Hi Everyone! I am new to this allaboutcircuits site and the Forum, so please bear with me.

I want to produce some Gerber Files for machine work for some old graphic positives which I hand made years ago thru MSPAINT The positives were used in the Xerox Overhead Projector Film method to transfer the ink images onto the PCB by heat press.

QUESTION: Does anyone know of a simple method to create Gerber files directly from the positives without having to write a file by redrawing the circuits in a PCB Creation program?

 

Hi Everyone! I am new to this allaboutcircuits site and the Forum, so please bear with me.

I want to produce some Gerber Files for machine work for some old graphic positives which I hand made years ago thru MSPAINT The positives were used in the Xerox Overhead Projector Film method to transfer the ink images onto the PCB by heat press.

QUESTION: Does anyone know of a simple method to create Gerber files directly from the positives without having to write a file by redrawing the circuits in a PCB Creation program?

Only if you have a way to scan the positives. You might be able to turn the scan into something, but would it have the right level of precision.

 

If you have the artwork you can create a transparency, positive or negative. You have bypassed the gerber step and can now print the boards.

 

Scan the positives and use an artwork program that can do a "trace" to vector.

 

Take a look at this link.

https://nitkin.net/2016/3/graphic-copper-kicad

I am not sure that is qualified as easy but it does seem possible from a bitmap file.

 

Hi Everyone! I am new to this allaboutcircuits site and the Forum, so please bear with me.

I want to produce some Gerber Files for machine work for some old graphic positives which I hand made years ago thru MSPAINT The positives were used in the Xerox Overhead Projector Film method to transfer the ink images onto the PCB by heat press.

QUESTION: Does anyone know of a simple method to create Gerber files directly from the positives without having to write a file by redrawing the circuits in a PCB Creation program?

I like the responses and appreciate them: BUT I don't have a lead that will allow me to align the drill holes (most of them) and have them embedded into the program for drilling by machine. A program that will allow me to import the image of the PCB and align most of the holes would be great. If then I could re-certify the drill holes onto a vector that would be perfect. Does anyone know a program that will do that?

 

Take a look at this link.

https://nitkin.net/2016/3/graphic-copper-kicad

I am not sure that is qualified as easy but it does seem possible from a bitmap file.

I believe I'll do some deep reading about the Graphic Copper in Kicad site you sent me to.
Quick reading a few sections shows a little hope in me getting these machine-made. I have been doing it by film for years and figure now is the time I need them to finally be completed.

I'll post if I find the program to do it with if there is such. Any more ideas will be truly welcomed.

Thanks, everyone.
FTR

 

I have seen a few references about using Protel, a schematic capture package, in reverse engineering a PCB. I do not know how easy it is to do it what the cost of the software is.

I thought this was an interesting site, a PCB clone service from DirtyPCB in China. They also seem to use Protel.

https://dirtypcbs.com/store/pcbclone

 

I have seen a few references about using Protel, a schematic capture package, in reverse engineering a PCB. I do not know how easy it is to do it what the cost of the software is.

I thought this was an interesting site, a PCB clone service from DirtyPCB in China. They also seem to use Protel.

https://dirtypcbs.com/store/pcbclone

StayatHomeElectronics thanks.... - I am looking up Protel today to see if they say anything about importing graphics.
Thank you very much.

And again Thanks to all that have replied.
FTR@EES - electronicenergysource