PCB manufacture of prototypes

Thread Starter

davidjohnhills

Joined Oct 8, 2017
61

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MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
Maybe time to use one of the free schematic capture programs, KiCad etc, and produce the gerbers needed.
Certainly be cheaper in the long run! ;)
Max.
 

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
I see none VSOP detail in there, thus the most elementary paper and ion method is more than good for pcb production at kitchen, balancing all things on the feet. Paper method allows a 0,1 mm ptch with about 20-50 micron inaccuracies. If more exact is needed, the Positivus-20 process allows about 50x more exact result, thus VSOP have more better look made on Positivus. Only one case is pardonable to order somewhere else is if the through-metallisation is demand. Simply that process is to so simple in kitchen to brew.
PS- first of methods demands an iron with electronically stabilized temperature 180+/- 10C. Normal iron walks between 110 and 350 with cycle of about few minutes. Paper must be as older as better. Nowaday paper is contrindicated, but all from sixties or early seventies is better as best.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
You seem to have 3 choices:

1) Search this term "convert png files to gerber". Lots of possibilities will come up.

2) Use toner transfer or photoresist to transfer to a PCB and etch your own or find someone to do it for you. I prefer using photoresist for finer detail.

3) Redraw the schematic using any electronic CAD package. Get a proper (vector) PCB file and create the Gerber's from that.

I would probably opt for Option 2, as I suspect the conversion (Option 1) will have some difficulties, but it could be worth a try. If I wanted something I could sell, I would go to Option 3.
 

Thread Starter

davidjohnhills

Joined Oct 8, 2017
61
Thanks for all your reply's

I am trying to recreating the part of the design that I need, in PCB Artist.
I need a "place holder" for the LM1812 it is a N18A package

I am having difficulty finding a common IC that's still available in the package N18A

Creating a component from scratch is a bit more tricky

Can anyone help?

thanks

DH
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
1588325956689.png

It seems you will be linked to that manufacturer. Why not use something that will allow a choice?

Whatever you use, creating a component footprint is one of the basic things you need to know how to do. What is the specific footprint? Is it a standard that may be used for other devices?

EDIT:
If this is the package you need, it looks like a common DIP 18 package:
1588326411133.png

I didn't check every dimension, but 0.100 spacing and 0.300 wide is pretty common.
 
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MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
Creating a component from scratch is a bit more tricky

Can anyone help?
You mention getting the PCB's made, so at some point you will need the like's of Gerber files etc, wouldn't the effort be better spent learning a program that will do this. as suggested earlier? ;)
And also where you can create schematic symbols as well as device footprints, if needed.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

davidjohnhills

Joined Oct 8, 2017
61
I am still working on this, what would you recommend as the simplest pcb board design package for complete beginning.
I have tried PCB artist by David Hunt but am struggling with it.
Are there are any training courses UK available or tutorials.
Would anyone like to offer a day /half day beginners course UK(south west region)

Say starting with a board for a 556 chirp generator,
150Khz chirp of duration 10 cycles once a second

thanks

David
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
Kicad (Free) have just released their ver 6 .
For learning, you may want to try using an earlier version such as 4 if it is available, I have post a link to some good youtube tutoriols in an earlier post.
There are many official and un-official Youtube tutorials also.
 
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bassbindevil

Joined Jan 23, 2014
824
If you only need a portion of it, that could be made as a one-off board, using rub-down IC and donut and trace patterns (don't know if you can still buy those anywhere). I still have some that I bought from Radio Shack last century, so my process is to first drill the holes (print out the layout to scale and drill through it), place the IC and/or pads, then join the dots using the rub-down traces. That isn't any easier than laying it out with software, though, and some people don't have carbide PC board drills and etchant and blank board stock and Radio Shack rub-down patterns lying around, so you should probably just do that and get boards made cheap at JLCPCB or somewhere.
 

panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
if you want PCB professionally made and - multiple boards, the best way is to use some sort of EDA software and design board yourself.

if you want one off, and you know how, you can easily use existing board design using any of numerous methods. one commonly used is tonner transfer method etc. but this takes some practice, needs some knowledge of handling chemicals etc.
 

Thread Starter

davidjohnhills

Joined Oct 8, 2017
61
if you want PCB professionally made and - multiple boards, the best way is to use some sort of EDA software and design board yourself.

if you want one off, and you know how, you can easily use existing board design using any of numerous methods. one commonly used is tonner transfer method etc. but this takes some practice, needs some knowledge of handling chemicals etc.
Is there any way to get a LT spice design to gerber automatically or semi automatic.
This would be a big help, especially if it could do the D.I.P chips placements(556 and quad 741)

thanks for the help Panic Mode
David
 
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