Hi, New here…
I was wondering… Has anyone ever used this software?
And does the gerber data it outputs comply with the specs for the BATCHPCB service?
read their forums. I believe the gerber output is ok.
Last time I looked it, they didn’t have a way to link schematic with layout. I didn’t see how making a change to the schematic could be reflected in the PCB.
Yeah, I use it. Works pretty great, and it’s very easy to add new footprints/parts. I’ve done a few boards with BatchPCB (unfortunately, all revs of the same board… on Rev F of my own reflow oven design). The only thing I’d caution is that through-holes don’t seem to compensate for being tinned, so they might be a bit tight. I ended up copying and increasing the hole size by about 2-3 mils on all the parts I found that have this issue. (larger diodes, larger caps… dunno about resistors as it’s been a while).
Philba is right, though, there isn’t a way to really link a schematic up to it, but it looks like one of their latest beta executables can import from TinyCad (which is also pretty cool as I fnally got a chance to try it since I built a new computer a little while back.) Although I’m the type that would rather hand do it anyways, since my schematics are usually multi-page.
Hey thanks for the replies!
After reading them I browsed through the user documentation. He does mention the hole size dilema you mentioned above. He basically says that it makes more sense for the whole size to be the actual finished size than it to be the actual drill size taking into account the plating thikness since the board house sets the plating/ thinkness parameters. So basically you tell them that the drill sizes are finished hole size and you would have to add the plating thinkess to all whole drill sizes. (see 4.183)
It all depends on how your PCB house wants the data. Since the drill sizes are all contained right in the top of tjhe drill file seems it would be pretty easy to edit adding the mils manually. He also has an import function for the Ivex Libraries. 8)
I think Ill give it a try. 8)