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Schematic to a Layout

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Davido

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I am able to read basic schematics reasonably well.

However, I would like to know how one goes about transferring a schematic to a layout (i.e., if a layout is not porvided).
Are there specific approaches/rules involved or does one just develop this ability through time and experience? Any references as to how to learn more about this topic?

Thanks

Dave
 
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1) Nobody taught me, so none of this is official.
2) I use 1/4 inch squares paper to lay out the parts while using a piece of .1" perfboard to see how many spaces the parts will require. Like, a resistor will require 2 unused holes between its leads and a to-92 transistor will fit in any 3 adjacent holes.
 
Thanks bychon.
My question might not be all that clear.
What I am more interested in is knowing how to decide on the best, most efficient layout.
Do you keep laying out the parts until it just seems that you have achieved the "best" layout, or do you follow some sort of guideline/rules, etc.

Cheers

Dave
 
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I just told you the best, most efficient method I know of. You keep erasing the pencil marks until you are satisfied that you remembered to put in all the parts, and you can't see how to pack it any tighter.

If anyone took a college course in circuit board layout, step right up and help this guy out.
 
I just remembered one I have never used. Eagle CAD (or something like that) will take a schematic and create a circuit board. I just never figured out how to learn Eagle Cad faster than I could lay out a circuit board.
 
I just told you the best, most efficient method I know of. You keep erasing the pencil marks until you are satisfied that you remembered to put in all the parts, and you can't see how to pack it any tighter.
If anyone took a college course in circuit board layout, step right up and help this guy out.

Thanks...the bolded part explains everything. Sorry if I somehow upset you, it wasn't intended.

It seems that it is, as I had wondered, based on experience and "trial and improvemet".

Cheers

Dave
 
I'm sure there are rules about radio frequencies and other things I don't know about. All I can give you is how I do it.
 
I just remembered one I have never used. Eagle CAD (or something like that) will take a schematic and create a circuit board. I just never figured out how to learn Eagle Cad faster than I could lay out a circuit board.

Thanks...I hadn't thought of something like Eagle Cad (EC). It would be very interesting to see the differences between the layout you decided on and what EC suggests. Not that I'm suggesting you should do that, of course.

I (also) have never spent enough time with any of the schematic software to get efficient using it.

Cheers

Dave
 
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If you a laying out a PCB, then a PC layout program helps greatly. You draw a schematic with the desired package types for each part. Then when you go to the layout. the parts will be shown with "rats-nest" line connections between all parts per the schematic. You can then move the parts around to minimize the length of the connections between parts and the number of crossovers. Getting a good layout is a matter of being able to visualize how to do this, along with experience, and a certain amount of trial and error.

A example of free software schematic and layout software is from **broken link removed**. The disadvantage is that you have to use their PCB service if you want to fabricate a board, but their prices are competitive for small quantities.
 
Hi Dave,

don't be afraid of Eagle.

EAGLE stands for "Easily Applicable Graphic Layout Editor" what it really is. There are lots of tutorials and if you have any question concerning Eagle and it's use don't hesitate to ask.

I started out with Eagle 1975 (after Amiga NewIO) and haven't found any better PCB design software for the money.

Using pen and paper is a bit old fashioned and means a lot of wasted paper (or eraser).

Eagle is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) and placing components is no problem at all if you know which ones to use for your design.

Download the latest free (light) version at CadSoft Online: EAGLE Layout Editor and play a bit. Once you have gotten familiar with Eagle you will enjoy how fast a good PCB layout is finished.

Regards

Boncuk
 
I'm definitely old fashioned, and I don't do multiple layers or 40 pin chips. I'm also the kind of person who, when first viewing a CAD program rotating a stick figure, wondered, "Why does anybody need that? Can't everybody do that in the air in front of their face?"

Well, I'm wiser now. My new rule is, "As soon as you can't hold the whole project in your head, you get a piece of paper", but my projects still haven't exceeded my ability to visualize, so I don't go get a computer when I need a drawing.
 
Many thanks for all the responses/helpful suggestions.

I'll try the software and see how I like it.

Cheers

Dave
 
bychon is right. There is nothing like a piece of paper and a pencil! I use several pcb, circuit design and mechanical programs to do the final cut. But to me, doodeling is the art part of the design. I have never encountered a programme that could replace a Pelican B2! E
 
I hardly ever use a pencil to draw a design because:
1. My hand drawings are lousy, I can hardly draw a decent stick figure
2. I hate erasing and I have to do a lot of that when I design. After a few erasures the paper gets gray and ratty. It's especially a pain when you decide you have to move parts around.
3. Doing it with a computer automatically gives you an electronic copy that's easy to save or distribute.
4. If you want to modify the design, it's easy to save to the original while creating the new.
5. Computer generated drawings look better and neater (at least to me).
 
crutshow:
We all have to use the best of our abilities to get from A to B. I find designing a circuit on paper most stimulating. Transposing it onto a well designed (and I am sure there are as many opinions about "well designed" as there are members on this forum) electronic circuit/pcb is just as gratifying.
Let us keep doing that! E
 
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Did I open up a "can of worms" (for want of a better expresson) here?

Cheers

Dave
 
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i have some experience on circuitmaker, the netlist can be directly imported from a circuit drawing. location of components has to be decided by us, then auto route option can place tracks as per circuit drawing. but from my experience manually placing the tracks are more compact and nice to look at. it needs some experience and visualizing ability to place components on right place to get optimum design.
 
crutshow:
I find designing a circuit on paper most stimulating.

Here is a little add-on for "most stimulating" :)

I had to design a 12bit dual-channel A/D - D/A converter with attached numeric keypad and dual 4-digit LED-display with the PCB not exceeding 160X100mm. (keypad and display external via connectors)

It was stimulating for a short time only and became a PITA after one month, when the customer became unhappy and impatient. So stimulation turned into wasted time.

So I purchased an AMIGA2000 and PCB design software (NewIO).

Using a computer to design circuits (compared with pen and paper) is about the same as watching a snail and a supersonic plane moving. :D

Boncuk
 
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