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Software Sugestions for making PCB Panels — Parallax Forums

Software Sugestions for making PCB Panels

mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
edited 2009-10-20 13:17 in General Discussion
I design my boards in Eagle and would like to take several projects and panelise them on to a 7x10 panel.· I could do in eagle but this would limit me to keeping all the board clearances the same in all projects and i would have to be very careful that my copour pores do not exced the boarders.· I do not want to be stuck with these limitations so I am looking for a software package that can take gerber files from several projects and make a 7x10 panel for me.· Preferably with me just needing to set the router width and it doing everything automatically but manual would work also.

Any ideas?

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propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.

Comments

  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2009-10-16 04:09
    MC,

    Pentalogix has the best software for the price. It is a little hard to learn, but it can do the job. Viewmaster EZ is what you are looking for.....not too expensive....



    James L

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    James L
    Partner/Designer

    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Please note: Due to economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice. Thanks for your understanding.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-10-16 06:30
    Doesn't Eagle have the capability to treat an entire board design as a single component so you can place it in a new design? That's how I panelize boards with CADINT, and it works fine.

    -Phil
  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2009-10-16 06:37
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) said...
    Doesn't Eagle have the capability to treat an entire board design as a single component so you can place it in a new design? That's how I panelize boards with CADINT, and it works fine.

    -Phil

    Not really.....the components in eagle get renumbered when panelized. But it does depend on the method.....there are other ways, which I have never tried.


    I use Diptrace, so i do not have that problem.

    James L

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    James L
    Partner/Designer

    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Please note: Due to economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice. Thanks for your understanding.
  • T ChapT Chap Posts: 4,223
    edited 2009-10-16 08:59
    In Eagle, just complete all your boards as separate files. When ready to panelize, first you need to run the panelize ULP to generate new part names in a brand new layer for each board. This duplicates the Tnames(and/or Bnames if used) layer to a newly created layer, and you no longer use the Tnames layer for any art. The reason for this process is that if you copy and paste a board, Eagle will not allow the same exact name on a board, and will increment any subsequently added identical names ( i.e. R1 will not be R1 on the paste, it will be R2 on the pasted version). The ULP panelize generates a new layer identical to Tnames, but with the result that you can copy this layer and paste it all you want without the names changing. On the new board with the various boards pasted to it, you will use the newer Tnames and NOT the original Tnames layer for screen printing purposes. Of course, if you are not screen printing then you wouldn't bother with this step. Remember that if you make any changes to the board, you must delete the contents of the new names layer you made with the panelize ULP and generate a new one. The new Tnames layer is not relative to any actual parts and must be redone for any changes.


    Next, copy the entire board from each project into a new paneled version board. The resulting copy on the new 'multi-board' will be exactly as it was on the individual file, and will NOT be subject to design rules of the new board. Once you route a board and paste it elsewhere, the design rules of the result board are no longer acting on the pasted board. However, you cannot make changes to the multi-board, you must always go to the original board file to make changes, then copy the board back to the multi panelized board. Just select the entire board and hit the scissors button, then on the new board do the paste, slide the board to a location. Be sure to have already done your copper pour for top and bottom on the original files.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-16 14:16
    Todd Chapman: that is how i have done it in the past but when I copy and paste the coper pour goes back to its normal state of not being poured yet. I do not use tName and bName because my boards are to tight so the naming problem is not an issue. Just would like to be able to have 4mil clearance on 1 board and 8mil on the rest.

    James Long: That program would be perfect I just don't have $500 at the moment. Putting all my money into the PCB panel. 4 layer, 4mil clearance is not cheap.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2009-10-16 16:02
    Depending on the fab house you are using, you can have them do the panelization to your specifications and have panelized gerber returned to you. All fabs that my work purchases get panelized as defined by me and I require the fab house to provide me panelized gerber prior to initiating the first run. We use the panelized gerber to purchase stencils and validate machine programs. We have never paid for this service from any of the fab houses we use and it works out great.

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    WBA Consulting
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  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-16 16:10
    they will do this for me if it is only 1 board made and it is a simple step and repeat. however i have about 6 different boards i want put together.

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    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • T ChapT Chap Posts: 4,223
    edited 2009-10-16 16:41
    The copper will remain identical to the state it was in when you first created it. However when you copy and paste the board, the copper is not visible and you will need to run ratstnest again to see it. Just to be clear, to create the copper pour you create a polygon around the board using the boards dimension starting with the TOP layer first. Then when you have a completed the polygon, type VSS or GND (or whatever you use as ground) in the text pane and click enter. The top ground layer is now connected to GND or VSS. Next do the same for the BOTTOM layer. Then when the outline is correct for the polygon and is connected, run ratsnest. You can then copy the entire board and paste it to the panel. Once you have pasted in all the different boards, run ratsnest again annd you should see all the copper appear.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-16 16:45
    yes you see the copper appear again however the clearance between the cooper pour and other traces will be what ever the new boards limits are. I was hoping to have 4mil only on the board that needs 4mil clearance and 8 for the rest. in gerber i would be able to do this eagle though will make them all 4mil.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-10-16 16:50
    I recently saw — and I think it was in this forum — a reference to a proto PCB service that would do just what you want: take several board designs and optimize their placement to fill a 60 sq. in. or so panel. Does anyone else recall who that was?

    -Phil
  • Lab RatLab Rat Posts: 289
    edited 2009-10-17 02:57
    i have never worked with the pcb layout segment of this software but i have used the schematics portion. Electronics workbench. its not exactly cheap but it is the greatest program i have ever used. it is used in electronics schools to layout circuits and virtually test them before you actually produce them to prevent damaging actual components

    National Instruments Multisim to be specific

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    Post Edited (Lab Rat) : 10/17/2009 3:03:47 AM GMT
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-17 03:04
    yes I even have a student version of multi sim around here some where. like eagle a lot better.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • T ChapT Chap Posts: 4,223
    edited 2009-10-17 18:20
    Did you post on the Eagle user forum?

    The only think I can suggest then is to get the paid version of Viewmaster EZ, then load in the separate boards to a panel board, output files as needed to the PCB house.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-17 18:22
    i will have to do that in the future. for now I will just have to use 4mil clearance on all in the panel since I can't afford $500 at the moment for software. need it for the pcb.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • T ChapT Chap Posts: 4,223
    edited 2009-10-17 18:29
    500 for what? Viewmaster is maybe 49? To be honest you would have to be doing some very complex design to have a few mil clearance be an issue.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-17 18:32
    strange i saw $500 when i looked the other day. must have been looking at something else. $50 I can do easily.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • parts-man73parts-man73 Posts: 830
    edited 2009-10-18 15:13
    claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/Software/gerbmerge/index.html

    Gerbmerge - I use it all the time. Now that I know how to use it. It's quite simple. But the first time I used it....

    It's written in Python, so your need to install Python and a few other support programs. The you run it in a command line (if you are using Windows), from there, there are 2 text files you edit to make things happen, there is no GUI.

    Best thing about it is that it's free

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  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-18 18:08
    Will have to check it out.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
  • metron9metron9 Posts: 1,100
    edited 2009-10-20 05:33
    I use viewmate, one problem i had was i had the licence on a computer that crashed, they said no to giving me a new licence to run it so i bought it a second time. Works really well. Just remember to use "Omit leading zeros" when you import the .DRL file.

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    Think Inside the box first and if that doesn't work..
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  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-10-20 13:17
    i purchased a copy of viewmaster ez. Will see how well it works.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5

    Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.

    Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
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