Hi everyone. Ive been trying all day to make a pcb design that works for my project and Ive had nothing but issues. I can seem to make a layout that doesnt require vias and two layers. I need to make this myself and only know how to make single layer PCBs. I also cannot find a header layout for the molex header I want to use with this. I have drawn up a schematic and am holding off on showing my pcb I did because it is horribly messy an amateurish (which I am but its embarrassingly bad and I know it). Either way I was hoping maybe someone here could help me out with a pcb design. I have already made this with perforated board as a test and it has worked great for me but Id like to make it more permanent.

Hopefully someone can help me out or at least help me make it my self. I dont have anyone to walk me through this at home so this is the only place I know of that has people that know how to do this.

Im going to post the schematic, if you can help me with it and need any more info about things I can give it no problem. Thanks

 

sure I could help. But I use Eagle professional edition. Is it ok for you if I use this? What headers do you want me to use? I can do this within 10min.
Tell me also exactly what your components are. And if possible their dimensions.

 

Here man.. I just simply assumed the following..

Molex KK series 9 Pin Header for relay outputs
Molex KK series 2 Pin Header for supply
Then for the relay I don't know what you have but I used the 5-pin relay special type since it seemed similar in looks.

Did all of this in eagle. But you can view it on your regular pdf viewer. Just click on the attached files.

Cheers
Franz

 

I suppose its ok if you use Eagle.. I only have the free software from PCBexpress, if I I can read it on my pc or if you can post the artwork as a pdf or something that would work fine for me.

I dont have the dimensions of the components but I do have the Digi-key p/n's if that is of any use.

Heres the Bill of Materials

C1 Cap 0.001µF 100V 10% CER RADIAL -X7R DIGIKEY PN 399-4202-ND
C2 Cap TANT 22µF 25V 10% RAD DIGIKEY PN 399-3584-ND
C3 Cap TANT 22µF 25V 10% RAD DIGIKEY PN 399-3584-ND
C4 Cap 0.1µF 50V 10% CER RADIAL - X7R DIGIKEY PN 399-4329-ND

D1 Diode GPP 50V 1A DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4001DICT-ND
D2 Diode Zener 12V 1W 5% DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4742ADICT-ND
D3 Diode GPP 50V 1A DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4001DICT-ND
D4 Diode Zener 24V 1W 5% DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4749ADICT-ND
D5 Diode GPP 50V 1A DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4001DICT-ND
D6 Diode Zener 5.6V 1W 5% DO-41 DIGIKEY PN 1N4734ADICT-ND

R1 1K 1/4W 5% RESISTOR
R2 10K 1/4W 5% RESISITOR
R3 10K 1/4W 5% RESISITOR

U1 PICAXE 08M 8 PIN DIP
U2 ULN2003A 16 PIN DIP

HEADER MOLEX EUROSTYLE 8 PIN TERMINAL BLOCK PN 39544-3008

Thats the best I can do as far as components. As far as which circuits need to go to the header...

PIN 1 +12
PIN 2 GROUND
PIN 3 +5
PIN 4 SW1 RETURN
PIN 5 PIN 16 FROM ULN2003A
PIN 6 PIN 15 FROM ULN2003A
PIN 7 PIN 14 FROM ULN2003A
PIN 8 EMPTY

I really hope this helps and I hope itll work out for me. Thanks for your time

 

lol you beat me to the punch lol.

 

Just check out my circuit. I think I got the basic components figured out.. The caps will fit. Maybe a little off on my guess work but they will fit. Only doubts I had was your Relay if they are PCB mounted or not. I have uploaded the PDF file already a while ago together with its artwork and how the components should be placed. If for some reason you need to do a little bit editing just copy the layout how I placed the units..

The capacitors should be as close as possible to your Voltage Reg. And the caps for the IC should also be as close as possible.

Take note the regulator you used on your schematic is surface mounted. You should use a DIP package (Through Hole). If you think my artwork is usable already..

All you have to do is....

Step 1. Print as is, (no mirror) on a magazine paper. (You must use a laser printer). If you don't have one, then have it photocopied at school or elsewhere.
Step 2. Iron your PCB then place the artwork on top of the PCB.
Step 3. Iron some more (roughly 40 secs on max temp)...
Step 4. Srub off with water and Etch it.

Hope this all helps. Good luck with your project tell me if it all works.

Cheers
Franz

 

thanks, I do have photo sensitized boards so Ill be doing it with a transparancy and a developer light. Ill see how it works and give you an update.

BTW I didnt think my VR was surface mount, the one I have is a 3 pin through hole, Ill double check the number I listed though but I do know its a LM2937ET-5.0. Its an automotive grade 5v regulator that can handle large transients, load dumps and massive voltage spikes, plus its reverse voltage protected among other things. Pretty nice regulator compared to say a 7805.

edit, one last thing, do you happen to have the silkscreen without the traces? I cant see the outlines except in the white areas, anything that overlaps a trace disappears. I can figure it out regardless by following the traces but that would make it a little more convenient and it looks like you already did it.

Also as far as Eagle goes, is there something special about it that lets you go from a schematic to pcb in a few minutes? It was taking me close to an hour just to just pick and set the components let alone routing compnents. Even with the autoroute feature use it still came out undesirable. Just wondering if I should start using the Eagle free version. It claims to do everything the pro version does but the circuits are smaller.

 

Okay i'll try uploading tomorrow afternoon. I am a bit sleepy now it is 4am where I am located. Take note on the direction you use the photo acetate. Because I am acustomed to put my tracks on the "top" layer since I do my PCBs with Iron transfer method. I think you should mirror or something if its done with photo method.

Well using Eagle only took me 5min. I guess I just got used to it so much. Yes there is a command that transfer schematic to board layouting.. After that you just have to place it in the right location..Place your components in the right direction to avoid overlaps.. Using ratsnest to update which pin goes where. What I liked using eagle is only the very huge library and that most companies will send Eagle footprints if its not already inside eagle.

I noticed only the LM2937 in my library was Surface mounted. But yeah seems like there are DIPs. I just used the standard LM package for it. It's the same pitch and pin layout so it wouldn't affect the circuit anyways

Cheers
Franz