vectorial files and PCBs design

[cimo]

this is for the OSX users:

what do you use for the creation of PCBs and general frontpannel/construction software? i am using INKSCAPE to draw the project and then importing manually the measurement into EAGLE to create pcbs that will fit in the box, alignment of buttons, shafts and holes, etc.But this is my first project where i use vectorials for the panel, and i am asking myself if there is a smarter way to work.

What s your trick to work with PCBs and vectorial files to create a project?

thanks simone

[midiboxxer]

Why don´t you draw it directly in eagle?

Eagle 4.16r2 is running on OSX.

Best regards

Markus

[cimo]

hi

yes i have to admit i didn t think about that but i have a demo version of Eagle and it s ok cause i am drawing quite small PCBs but the front panel is bigger and it won t fit on the demo limits of Eagle.. i have access to another PC Windows based with full Eagle but this Powerbook is my daily bred...

isn t there a way to export Eagle projects in .svg files or other vectorial files?

txx

simone

[ptitjes]

Hi Cimo,

I am proceeding in the same way as you are. I've made inkscape 1:1 versions of my panel widgets based on the exact measures from their datasheets. For each widget i choose a reference point (for example center of the rotation for encoders). I made symbols and footprints for geda and PCB softwares from the measures of the datasheets too with the same reference point.

I also made some spreadsheets to compute the exact position of widgets as my panel is quite big (80cm x 45cm).

I hope i'll be able to make PCBs' layouts and front panel fit by making 1:1 raster images of the front panel piece of each PCB and importing them in PCB to realize my layouts.

Could you please tell us about your success and problems ? I'm really interested as i do it the same way!

Best regards, Didier.

[cimo]

hi

how do you deal with the fact that inkscape uses the left lower corner as a reference while Eagle the center?

......

[ptitjes]

I have drawn a cross on all my inkscape widgets (two lines)! The crossing of the two lines is the reference point. Easy and efficient :)

As for Eagle i don't know. I'm using PCB and you can make your own footprints and defining their reference point where you want!

[cimo]

ok

that means that you place manually the objects? ie: you zoom as much as possible and place an inkscape X over a pcb X ??

simone

[ptitjes]

Exactly! However, in PCB, you can place parts at a specific location by giving exact coordinates (as in inkscape). So i will put crosses one over the other and then will adjust coordinates to what my coordinate spreadsheet says. As i told you, i did not try the whole process, but i feel confident it will work!

[ris8_allo_zen0]

Just as side info: you can still use the free Eagle version to draw big front panels, as long as you don't put any pads outside the half-Euro area.

[cimo]

risotto allo zenzero, very smart indeed, never thought of it!!! you can just draw the whole front panel and import all the PCB elements one by one, all you have to do is to move the front panel design so that the PCB element is near the center (0;0)

btw can we have the receipt? i love ginger!

ptitjes: i think i am moving soon and get something done, as a first approach i will print out the results on plain paper and see if it works.. let s keep this thread up i want to learn here something that i won t need to change for long time (hey, don t laugh at me! ;-))

Simone

[cimo]

ok here we go i ve found the trick:

I assume you have a front panel designed in Inkscape and a few PCBs designed in Eagle, and that you also have Gimp installed, but with the proper changes this system will work with other softwares.

-Take note of the panel dimensions and export the Inkscape project to a .png

-Create your PCB with Eagle, with dimensions, holes and everything, then add a second dimension=front panel dimension and place it at (0:0) and do a CAM job with output to EPS

-Since Eagle indexes parts from their center and Inkscape from the left/down corner you ll need to add/subtract the x/y value accordingly.For example if a 8mm circle in Eagle is placed at (40:60) it will be placed at (44:64) in Inkscape

-Open the .png in Gimp then open as a layer the .eps and possibly lower the opacity so that you can make a visual check of alignment, since the .eps file has the same dimensions of the front panel it will be automatically aligned.

-When you are ready you can delete the front panel dimension in Eagle and print the board out

Simone

[cimo]

       

            ####    LET S MOVE THIS THREAD TO :    ####

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=8977.0

Simone