Just after some recommendations for making small PCBs. Pretty simple design and dont need to make many. Being able to draw a schematic and produce a node list helpful but not essential. thanks
What SW do people use for making small PCBS.
May 05, 2010
4 Replies
Who will be making the boards? If it isn't you, then the choice needs to fit in with the fab's file formats.
For most small stuff I use PCBCART
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They accept Protel formats as old as AutoTrax (DOS/Win98) which is freeware. If you want the companion Protel Schematic version, it is "out_there".
There's nothing wrong with AutoTrax assuming you have a suitable platform to run it. Every time I've tried the transition to later products I have decided that AutoTrax does all I need. YMMV.
Looks like Autotrax will do fine what I need. thanks
As far as free software goes: I sent them a zip of gerber and excellon files exported from D.J. Delorie's "PCB" software, and that worked.
while they prefer RS-274X (gerber+excellon), and also support Protel, Eagle, and PADS,
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but they'll do a PCB from any format they can read (even JPG)
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Another is Egale lite (limited - but free ) from Farnell
Joe
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