Cheap PCB maker

[duffman]

I am looking to make some PCBs with a gif made from a drafting program. I don't know which program it is, but the schematics are pretty self explanatory. I am looking around at pbc makers. 20 to 30 dollars for a PCB?! That is a little steep. Is there anyone who can do it a little more economically?

 

[Oznog]

Nobody I know of will make a PCB from a GIF. There are industry standard files (GERBER) which you can make from easily available PCB design software.

$20-$30 is not bad at all. Places like Gold Phoenix will be less if you want more copies of the same board, they do 155 sq in of board for $79, IF they're the same board.

 

[chemelec]

Depends on the Quality of the Gif and how many boards.
I can possibly do it.

send me a picture to: ours@telus.net
Put "ELECTRONIC PCB" in the Subject Line.

Take care.............Gary

 

[duffman]

I will try to do that. Also, People keep asking me for the gerber files and NC drill files. What are these?

 

[Oznog]

People keep asking me for the gerber files and NC drill files. What are these?

These are industry standard files that any PCB CAD program will produce. Strangely, the industry std is to store the map of where to drill and what size in a separate file from the PCB layers (the GERBER files).

Eagle PCB has a free version which is only limited by board size. It has many common components and a very useful autorouter. You can supply their project .brd format to some mfg, or export to the GERBER files, or just make a GIF out of it.

 

[plot]

Use eaglecad to create the schematic as suggested, it's a pretty intuitave program that will autoroute for you and create the needed GERBER files.

As for cost, yea, if you only order 1 or 2 boards it will be expensive. Order 100 boards and each one will be pretty cheap.

You might consider trying the route of creating your own boards...