Advanced PCB routing features?

[Borisw37]

I currently use EAGLE but routing is becoming really time consuming on densely populated boards. Would love to have a router that allows "Push & Shove" routing like PADS does
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C02D0_kNQeM

Anybody know of an application that can do that (cheaper than PADS)?
How much does PADS cost?

Thank you,

Boris.

 

[Borisw37]

Bump:
Any input on this?

 

[ericgibbs]

Bump:
Any input on this?

hi,
Checked the site, there is a 30day lite version.... UK prices range from £2700 to £9700 !!!!!

 

[Blueteeth]

On the off chance you're stuck using Eagle, then you can create your own keyboard shortcuts, which makes things a *bit* quicker. For example, I have several shortcuts for changing layers, trace widths, grid measurement system (I try to keep things as a fraction of 0.1", but board and part dimensions I work in mm...) as well as grid size. Managed a header board for a TQFP, with some other chips in less than an hour - must be 200+ traces? wasn't pretty but I generally work much slower.

I have to admit, if I (or my work) could afford new PCB software, that video of PADS looks pretty awsome. Wonder if its autorouter is any good? I've yet to see a decent one...

 

[jpanhalt]

What version of Eagle are your using? Have you tried 6.1? My initial impression of 6.x is that its autorouting is faster. I am not familiar with push and shove in Pads, but Eagle does have a function called, follow me.

John

 

[Caspajack]

Just a thought and I'm no expert on pcb design but I have used Design Spark 3 for a few small projects. It's free and available from http://www.designspark.com/
Incidentally I have nothing to do with this company.

Cheers
Joe.

 

[panic mode]

i tried Design Spark software. it is free but need to be activated every month or so and as far as i recall does not export output in common formats (such as gerber for example).

i use kicad, it does not have push and shove. also internal autorouter is not really good. however, it allows use of web router (http://www.freerouting.net/) which is quite impressive. several programs have support for it (Eagle, KiCad, etc.)

 

[Caspajack]

You don't need to activate it only every month and it has every conceivable output option including Gerber. The clue is in the menu item "Output" subheading "Output Plots". If you're going to complain about a lack of facilities please check your data before writing.

The program if free and no I have nothing whatsoever to do with the program RS Components or any other electronics company for that matter.
Just trying to point people in the direction of a FREE and what i consider to be good piece of programming.

 

[panic mode]

what i wrote is my personal experience and i stay by it. this product does/did require activation after every few weeks, check the screenshots of some of my activity. activation is normally quick and painless if everything is ok. but it is not always so smooth. i had situation where ths did not work and I had half finished project. so i was emailing them to have it resolved which they did. unfortunately this took several days, and that - was not good. if it was 30-60minutes, it would be ok, but i just can't allow to sit here idle and roll my thumbs for couple of days. free or not, i prefer software without DRM, that's all.

i re-checked help for clues about activation and it only says how to do it not what conditions reset activation. i think inactivity maybe one of them. anyway, latest version is installed and activated so i should be able to report in a month of so if it expires again.

as for gerber output, it wasn't there either. i just run update and yes, now it does support gerber. menu option was there but it was disabled so only output options were DXF and IDF.

don't take me wrong, i am thankful that sparkfun did offer this for free, i was using it. i see they are working on it quite a bit. additions are not only more output formats, there is 3D view and interface to spice (if one is installed).

it is a very nice product, if they remove need for activation or only require it during product installation, i'd have no problem using it. they must have reason for it. as a user i can tell what i do or don't like but i cannot tell them to change things they do for free to suit me.

 

[Caspajack]

I really don't know what you're doing wrong, I have used the program for the past six months it's never asked me to activate it except the first time.

As you can see from my screenshot the options very clearly show that all maufacturing plot options are available, perhaps you need to try a fresh install on a different machine.

Of course you are entiled to your opinion but your comments, (some of them as you've admitted clearly mistaken) may put others off from using what is a very useful program.

 

[varellas]

h-bridge

Hi, I am trying to build an H-bridge circuit that can be used to control a curtain opening / closing. I like to use 4 MOSFETs and timers such 555 to control the clockwise and anticlockwise movement of a motor. Any ideas please!

 

[panic mode]

hi varellas,

welcome to the forum. btw, you should have started new topic for this.

are you planing to use 555s to control speed or open/close position? for open/close position i would use sensors. using timer to control stop position is not good idea because even if it seem to be right, it will not be repeatable and you will have drift after only few cycles. and then you will reach dead end of open or closed position and have stall current which depending on setting of the timers could/will heat up the motor.

 

[panic mode]

i am not resurrecting this thread for my own amusement but to complete a promise:

recently installed version 3 of design spark pcb software is tamer than earlier release - no longer asks to reactivate (due inactivity or otherwise).

I really don't know what you're doing wrong, I have used the program for the past six months it's never asked me to activate it except the first time.

none of my points were mistaken, you are mistaken. i also never stated that any of my experiences as posted here may be result of my own mistakes. you may be imagining. your experience is very recent as you only dealt with the most recent revision of the software. that does not qualify you to judge capabilities or functionality of earlier releases. i didn't use this product in a long time for obvious reason and therefore didn't bother to update. after this conversation i did update and so far new version no longer asks for repeated activation. this may be response to complaints of users like myself. if we didn't turn our back away, what would be motivation to relax control they used to have? you should be thankful...