30 Jul
2004
30 Jul
'04
4:49 a.m.
At 11:12 AM 7/30/2004, you wrote:
At 08:59 PM 7/29/04 -0600, Ben wrote:
I would like to create several PCB's
A good book as Joe says, but pretty technical.
I got it when I needed some info on high voltage (1200vdc) trace spacing
for a PCB design.
But, there are any number of PCB fabs out there that want your business and
will take your drawings in Gerber format
and make boards cheaply and quickly.
Google Printed Circuit boards
I use Protel software (which is pretty pricey) and
https://www.2justforyou.com/
to make my boards and have been real happy with them.
But here's link to another outfit with links to free layout software.
http://www.pcbexpress.com/links.php#freeware
All these places will give you guidelines on how to lay the boards out.
Most of the software will do "design rule checks" to eliminate shorts and
open nets.
This place will do free design rule checks on your Gerbers:
https://www.freedfm.com/!freedfmstep1.asp
I didn't like their boards though, I couldn't see the traces through the
dark solder mask and 2 of 3 I ordered had VCC to GND shorts (I check the
power nets at least before I start soldering on them).
I've done pretty complex mixed analog/digital designs with just 2 layer boards.
7 mil lines and spaces will let you put 2 traces between leads on DIPs
without and big manufacturing hoo-hoo.
Ed
rather than wire wrap but I have yet to find good
information on PCB
layout guide lines
See if you can find a copy of Printed Circuits Handbook by Clyde F
Coombs, McGraw-Hill 1988. It will tell you EVERYTHING you should ever need
to know about circuit boards. It's geared to industrial production not home
production so it's not a how to but it has TONs of good technical info
including layout info. FYI Clyde Coombs is Editor in Chief at HP in Palo
Alta, Ca. You may be able to get your local library to order the book on
an inter-library loan.