" best " pcb design software ? or someone to do it !

[okgb]

A friend  needs a low count , pcb made , so with the online checks that some manufacturers have , I was considering learning and doing it myself ,  which programs are easy , effective , popular that people here are using  ?
I'm always overloaded  with projects so paying someone is also an option ,  Tia  regards Greg

 

[guavatone]

Hey Greg, hope things are well.  I haven’t used it, but I think it’s called EasyEda for a reason.  It’s free. Kikad is also free.

I’ve been back into PCB design lately. I could help do it if you like.

 

[SIXTYNINER]

Hey Greg, hope things are well.  I haven’t used it, but I think it’s called EasyEda for a reason.  It’s free. Kikad is also free.

I’ve been back into PCB design lately. I could help do it if you like.

dedicated sotwares , and etching apart

a meta page / thread with basic infos about design pcb :
like tracks dimension ,
correct layout between power supply and audio signal tracks
correct position of parts (ic , resistors , caps …)

would be great help for many divers

also because in the actual gdiy meta section only links to books are available .    :  ((  ( (((

 

[pucho812]

I have seen lots of software in this department. Not one size fits all, Be aware you will eventually have to design custom parts and libraries in the software.  A lot of the pros are using altium designer because it marries up to solid works  so you can literally have a 3d design of everything before it is even made.  It's also  a 10K software  license.  I have used in the past, Proteus by lab center. It was good but it's not free. I have started to play around with kicad as it is free. Plus kicad is mac and PC compatible.  A few youtube tutorials  and you will be ready to start getting into that, There are a few pieces of software related to specific board etching houses, avoid those if you can as they make it real difficult to take a design and go etch elsewhere for less money.

 

[gltech]

I've had excellent experience working with Ben in Germany:
https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=58420.0

 

[ruffrecords]

When you say 'low count' do you mean you want a small number making or the PCB contains a small number of components?

Cheers

Ian

 

[okgb]

Thanks for the replies so far! low parts count as in about 40 or less R & C's on a pcb hole through
my friend used to tape up his own boards but that's passed him by, and likely can be done better cheaper these days!

 

[ruffrecords]

Thanks for the replies so far! low parts count as in about 40 or less R & C's on a pcb hole through
my friend used to tape up his own boards but that's passed him by, and likely can be done better cheaper these days!

Just Rs and Cs - maybe a connector or two? Sounds dead easy. Shoot me the schematic and I will do it for you.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Whoops]

The only pcb software I used was Eagle, and I tought the interface was really ugly and overlly complicated. It looks like a layout from the early 90s.

Some people seem to be using Kicad and Design Spark.

I'm looking for something more intuitive and simple (I only do simple pcbs) what would you recommend?

 

[john12ax7]

For economical software I thought diptrace was the closest to the more professional packages (altium,  pads,  allegro,  etc). That's what I would buy if on a budget.  For free look into kicad.

 

[mrclunk]

I use Easyeda.com
Very simple, perfect for simple analog stuff.  Online so you can dip in to update layouts / share projects etc anywhere.
Plus you can order PCB's direct from the site.

 

[Scodiddly]

I tried to learn Eagle and then KiCAD, but ran into the usual parts library hassles. 

For my little projects I ended up finding an old-school type of PCB maker, Atlas Circuits.  I just do a pad and line layout in a 2D CAD program, then email a "camera ready" PDF for a plain single-sided PCB. Not as cool as the boards I see on kit webpages, but on the other hand a lot less learning time on my end.

 

[JohnRoberts]

OP hasn't responded since march

JR

 

[scott2000]

This was the first response from my very first post here.... ;D

This was 10 years (!!) ago. SoundGuy was last active here about a year ago...

Jakob E.

 

[Whoops]

Well , still goes interesting this thread, I learned 4 new pcb software that I didn't even new existed

really should just choose one and stick with it

 

[JMFahey]

Just thinking aloud and in no particular order:

1) if your friend needs those boards within a reasonable time (say less than 2 Months) then he´d better find another source, *you*  will need some time to "catch it"  specially if unexperienced, and every package has some "learning curve" ; some longer, some shorter but all take time and practice.

2) if your friend "used to tape his own designs" then *he*  has experience, even if outdated.

Way back then steps were:
* very rough "back of a napkin" pre-design
* rough design
* iterative drawing-erasing-redrawing until he solves the main PCB problem: connectivity.
* iterative redrawing until parts are where he wants and design is relatively compact.
* taping on Mylar to get the final artwork
* burning/printing/etching PCB

Ok, the first 4 are the same today, only he draws and edits on a PC screen.
He´ll have to learn a few commands but basic mindset and skill is already there 
And the first rough design on paper is useful/needed even today.

Using the PCB software *only* as a "direct PCB drawing board", without previous schematic drawing or netlist generation may seem crude,  but works for relatively simple jobs and certainly saves a lot of steps.

Which can be learnt later.