my computer is slow, so its hard for my to download somthing like pads power pcb, at 1.2 gig on my measly dailup

 

I don't know if its any help to you but we normally budget anywhere from $1200.00 to $5000.00 for a PC Board turn including layout, fab and assembly of some small quantity.

 

I don't know if its any help to you but we normally budget anywhere from $1200.00 to $5000.00 for a PC Board turn including layout, fab and assembly of some small quantity.

that seems reasonable. some of the companies i searched were over $30 per board. i found a couple online places that do prototypes, if the order is under 50 ish they will do it cheap. since i will do all the assembly, and all im looking for is a bare board, no silk screen or solder mask, they should be reasonable. thanx for the heads up anyway!!

 

Vito, that is a truly horrible drawing. If you're serious, you need to think about whether you're conveying useful information or not.

And anyway, it looks extremely simple. If I had one of those to build, I'd just lay it out on perfboard. It wouldn't take more than half an hour.

 

Vito, that is a truly horrible drawing. If you're serious, you need to think about whether you're conveying useful information or not.

Which was my point. How hard is it to draw something like this?

Schematics are important, they are the language of electronics. If you want to communicate electronics clearly, you start with the schematic. I routinely draw this and much more complex schematics for my articles. I have no problem with pencil, one of our other active members uses hand sketches all the time that are very readable. There really is a right way and a wrong way do to it.

I see several people have volunteered. I am being sincere when I wish you luck, Eagle Express is better than the package I use, PCB Express. Eagle generates Gerber files, which is a universal format. PCB Express doesn't, but their software will give you a quote how much they would charge to make a batch of boards. PCB Express isn't really meant to be free, it is a utility to help them sell product.

As part of making PCBs using PCB Express, I also redraw the schematic in their software package, this allows me to use their error checking features. A minor detail, but it can save a lot of heartache later.

Here is a sample of my last project, I haven't made the board yet.

25 LED Open Ended Sequencer

You want neat, you have to provide neat.

The only expensive part is time and basic PCB stock, a gallon of muriatic acid (a common swimming pool chemical) and off the shelf hydrogen peroxide lasts a very long time. I use toner transfer technique with wax paper as the transfer medium. The wax paper will also last a very long time. I already gave you my link on how to make PCBs.

 

i know mits a bad drawing, i have a better one i just drew. it took me time figuring out how it all works, and getting it as compact as possible with the the transfer lines, it is fitting in a confined space so every placement was originally crucial, now ive got it where placemnt doesnt matter, size is only a secondary need.

 

Part of using a CAD program like PCB express is they let you move things in very small increments. It isn't hard to make a tight layout.

It is considerably cheaper to DIY than have a vendor make it. A $3 PCB suddenly costs $25 (or more).

Do you have access to a shear? How many of these suckers are you wanting?

 

for now 10, wihcih i can make just fine, but if there is a demand for my system, it could be 100s, i dont have a shear, but i have a table saw. and a drill press. i could make them, i just found a could websites that were under $10 per board, and i like the idea of a professional looking board

 

From what I've seen you want double sided, which means via holes. These are pads that conduct from one side of the board to the other. Silkscreen is usually part of the package, though I suppose you could save money skipping it.

I'm around, you might see if the other guys who've volunteered are good for the work. If not I've already explained my requirements (a clear schematic). I am not busting your jaws on this, the illustration is so far off it makes my head hurt just looking at it and trying to translate.

 

ok thanks for your help, i have been talking with another person about my components. let me run this idea past you since it might change my whole rig. how much heat would a npn standard voltage regulator produce, say liek a LM350T. it has a max of 3 amp. if the load is only like 2 amp max or less, would it create much heat at all? versus a switching regulator? they are way cheaper than my switching regulator from TI that i have used, so i may change it up. heres the data:
http://www.national.com/mpf/LM/LM150.html#Overview
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/ptn78060w.html

 

The top option is very similar to the design I just threw out there. It will get very, very hot, a major negative. It is quiet and simple though.

The second option is a bit noisier, which doesn't matter for many applications. It will much cooler though, maybe just a little warm. Switchers trade off noise for efficiency. They convert the power, as well as regulate it.

Lets say you have 6VDC at 3A, with a 12V input voltage. The output is 18 watts. If the converter is 80% efficient the 12V side will only pull around 1.9A. So it is a very energy efficient device, and the 20% ineffeciency is what is converted to heat. Even so, it will still dissipate 4.5W, which is a lot less than the first regulator but a lot of heat.

I suspect you will need a heat sink in either case, the second being a lot smaller. Have you wired this yet?

I also suspect (without knowing) the switcher will be a lot more expensive. The datasheet claims up to 96% efficiency, your mileage may differ.

Basically you are going to have to prototype this, and see if the magic blue smoke escapes (and how hot it gets). It is what most of us do at this point.

 

When you get the design/schematic/parts list finalized I can do the layout and provide you with the gerber files for a PCB house. Looking at what you have posted so far I'd charge $300 to $500 to layout the board and provide gerber files.. We can set it up so you can use something cheap like Itead for the boards http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19_20

 

You probably ought to make the first PCB DIY, it is part of the prototyping phase of a project.

 

i have already made a board, heres some pics. i never checked for heat, but i used the switcher, TI wants 22$ but they are on ebay for $13 and ive sorced them whilesale for the same. i guess i could tell you what the circuit does, the brushless motor gets power from a weedwacker motor intsalled in a remote control car. the brushless motor generates electricty to 1 charge the battery pack and 2 power the servos. steering servo runs about 700ma no load , and up to 5a full draw, throttle servo is 500ma. being that the input voltage changes constantly (throttle position) i dont know if it creates alot of heat. i have run my prototpye, i dipped it in several layers of wax to water proof it. after a bunch of testing, the wax has not melted. so i dont htink it makes much of any heat. whcih is why the lm350 might work.

 

When you get the design/schematic/parts list finalized I can do the layout and provide you with the gerber files for a PCB house. Looking at what you have posted so far I'd charge $300 to $500 to layout the board and provide gerber files.. We can set it up so you can use something cheap like Itead for the boards http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19_20

thanx, for the info, ill keep you in mind, i was thinking it might end up at a number like that. for now i wont need it, i need to make prototypes for distributers to test, and if i start getting big orders, ill let you know. its definetly worth it to have a professional board.

 

once one person volunteers i get 10. the baord is done. thank you everyone for all your help.