Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Custom PCB

  1. #1
    Retrosmith Mach's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    910

    Default Custom PCB

    I downloaded Eagle Lite over the holidays to design a PCB for Berserker's Arduino Nano. Who are you guys using to make your PCBs?

    Any tips for using Eagle? Should I be looking at making a double sided board?

    Here's where I've gotten so far but its been painful.


  2. #2
    Will YOU be ready when the zombies rise? x88x's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    MD, USA
    Posts
    6,334

    Default Re: Custom PCB

    I would move the bottom cluster to the top right, cut off, what, 20-30% of the board space needed?

    As for programs, I've never used one myself, but I've heard good things about Eagle. CJ, Crenn, or SXR should be able to offer better advice on that point.
    That we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.
    --Benjamin Franklin
    TBCS 5TB Club :: coilgun :: bench PSU :: mightyMite :: Zeus :: E15 Magna EV

  3. #3
    Resident 100HP water-cannon operator SXRguyinMA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    5,865

    Default Re: Custom PCB

    I just followed some of sparkfun's tutorials on making PCBs with Eagle, and it was easy to understand and follow. Sparkfun also has BatchPCB for getting boards made. If you're going to etch them yourself, single-sided is easiest. If you're going to have them made, double-sided will be easier and most likely end up with a smaller board. Check this thread for the ones I got from BatchPCB.

    They ended up costing me $15.05 per board for 2 of them, and turnaround time was just under 3 weeks from time of order to when they got to my house.

    Follow the tutorials below. I had never used Eagle before, and after these tutorials I can make things up pretty easily. The autoroute feature is very nice as well. The only thing that's difficult is selecting packages for parts. They're not named typical things sometimes, and even then you need to make sure you get the right size part. The best thing to do (aside from the tutorials) is print out a 1:1 scale of your board and lay otu the parts on it to make 100% sure you've got everything sized right and clearances accounted for. And also make good use of the SparkFun parts library. They've got a lot of stuff in there that makes things easier

    Getting started with Eagle

    Basics of laying out a PCB with Eagle

    My eagle design:


    The fresh boards:


    Assembled:



Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •