Well i designed my first of five PCB’s on PCB express. Is there any way to port it over to eagle or something usefull so i dont have to re-create it. I woulnd mind so much its just that PCB express is easy.
markland556:
Well i designed my first of five PCB’s on PCB express. Is there any way to port it over to eagle or something usefull so i dont have to re-create it. I woulnd mind so much its just that PCB express is easy.
Markland556,
Probably not. Doesn’t PCB Express (parent company Sunstone) use PCB123 software? Proprietary formatted data?
If you have finished a PCB123 design, and are ready to make boards you can only do so through PCBExpress. To go to another PCB shop, or use BatchPCB, you’ll need Gerber (and Excellon) formatted files.
EAGLE is a world of it’s own, the learning curve is steep but not impossible. Once you have mastered it you’ll have a very useful skill, for not much money compared to other tools, and it outputs industry standard files for any PCB shop.
Comments Welcome!
Peter
Well im working with Eagle now. So at least its something useful. Ill be learning it over the next few weeks.
wow. The only thing im really getting stuck with on Eagle is finding the components in the libraries. Is there a easy way to download libraries of certain components. Becasue iv found teh footprints that are the same but all that schematic stuff that has like what the pins are confuses me.
Should i take the time to make the schematic in Eagle, or is it just easier to go ahead make make the PCB. I know in PCB express you can make a schmatic and it will pretty much connect the components for you on the real bord. Is eagle the same way??
Im gunna need to go to Kinko’s and make a nice book of the eagle tutorial…
Are there any other Eagle tutorials that are easier??
I normally just make all of my own parts in my own custom library. It is quite easy and fast to do once you get used to it. This is the easiest and clearest Eagle tutorial I know of: http://myhome.spu.edu/bolding/EE4211/EagleTutorial4.htm
markland556:
wow. The only thing im really getting stuck with on Eagle is finding the components in the libraries. Is there a easy way to download libraries of certain components. Becasue iv found teh footprints that are the same but all that schematic stuff that has like what the pins are confuses me.
marklans556,
The core of any schematic capture and PCB design tool is the library. You can never ‘find’ every part or variation you will likely need, so the issue is whether the tool allows the user to create new (or modified) parts quickly. EAGLE does this well, but not intuitively.
The reason you find so many similar parts in the existing EAGLE library is that many users before you have made them or modified existing ones.
Also, EAGLE is German so most of the core libraries are for European symbols and European suppliers. Not so long ago it was the other way around and engineers in Europe had to translate Yankie data sheets…
If you have an existing design, you can prepare a schematic and BOM (Bill Of Materials) by hand before you go to EAGLE. Once there you can sort through the libraries and capture the existing parts. Anything you need that does not exist has to be created.
With a bit more experience in EAGLE you can jump right into the schematic knowing ahead of time where to find the right library parts.
Often the new design or board you attempt will be similar to one you have already done, so by cutting and pasting you save a lot of effort and time!
What kind of projects do you do? Through hole or SMT? Analog or digital? RF, Audio, instrumentation? Robotics? Low power battery or high power (servos, audio amps, power supplies)?
Comments Welcome!
Peter
markland556:
Should i take the time to make the schematic in Eagle, or is it just easier to go ahead make make the PCB. I know in PCB express you can make a schmatic and it will pretty much connect the components for you on the real bord. Is eagle the same way??
markland556,
There are very powerful reasons to use both the Schematic capture and layout tools in EAGLE (and other PCB software).
Firstly, the two are highly linked and save a lot of time and effort by automating the design process.
Secondly, there are tools that check your work (ERC - Electronic Rules Check and DRC - Design Rules Check) that catch a ton of errors that may not show up until you get the PCBs back from the vendor. Remember, with BatchPCB you may have to wait almost one month to see your PCB for the first time!
Thirdly, the PCB layout tool links back to the schematic, called back-annotation, so that you can get accurate easy to read documantation with less chance of making an error (such as using a component designator more than once and screwing up the silk-screen).
Fourthly, EAGLE exports a very nice BOM (Bill Of Materials) called a Partlist in EAGLE, that is perfect for pulling the parts from stock or ordering them on-line while the PCB is out for fab.
EAGLE has a very nice auto-router that can design the board for you. It’s very useful in straight logic designs (which we do less of today as the IC building blocks have greater functionality). Any auto-router will need help with RF, Analog, or critical placement and routing designs. I seldom use it for my hobby level boards that are under 20 square inches (EAGLE max size for the standard edition).
Comments Welcome!
Peter
well i think iv got the hang of it. Eagle is awsome with the auto routing. It takes me no time now to make a schematic and then a board. The only thing is finding the right components.