NO Forum for PCB Design?

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
Back in Feb of 2015 I make a video on making PCBs with dry film resist and posted it on Youtube. This video was to support the thread on making PCBs using photographic methods in the completed projects section. I did not promote the video except to link to it from this forum. The video has been viewed 1532 times as of this post.

If you want to draw more traffic to this forum add a PCB section.

Here is the video.
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
I would like to see a dedicated place for PCB questions and comments. However, I don't think that is what @shortbus is asking for, is it? I thought it was determined that circuit design was really what he was after.
You hit it on the head! The mechanical side of making a PCB is pretty well documented here and the net. It's the in's and out's of design that isn't. It isn't even shown in books like, the Art of Electronics. The little things that are needed but most circuits shown online don't include. How many times has some one came here asking why a circuit posted on "xyz" site doesn't work, then the people that answer tell them whats "missing" to make it work. The stuff that you who know what your doing automatically add or put in a circuit, because you know it's needed.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
If I were doing this with my setup here on AAC (and I am considering it) I would write an article in either Electronic Resources or Electronic Chat, then link it via my blog index (everyone here has seen that, right?).

I consider myself an intermediate user on the subject. I do it fairly regularly (though not as much as some) and have some definite weaknesses on the subject. For example, I use ExpressPCB because it is easy to use, but it doesn't generate Gerber files, the preferred format for board houses. This is because for the most part I do it DIY style, but when you actually want to give someone a final design it is best to have it in standard formats.

Eventually I will have to learn Eagle lite.
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
I also like ExpressPCB for its simplicity. I bought the $49 version of Copper Connection, which accepts ExpressPCB files and generates Gerber files. Copper connection also can print a negative image which is what is needed for dry film resist. The free version of Copper Connection also prints negative images but will not generate Gerbers.
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
If I were doing this with my setup here on AAC (and I am considering it) I would write an article in either Electronic Resources or Electronic Chat, then link it via my blog index (everyone here has seen that, right?).......
Blog Index?

Wendy, could talk a little more about that.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I'm going to try a little experiment, something only someone with moderator privileges can do here. I'm going to create a thread in the electronics chat room, and start an article with the intent of allowing everyone to contribute. At a later date I will merge/rewrite this thread and create a new thread in the Electronic Resources forum that will be closed to public input. The original thread will be the wild west open section.

In many ways it will reflect my LEDs, 555s, Flashers, and Light Chasers article thread lessons learned, it took about 3 rewrites (and moderator privileges) to get right. I still consider it a work in progress, though I have not touched it in a while.

I have started the article here...

How to Lay Out a PCB
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
This is going to be both an open discussion forum and an article forum. When I have something worth posting on its own I will start a new thread in the Electronics Resources forum. I will add contributions to the article as a editor / writer and give attributions to work that actually makes it into the article. Questions are also welcomed, if you are struggling with doing this.
How about a new sub-forum for PCB design and prototyping? Several have discussed it recently.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
If you haven't figured it out it isn't in my pay grade. I can slap wrists, edit threads, and keep the peace, but I do not have the say how things are done here (though I can offer suggestions). So I will do what I can with the tools that I have. I have a few more tools than most, but I will try this as an experiment to see how well it works.

Since your post and my reply are off topic they will be deleted in a day or so.

Edit: On second thought I moved the posts to this thread.
 
Last edited:
Top