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PCB Design


With Eagle 6.5
Most of the projects I make wind up using some component from Sparkfun, so I decided to use their Eagle libraries.
They also have excellent tutorials, so that helped as well.

How to Install Eagle
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-install-and-setup-eagle
How to install the Sparkfun libraries
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-install-and-setup-eagle/using-the-sparkfun-libraries

Using Eagle Schematic
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/using-eagle-schematic

Using Eagle Layout
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/using-eagle-board-layout

Hack-a-day 30min video on eagle Layout
http://youtu.be/s4-Ugi4y9lk

Eagle Tutorial PDF
ftp://ftp.cadsoftusa.com/eagle/program/4.16r2/tutorial-eng.pdf

Eagle tutorial on the adafruit learning system site
http://learn.adafruit.com/ktowns-ultimate-creating-parts-in-eagle-tutorial/introduction


Things I learned
  • You change text in the layout editor by selecting the "i" then clicking on the text cross hairs.
  • If you want to rotate text upside down, click the "i", select "spin", then rotate by 180 degrees.
  • Deleting text on some other layer, like layer 121 _tsilk, you must type "layer 121" into the command window up top before selecting the delete command.  Otherwise, Eagle will think you're just trying to delete one of the important layers.

On editing layer 25 names
http://www2.ee.ic.ac.uk/t.clarke/eagle/The%20EAGLE%20Guide.pdf
Page 14
"On the PCB layout “silk screen” (usually a white painted legend on top side) components will 
be identified by their layer 25 names (IC1, R2, etc). The name text may be difficult to read, or 
lie underneath the component or pads and so be hidden after soldering. This can be cured as 
on the schematic using smash to separate name and component followed by move, rotate as 
necessary. Note that component values (if you have layer 27 visible) are not put on silk-screen 
and so do not matter. You should therefore normally switch the tvalues 27 layer off (View-
>Display/hide layers->click on 27 till it is not displayed black)."
This didn't actually end up working.  I just left the part names even though it was pretty annoying.

PCB fabrication company reviews
http://www.ladyada.net/library/pcb/manufacturers.html

Cheap batch PCBs
http://oshpark.com/
"Boards are $5/sq. inch. for 3 copies. The quality is excellent, the boards are produced domestically, and shipping is covered in your board price. Boards take a max of 9 days turn around. Not cost-effective for producing small volume runs, but good for testing/experimenting with a design. All designs are purple mask with gold-plating"
The site says 12 business days

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