my capability to understand english is quite limited.
I understand creating a PCB from a virtually designed breadboard (similar to fritzing)
What I did not understand from the description on kickstarter is:
What are the limiting factors? I'm absolutely sure you can't create a four-layer PC mainboard with this.
(in fact this is really not nescessary) but where is the boarder?
Just a display and two potentiometers or is the upper end of what direct PCB can do
let's say:
ESP8266-module, SD-card-socket, 3 pieces MCP3208 ADCs, 44780-controlled LCD
5 pieces 74595 shiftregisters for Output-expanding and a Hardware RTC?
Will it be able to route all the conductor tracks for that?
Can somebody give a short summary in really easy to understand words what
this software "direct PCB" is able to do and what not?
my capability to understand english is quite limited.
I understand creating a PCB from a virtually designed breadboard (similar to fritzing)
What I did not understand from the description on kickstarter is:
What are the limiting factors? I'm absolutely sure you can't create a four-layer PC mainboard with this.
(in fact this is really not nescessary) but where is the boarder?
Just a display and two potentiometers or is the upper end of what direct PCB can do
let's say:
ESP8266-module, SD-card-socket, 3 pieces MCP3208 ADCs, 44780-controlled LCD
5 pieces 74595 shiftregisters for Output-expanding and a Hardware RTC?
Will it be able to route all the conductor tracks for that?
Can somebody give a short summary in really easy to understand words what
this software "direct PCB" is able to do and what not?
best regards
Stefan
I think you got the gist of it, that it basically translates fritzing into a simple "pcb". But they don't show the pcb mill in the video, just the final result which could not be much more than double-sided, unplated, and covered with a vinyl sticker to dress up what would otherwise look like a milled pcb. So the gimmicky video can catch the unwary out, thinking this software is all they need even though the mill is shown in the diagrams. To the fritzers that is akin to a schematic, if you can't follow it, just ignore it
edit: the pcb software shows what the pcb would look like complete with solder mask etc if you got it fabricated in a pcb shop but that's not what you get with the mill.
I think my capacity to understand English is pretty good but I'm also confused by this project.
Where are these final overlays printed? On the user's PC/printer?
I'm think the milling machine isn't part of the system. Right? As I understand the project, the milling machine represents how VBB allows one to "manufacture" their own boards by using their product. "Manufacture" in this case is applying a sticker and soldering some components.
The user designs the board within the preset limits the PCB allows and then places the sticker on the strip board previously purchased. The printed vinyl sheet both shows were the parts are added and insulates unused solder pads. The PCBs are not custom milled, they're basically strip boards with extra strips for certain components. I think one still needs to run wire where strips don't connect.
From my understanding, I think it's a system to allow users to more easily use strip board type PCBs with the strip boards starting out friendly to certain microcontrollers.
Another way to think of it (if I'm right) is these are custom strip boards to use with your favorite microcontroller. The vinyl overlays give the strip boards a more finished look while both insulating and guiding the user in assembly of the circuit.
Am I close?
Edit: Reading my post over again I see I repeated myself. Hopefully I expressed my understanding of the project well enough for James and others to follow.
VBB
Posts: 52
Comments
my capability to understand english is quite limited.
I understand creating a PCB from a virtually designed breadboard (similar to fritzing)
What I did not understand from the description on kickstarter is:
What are the limiting factors? I'm absolutely sure you can't create a four-layer PC mainboard with this.
(in fact this is really not nescessary) but where is the boarder?
Just a display and two potentiometers or is the upper end of what direct PCB can do
let's say:
ESP8266-module, SD-card-socket, 3 pieces MCP3208 ADCs, 44780-controlled LCD
5 pieces 74595 shiftregisters for Output-expanding and a Hardware RTC?
Will it be able to route all the conductor tracks for that?
Can somebody give a short summary in really easy to understand words what
this software "direct PCB" is able to do and what not?
best regards
Stefan
I think you got the gist of it, that it basically translates fritzing into a simple "pcb". But they don't show the pcb mill in the video, just the final result which could not be much more than double-sided, unplated, and covered with a vinyl sticker to dress up what would otherwise look like a milled pcb. So the gimmicky video can catch the unwary out, thinking this software is all they need even though the mill is shown in the diagrams. To the fritzers that is akin to a schematic, if you can't follow it, just ignore it
edit: the pcb software shows what the pcb would look like complete with solder mask etc if you got it fabricated in a pcb shop but that's not what you get with the mill.
Where are these final overlays printed? On the user's PC/printer?
I'm think the milling machine isn't part of the system. Right? As I understand the project, the milling machine represents how VBB allows one to "manufacture" their own boards by using their product. "Manufacture" in this case is applying a sticker and soldering some components.
The user designs the board within the preset limits the PCB allows and then places the sticker on the strip board previously purchased. The printed vinyl sheet both shows were the parts are added and insulates unused solder pads. The PCBs are not custom milled, they're basically strip boards with extra strips for certain components. I think one still needs to run wire where strips don't connect.
From my understanding, I think it's a system to allow users to more easily use strip board type PCBs with the strip boards starting out friendly to certain microcontrollers.
Another way to think of it (if I'm right) is these are custom strip boards to use with your favorite microcontroller. The vinyl overlays give the strip boards a more finished look while both insulating and guiding the user in assembly of the circuit.
Am I close?
Edit: Reading my post over again I see I repeated myself. Hopefully I expressed my understanding of the project well enough for James and others to follow.