| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Jul 2013 : 16:40:42
|
I want to make a front panel for several XLR connectors and other parts. I plan on having text etched into copper as the legend rather than a silk screen.
As there is no netlist, I don't really need a schematic, just a PCB. I know that one can use schematic only components but I can't find any reference in the help files to PCB only components.
Has anyone done this before and, if so, what's the best way to go about it?
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
|
|
edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2013 : 17:53:18
|
| John, I've previously made a logo (in Copper) with FR4 background. I think if you use a "Powerplane" as the active layer, EPC will allow you to plot (under Plotting/& Printing) a PDF in Positive/Negative formats. You'll need to make a "negative image" then use the usual positive photo-resist, such that the text is etched away. Why do you ask about "PCB only components"? Just create a new pcb with the project and schematic. |
 |
|
|
Mike Warren
Australia
124 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2013 : 22:48:35
|
I will sometimes make a PCB without a schematic by just placing components on it and routing tracks. This is for some of my custom 1-off boards that might only have half a dozen components on it.
As for inverse text on copper. EPC doesn't do it as far as I know, but I'd love to be corrected. It's something I would use on every design. Also, inverse text on a solder mask would be nice.
Of course, if you are making the board yourself, there's the technique Ed mentioned.
http://mike-warren.net |
|
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2013 : 23:30:23
|
Thanks for the ideas.
I'm making some progress. I've created schematic parts and footprints for the holes (22mm diameter!) and linked them with a single net which will become the copper pour. Inverse text is still a mystery but I'll work at it!
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
|
|
|
Mike Warren
Australia
124 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2013 : 23:40:42
|
You don't need a schematic. Just create free pads, right-click and select "Add to net". Then, type in a name for the new net.
But, doing a copper pour won't work, as far as I know. You need to think in reverse, copper when you want no copper, and empty where you want copper.
Actually, I just looked and can't see were it's possible to inverse the plot output for PDFs (or anything).
I'd use Corel Draw (because it's what I have) to do this if I was making the board myself.
http://mike-warren.net |
|
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 08:20:03
|
Thanks again.
Unfortunately this front panel is for several hundred boxes so making it myself isn't a possibility. Maybe there's a way to create a Gerber file manually as the layout is quite simple.
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
|
|
|
edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 09:35:08
|
| Use a Powerplane layer to create your artwork. EPC Plotting & Printing allows you to make a positive or negative (say PDF) images of a powerplane, allowing you to make etched text in copper or copper text in base material. Under Plotting & Printing => Settings you will find a box Negative/Positive. |
|
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 11:03:48
|
Thanks. I'll give it a try.
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 11:23:22
|
You create PCB only components by ticking the box in the component creation dialogue.
No need to have a schematic at all.
Iain
|
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 11:44:18
|
Negative Text ... Off the top of my head, I think you might be able to do this by creating the text in a CAD package and then importing as a DXF. you then (might) be able to allocate the text as closed shapes and make them cut-outs.
Iain
|
|
|
|
Mike Warren
Australia
124 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 11:50:10
|
quote:
Originally posted by Iain Wilkie
Negative Text ... Off the top of my head, I think you might be able to do this by creating the text in a CAD package and then importing as a DXF. you then (might) be able to allocate the text as closed shapes and make them cut-outs.
That's an interesting idea. I'm going to try experimenting with that, although it's a lot of work to go to for every board it might be usable for the occasional one.
http://mike-warren.net |
|
|
|
edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 13:02:05
|
I've just discovered another way of making negatives. Make a normal gerber plot, then import the Gerber into Viewmate. Viewmate allows the user to make a negative of any layer, by right-clicking the layer for a drop down menu to appear, then print "white on black" @ 1:1 scaling. Not sure if CG-Prevue offers this feature.
Subsequently found that you do not have to make a negative of the gerber first, - just import the Gerber, then print it out 1:1 (Windows/PDF) white on black. |
Edited by - edrees on 30 Jul 2013 13:11:54 |
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 13:38:04
|
You can also create the gerber as normal (i.e not negative) and simply tell you manufacturer to make it negative .... Simple.
Iain
|
|
|
|
edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 14:28:26
|
Yes Iain, -but some of us like the satisfaction of making protos the hard way . |
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 16:25:02
|
| Ed ... the OP did say he was making several hundred and would not be doing this himself. Hence my suggestion |
|
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 19:16:32
|
I'm still here, but had an urgent repair to a Marshall combo needed for tonight. It turned out to need just a couple of EL34s and re-biassing, but it took me away from the job in hand!
I'll look into the powerplane idea first and if that doesn't work, I'll have a go at importing a DXF. Lots of ideas to try.
Whatever the result it needs to be in the Gerber file as the boards will probably be made in China.
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
Edited by - John Baraclough on 30 Jul 2013 19:17:32 |
|
|
|
John Baraclough
United Kingdom
129 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2013 : 22:24:06
|
Well the powerplane idea appears to work fine. I created text on a powerplane, plotted it as positive, used it as the top copper layer and it looks right (at least if the free version of GCPrevue is to be believed).
Once I've laid out the panels and got them made I'll post a picture somewhere.
-------------------------------------------------------
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live. |
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2013 : 09:11:48
|
I would make sure that there is nothing embedded in the gerber data that indicates to the manufacturer that the powerplane has been plotted as a positive, as they may well then invert it to the "norm"
Iain
|
|
|
|
edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2013 : 09:34:10
|
| Very wise words from Iain. |
|
|
|
Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2013 : 09:35:05
|
From the help file ......
A normal copper power plane only requires one file to create all the necessary thermal relief and isolation gaps. This would require the Negative (plot only gaps) selection to be made within the Power Plane option on the main plot dialog. This would then be processed by the plot house and reversed to produce a 'Gaps' only plot. A Positive plot is initially generated as you then only plot the items which will not exist in the final plot, this generates a much smaller plot. In most situations up to 10-20 times smaller! The file sizes are not a problem in themselves but their transportation on regular media or electronic mechanisms will cause a problem , especially if the file is 10Mb in size.
Iain |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Making a front panel