maybe one of you know??

-Adam

[dcb]

I like eagle a lot too, especially the customizable libraries, but I don't make jumbo sized boards

[MPaulHolmes]

I need eagle to make 8.5"x5.75" power boards (and a bunch of other stuff). I downloaded it, and am starting to learn it. Tweety, I'll pm you when I get stuck! Thank you!

Heck I'll spread the wealth arond and pm adam too! hahaha.

[dcb]

I will say that the schematic view of components can be a little weird in eagle, which is where custom libraries come in handy,

i.e. I made a custom atmega168 with the pins in the right place because the default picasso version for the mega8 will turn your traces into hammered spaghetti when the pins get moved to their right physical location for the board layout.

[dave koller]

Paul - do you have the freeware version of Eagle?
if so:
"The useable [sic] board area is limited to 100 x 80 mm (4 x 3.2 inches).

CadSoft Online: Freeware

[MPaulHolmes]

In PCB Artist, I ended up making just about every single component myself. I also like the pins just sort of being where they should be, so it looks like the chip. So, I can't wait to figure out how to make my own components and footprints! ya!

[MPaulHolmes]

ya, the freeware won't work for me in the long run, but I really am going to hawk my car or something (actually just be broke for a couple months) and buy the pcb layout editor and schematic editor for $1000. Ouch. It will take a little time, but then, hurray! Professional!

[dave koller]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

ya, the freeware won't work for me in the long run, but I really am going to hawk my car or something (actually just be broke for a couple months) and buy the pcb layout editor and schematic editor for $1000. Ouch. It will take a little time, but then, hurray! Professional!

LOL Eagle would do fine for the "PRO"..

Gone are the days of wire-wrap.

Laying out boards - by hand - with exact-o knife and rolls of black paper tape in various tape widths.

Squinting at the light table - haha auto routing - yep, you WERE the auto router!

little pads and IC layouts - stuck on by hand... Netlists?????

Did some 14" X 14" controls yep with TTL then CMOS - 30-40 chips on the board - traces between pins -- "pro" days were much different then...

[dcb]

Originally Posted by dave koller

...
Gone are the days of wire-wrap...

Oh I hope not
Dead Buguino