News

From Idea to Implementation

Creating Circuit Boards Using EaglePCB

Bob Bownes [email protected]

From Idea to Implementation

• Idea

• Block Diagram

• Schematic

• Prototype

• PCB Outline & Place

• PCB Routing

• Enclosure Selection

• Build

• Correct

• Mass Produce

What is a PCB?A Mechanical Solution to an Electrical Problem

3

What is a PCB?Layers, Pads, Traces, Planes, and Vias ... oh my!

4

The Path From A to B

A

B

CadSoft Eagle

Control Panel

Project

Schematic Capture Layout

Library

Plug-Ins

Project

Schematic Capture

Layout…

Symbols Footprints

Tools

Eagle PCB

Symbol + Footprint + Device = Component

DeviceDevice

SymbolSymbol

FootprintPackage

7

Getting Started

• Idea

• Components

• Libraries

• Connections

• Dimensions

Control Panel

Schematic Capture

Schematic CaptureCreating a New Schematic

• File -> New -> Schematic

• Save it with a new name!

• Don‟t go creating a Board just

yet.

• Keep the defaults.

Schematic CaptureAdding Components

• Click the Add icon

• Find the component in the

library

• Set values or take defaults.

• Don‟t see the library? Try Use -

> Library

Schematic CaptureAdding Power, Ground, etc

• Click the Add icon

• Find the global symbol in the

library (supply1)

• Place as if it were a component

• Place power and ground for

every powered component

• Make a row for bypass caps

• Place a few spares in a corral

Schematic CaptureConnect The dots!

• Click the Wire icon

• Connect component endpoints

• Use the Junction icon

• Additional Features

• Buss wires

• Networks

Libraries

• Internal

• CadSoft Web Site > 100 libs

– Cadsoftusa.com/downloads

• SparkFun

• Manufacturer websites

Board Layout

• Create your board

• From the schematic, choose File -> Switch

to Board.

• “Create From Schematic”?

• Of Course!

• Board window automatically

opens.

• Create an outline of the

physical board

• Parts at lower left

Place Components

• Select Move icon to

reposition.

• Click on component,

drag to new location

• Lather, rinse, repeat

• Use the Rotate icon to

rotate a component

• Use Mirror icon to flip

a component

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Place Physical Details

• Vias

• Heat sinks aka copper polygons

• Mounting holes

• Alignment markers

• Cutouts

• Milling details

Board Layout

• DRC is your Friend!

• Save often, save revisions.

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Route

• Click the Route icon

• Pick the end of an airwire

• Drag, click, drag, double

click endpoint

• Right click on an

endpoint or via, set

signal name

Route – The Auto Router

• Tools Auto or cmd line

„auto;‟

• May take a while for

complex designs

• Will use all available

layers

• Will probably not

complete

• Leaves you the hard work

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Route – Auto Router Hints• Work in small patches

• Use components as jumpers

• Rotate components

• Rip up single wires

• Use rip; to rip up everything

• Rip up groups

• Manual wire and via placement

• Only sadists put the DIPs in

multiple orientations!

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EagleUp

• Eagle meets Google SketchUp

• Plug-in (ULP)

G-Code

• Numerical Control (NC) Programming Language

• MIT Origin

• AKA ISO 6983 / RS274D / GERBER_RS_274

• Full programming language with loops,

conditionals, variables, etc.

• Basic operations

– Start, stop, position, move in straight line or arc

– Set tool information, coordinate systems, internal

control

G-Code Generation

• PCB-Gcode

• Eagle Plug in

• Generates g-gode from board layout

• Many options

• Support for multiple consumers

PCB-GCode

PCB-GCode

• Cmd line ‘run pcb-gcode-setup;’

• Set up once

• Only need drills on one side

• Click ‘Accept and make my board’

• Generates preview

• Some layers may be empty

grbl

• G-code interpreter for Arduino and stepper

motors

• Simple, incomplete, lightweight, in active

development

• Compatible with PCB-Gcode

• No auto-leveling

• Fed with gstream

Tooling

• PCB drills & miniature end mills

• Etch tools

• Home made etch tools

1296Mhz Signal Source

IF Pre-amp & Switch

Openscam

WEBSITES• Get EAGLE software (EAGLE Layout editor)

1. http://www.cadsoftusa.com

2. Freeware Download

3. Also download Manual and Tutorial!

• PCB-Gcode (G code generator)

1. http://pcbgcode.org/

2. Software Downloads

• GRBL (Arduino based CNC)

1. https://github.com/grbl

• Openscam

1. http://openscam.com

• SparkFun (Tutorials and Eagle Libraries)

– http://learn.sparkfun.com

– https://github.com/sparkfun/SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries