Hi all,
Is there any way to make curve route / trace lines in eagle pcb smooth?

Please see attached image, some edges are straight, while curves edges are rugged.

Thanks in advance

 

It depends on what resolution you export at and what "magnfication" you snip at. Here are two examples. One was exported at 72 dpi and the other was exported at 180 dpi. I tried to get about the same magnification on the snippet.



Your images are far larger than what they need to be to convey a typical message. If you are going to export to a file on your desktop and then upload, I recommend exporting at around 100 dpi. If you are going to export, open and snip to post*, then export at a higher dpi and keep your opened image to a reasonable size for the snipping (using Windows 7).

John

*On this forum, you can snip and then use CTRL+V to paste the snippet in your response.

 

Hi jpanhalt,
The image i attached is actually a screenshot of a zoomed image. The board size from which the original image exported from is 15x35mm and exported at both 600 and 1200dpi, both with the same rugged curve edge result. I did a print test and examined the print with a microscope as well and was able to see the rugged edges. I notice in both the sample you posted, they both have rugged edges, is it that the curve edges can't be as smooth as the straight edges within eagle? Do i have to use a photo editor to fix these rugged edges? I am printing this to etch on a board.

Also, what about when boards are actually sent to a fab house to get done, these edges come out rugged if its rugged in the file?

 

I would assume the fab house uses Vector image rather than a raster/pixel based .png file?
Max.

 

I would assume the fab house uses Vector image rather than a raster/pixel based .png file?
Max.

Most fab houses want Gerber files (vector based). That's what I use so I've never tried to print from Eagle except for doc files. I tried a couple of Eagle print formats for the TS and got the same jaggies which would make for an ugly board. But if yours is such that you have to look through a microscope to see them, it probably doesn't matter.

Here's what you CAN do..

Generate Gerber plots for the board then import them into the free GCprevue. Its a Gerber viewer but also will print hi-res images at 1:1 scale for imaging boards if that's what you want to do. I just tried it with a test file with lots of traces at angle and it printed on the laser just fine with no visible jaggies.

A couple of notes on your board image at the top:
Your traces don't hit the center of the pads so you get a short unrouted section. This won't affect the board but will clutter the DRC and maybe cause you to miss something important.
The center pad's trace hits it at an acute angle. This can cause etching problems. Make it enter straight on like the others.

Finally, put a couple of long XY ruler lines of known length on some layer then plot it and print it. Measure the printout to verify that the printer is printing on scale. If not, you can enter a custom scale factor in GCprevue's PrintSetup page to compensate.

Good luck!

 

Most fab houses want Gerber files (vector based). That's what I use so I've never tried to print from Eagle except for doc files. I tried a couple of Eagle print formats for the TS and got the same jaggies which would make for an ugly board.
Good luck!

I recently ordered from OSHpark they take an Eagle .BRD file as well as gerber.
Max.

 

Do i have to use a photo editor to fix these rugged edges? I am printing this to etch on a board.

Why are you exporting as a png if you are making a PCB? Whether you are using toner transfer or photosensitive PCB blanks, just print to the transparency/image paper you need. If you are using a fab house, then use Gerbers as already stated.

John

 

I recently ordered from OSHpark they take an Eagle .BRD file as well as gerber.
Max.

That's good to know, thanks.

 

Most fab houses want Gerber files (vector based). That's what I use so I've never tried to print from Eagle except for doc files. I tried a couple of Eagle print formats for the TS and got the same jaggies which would make for an ugly board. But if yours is such that you have to look through a microscope to see them, it probably doesn't matter.

Here's what you CAN do..

Generate Gerber plots for the board then import them into the free GCprevue. Its a Gerber viewer but also will print hi-res images at 1:1 scale for imaging boards if that's what you want to do. I just tried it with a test file with lots of traces at angle and it printed on the laser just fine with no visible jaggies.

A couple of notes on your board image at the top:
Your traces don't hit the center of the pads so you get a short unrouted section. This won't affect the board but will clutter the DRC and maybe cause you to miss something important.
The center pad's trace hits it at an acute angle. This can cause etching problems. Make it enter straight on like the others.

Finally, put a couple of long XY ruler lines of known length on some layer then plot it and print it. Measure the printout to verify that the printer is printing on scale. If not, you can enter a custom scale factor in GCprevue's PrintSetup page to compensate.

Good luck!

Thanks much for your advice.

Why are you exporting as a png if you are making a PCB? Whether you are using toner transfer or photosensitive PCB blanks, just print to the transparency/image paper you need. If you are using a fab house, then use Gerbers as already stated.
John

I haven't tried printing directly from eagle as yet but will try today, however though, are you saying printing straight from eagle will not have any rugged edges?

 

What I am saying is that exporting to a png is the wrong way to go for DIY PCB's.

John

 

What I am saying is that exporting to a png is the wrong way to go for DIY PCB's.

John

Printing directly from eagle, still shows the jagged edges, i just tried it.

 

Maybe it is your printer! I have used Eagle since version 3.X many years ago and never had a problem with jagged edges, nor have some pretty small designs sent to board houses shown jagged edges.

The "problem" is not Eagle.

John

 

Maybe it is your printer! I have used Eagle since version 3.X many years ago and never had a problem with jagged edges, nor have some pretty small designs sent to board houses shown jagged edges.

The "problem" is not Eagle.

John

The jagged edges are shown even before print, zooming the image shows the jagged edge as shown in the initial image, as well as zooming in eagle itself shows the jagged edges as shown in this attached image. In eagle when zoom, it doesn't look like much, however when print you could see it.

 

Oh well, I've not had that problem. Of course, I know that my screen resolution and printer affects the edges too. Here is a high magnification of an ink jet print of a single pad:



What you see there is the individual inkjet spots. Perhaps your expectations are unreasonable or you should try another CAD program?

John

 

Oh well, I've not had that problem. Of course, I know that my screen resolution and printer affects the edges too. Here is a high magnification of an ink jet print of a single pad:

View attachment 85614

What you see there is the individual inkjet spots. Perhaps your expectations are unreasonable or you should try another CAD program?

John

Think i am making some progress that's not so bad, i remove the board, regenerate the board and re-route more clean and seem to be much better, however though, printing directly from eagle shows more jagged than printing from an exported png, i think my expectations was a bit too high too, i somewhat figured the curves should have a solid edge, but i did some reading up on images on grids and it seem it is doing exactly what it should according to the grid image / line. A link below with some insight.

http://graphicdesign.stackexchange....ged-edge-aliasing-on-a-straight-diagonal-line

 

Thanks to all that shed some insight on this, much appreciated.