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PCB Layout Software? — Parallax Forums

PCB Layout Software?

Kirk FraserKirk Fraser Posts: 364
edited 2014-09-09 12:55 in General Discussion
A few months ago I saw a Parallax.com recommendation for PCB layout software which I downloaded. Unfortunately my hard drive crashed, too much like my old age memory, and I can't find the link anywhere now. Anyone please provide the name(s) of good free PCB layout software. Thanks.

Comments

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-09-08 13:51
    That would probably DipTrace. A great package.

    http://www.parallax.com/search?search_api_views_fulltext=Diptrace
  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,126
    edited 2014-09-08 17:06
    I use ExpressPCB. Schematic capture and board layout. Pretty much have to use their fab house. There is a shareware checking program you can find by googling Expresspcb check.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2014-09-08 20:51
    If you ever want to leverage any of the Parallax open source designs you'll need DipTrace.

    Ken Gracey
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-09-09 00:50
    ken,
    If you ever want to leverage any of the Parallax open source designs you'll need DipTrace
    Which is shame really. What with DipTrace being closed source and all. It flies in the face of the Open Source efforts of Parallax.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2014-09-09 02:59
    I use ExpressPCB with Copper Connection by Robot room. http://www.robotroom.com/CopperConnection/

    It's a great combination. We use Copper Connection to get gerbers and pick-and-place data from ExpressPCB files.

    Bean
  • TonyDTonyD Posts: 210
    edited 2014-09-09 04:34
    If you're using a Windows PC have a look at DesignSpark PCB

    http://www.designspark.com/pcb

    It's Free, no board size restrictions and no commercial usage license restrictions and can import from Eagle CAD.
  • Kerry SKerry S Posts: 163
    edited 2014-09-09 05:47
    I would second DesignSpark. It has a schematic design side and a board side and works very well. I did my 4 layer Propeller I/O expansion board with it and check the design with the built in error checker and the boards came back 100% first time. With complex routings you will need to do some by hand when the auto route does not do an optimal job (though it seldom fails to find a path) however doing that is VERY easy.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-09-09 06:16
    There is an Open Source Design Suite called KiCad:

    http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-09-09 06:26
    Chris Gammell has made a lot of excellent tutorial videos for KiCad as part of his "Contextual Electronics" venture:
    http://www.youtube.com/user/contextualelectronic/feed
    http://contextualelectronics.com/
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2014-09-09 11:25
    And the debate continues... :)

    Of course the obvious answer would be EAGLE. :)
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-09-09 11:56
    idbruce,
    And the debate continues...
    Back in the 80's I worked on a team writing a schematic capture and PCB layout package that was targeted at PCs running MSDOS, CADSTAR. CADSTAR sold for ten thousand pounds a seat at the time.

    So what amazes me today is the huge number of cheap and free packages that do much the same thing.

    On this page alone we have recommendations for:

    DipTrace
    ExpressPCB
    DesignSpark
    KiCad
    Eagle

    But then there is:

    ZenitPCB
    FreePCB
    TinyCAD
    Osmond PCB
    BSch3V
    gEDA
    Fritzing
    DesignSpark PCB

    and here is a biggie pcbweb http://www.pcbweb.com

    Not all of the above are both schematic entry and PCB layout and I'm sure I have missed a few others.

    And it seems some of the old big fish in the pond are trying to get back into the pond.

    A free version of CADSTAR for Windows is now here available http://www.zuken.com/en/news/press-releases/archive/2010/07-cadstar-express-12-1

    And it seems a big old industry heavy weight, Altium, is about to catch up with times according to this http://www.eevblog.com/2013/09/27/eevblog-527-altium-entry-level-pcb-tool-rant/

    Then there is PADS PCB http://www.pads.com/downloads/pads-download-evaluation

    The problem with all this is the file formats. As a global community of hobbyist hackers or as commercial enterprises it's very hard to share designs and importantly grow the library of components and foot prints that we all need.

    There is pretty much nothing standardized here apart from the gerber output files.

    So I now say, f 'it, give me the open source Kicad. Which now has the weight of CERN behind it so it can only get better.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2014-09-09 12:07
    Heater
    The problem with all this is the file formats. As a global community of hobbyist hackers or as commercial enterprises it's very hard to share designs and importantly grow the library of components and foot prints that we all need.

    There is pretty much nothing standardized here apart from the gerber output files.

    So I now say, f 'it, give me the open source Kicad. Which now has the weight of CERN behind it so it can only get better.

    That is a very good point.

    But then again, I have seen a lot of that with basically every type of drawing and symbol program I have come across. Many of them claim compatability, when they truly are not, or at least since I last did software updates, many moons ago.

    However it would be nice to share designs amongst the various layout editors.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-09-09 12:18
    Exactly.

    If I have to spend an hour creating a component symbol and new foot print for whatever new component I want to use that should be available to everybody, no matter what schematic/PCB package they use. In fact the manufacturers of chips and other components should be able to publish a schematic symbol and PCB foot print for every new device they create, that is usable by everyone. That's good for them and good for us.

    It's seems crazy that after three or four decades of doing this we have not arrived at a standard format.

    Even in the crazy world of word processing and web publishing we now have some kind of standards for the font formats we use. Why should schematic symbols and PCB foot prints be left behind in the dark ages?
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2014-09-09 12:29
    In fact the manufacturers of chips and other components should be able to publish a schematic symbol and PCB foot print for every new device they create, that is usable by everyone. That's good for them and good for us.

    I agree with that thought whole-heartedly. In fact, it would be nice to download entire sample schematics shown in the datasheets. Wouldn't that be nice?
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-09-09 12:55
    idbruce,
    Wouldn't that be nice?
    Yes it would.

    Of course it requires getting away from the model of people writing schematic/pcb design software and expecting profits from it which, in turn, requires building walls around what they have created. Like non-interchangeable file formats.

    Really the guys making the chips and other components should be behind the open source/open format effort. They could all build something great together, like a universal parts library. It's no skin off their nose that the code will be Free and open source, they don't make their money out of software. But it would be to the benefit of all of them. And us.

    Sad for the software houses, but, ah well.
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