Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller - Page 371 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Grimm · 08-22-2010, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sawickm

Paul,

What do you think about DesignSpark ???

I downloaded and installed it yesterday. For the price, you can’t beat it !!!

I want to try to port some Eagle stuff I have into it.

- Mark

This might help.

How-to: Prepare your Eagle designs for manufacture - Hack a Day

Georgia Tech · 08-22-2010, 08:21 PM

hey paul how is 1000 amper going these daze ?

MPaulHolmes · 08-22-2010, 08:34 PM

I'm done porting over the libraries, and I'm done with the fix for the 2nd low voltage hardware cutout (it was one of those stupid not (not (not (Not (true)))) instead of not(not(not(true) or something, so I had assumed something was inverted when it wasn't. This time I can send it to the cheapest place on the planet. I'm so excited.

I just finished grading a bunch of tests, so I've been really busy with work, but now all I have to do is draw the schematic out, and then route it, but I have to be super careful! It's easy to make a mistake.

Georgia Tech · 08-22-2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

I'm done porting over the libraries, and I'm done with the fix for the 2nd low voltage hardware cutout (it was one of those stupid not (not (not (Not (true)))) instead of not(not(not(true) or something, so I had assumed something was inverted when it wasn't. This time I can send it to the cheapest place on the planet. I'm so excited.

I just finished grading a bunch of tests, so I've been really busy with work, but now all I have to do is draw the schematic out, and then route it, but I have to be super careful! It's easy to make a mistake.

Send out a set of schematics on PDF and lets us review it before you order boards??? At least thats how we do it here at work..

MPaulHolmes · 08-22-2010, 09:45 PM

sounds like a great idea! I don't know how to make it a PDF though. But I would very much like to know how.

sawickm · 08-22-2010, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

sounds like a great idea! I don't know how to make it a PDF though. But I would very much like to know how.

Hi Paul,

DesignSpark Schematic printing:

File print, select output to PDF option with fit plot selected.

That works for single sheets, not sure if it handles multi-sheets that way.

- Mark

mora · 08-26-2010, 04:33 PM

I used PonyProg software and built a simple programmer for programming the chip. I think you need that programming hardware anyway if you haven't got a pre-programmed chip. Programming itself was easy using PonyProg. It was like "load file -> press go-button". I didn't know about fuses first but I was able to program the chip. Leds acted weird first, hehe. I set fuses afterwards and everything was ok then. I suppose one can set fuses before sending any code to chip. Setting fuses is easy too; ticking some selection boxes. You just have to know which fuses to set. I told Paul I'd take a screenshot of correct fuse settings after getting mine to work, but guess I forgot it, hehe. Setting wrong fuses might result your chip getting locked up.

There is only one file you need for programming, .hex -file.

MPaulHolmes · 08-27-2010, 12:24 AM

You are hilarious Louman. OK I have a question. I"m mostly done with the SR board... How in the heck do you generate gerber files? There are like 50 kagillion options. Whatever happened to "I want to make the friggen board that I just made you stupid idiot computer!"

As for context, I'm using DesignSpark. Does anyone want to walk me through the "make the gerber files with the right settings" steps?

Grimm · 08-27-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

You are hilarious Louman. OK I have a question. I"m mostly done with the SR board... How in the heck do you generate gerber files? There are like 50 kagillion options. Whatever happened to "I want to make the friggen board that I just made you stupid idiot computer!"

As for context, I'm using DesignSpark. Does anyone want to walk me through the "make the gerber files with the right settings" steps?

I posted this at the bottom of the previous page. It's Eagle, but I think it details the general process well:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimm

This might help.

How-to: Prepare your Eagle designs for manufacture - Hack a Day

sawickm · 08-27-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

I'm using DesignSpark. Does anyone want to walk me through the "make the gerber files with the right settings" steps?

Hey Paul,

I haven't tried to make gerbers yet using DesignSpark, but I quickly looked it over.

In the PCB editor, select Outputs, then Manufacturing Plots. The output plot for each layer should be "Gerber". Check off the "Plot" layers you want to make gerbers for. Under "Device Setup" select RS-274-X, a 2,3 or 2,4 format works good. And you can adjust the scale of the "Plot Area" if you want to fit your PCB. I would recommend under "Position" for each layer, select "Center Plot". If you turn on "Plot Preview" on the lower right it will show you what you are plotting and it's position. Then finally select "Auto-Gen Plots" to make all the files.

You also use this same process to make PDF files, just select "Output", "PDF".

I would recommend to use DesignSpark on Twitter for any other questions:
DesignSpark (DesignSparkRS) on Twitter

You can download a free gerber viewer "GC-Preview" to see what you have plotted too.
GC-Prevue Gerber Viewer | DesignSpark

Later,

-Mark