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Perfboard question

Started by Aleksandar, December 07, 2011, 04:08:56 PM

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Aleksandar

Hi! Until now, for my projects I've used mostly pre-designed PCB's. Lately I've been thinking about building some stuff on a perfboard, so my question is - should I pay attention where I lay the parts regarding things like oscillation etc.? Can I just replicate the schematic on the perfboard, for example, on the top I put the +V, on the bottom the ground, on the left side Input and on the far right the Output?

I've put this question in  "Preamps and Effects", but the same goes for other circuits like power amps etc...

J M Fahey

*One* time honored layout design technique is drawing real size parts on a piece of paper, maybe roughly following the schematic order, why not?, and then start pencilling traces trying to connect pad to pad as needed.
You´ll soon see that some parts are too close as not having space between them for traces, others which look far away on the schematic really are "electrically" close, and would benefit to be physically close , and so on.
You repeat drawing the parts in the "improved" position and start pencilling traces again.
Repeat as needed, paper and pencil is cheap, you are not wasting your time because you are learning.
In a reasonably short time you get the hang of it and your first designs are already quite usable.
Designing for perfboard or veroboard is basically the same, and using a PCB software package *is* the same, only it´s easier to erase and reroute tracks or move parts without starting from step one.
As in guitar playing and everything else, practice makes perfect.
Good luck.

polo16mi

Maybe sounds to you crazy, but using eagle for design component position and track route. I dont like how (or i dont know how) eagle use size for each tracks, therefore as soon as i get a design good enough to me, i copy it in Autocad, and draw the tracks at sizes and shape that i like it. I have already created blocks for resistors, caps, and others components, so i copy and paste in needed position and draw the tracks. I use cad for my job, but its realy easy to measure a component and draw it just one time for library it.

Plus, plot design at laser printer directly. 

Besides, if you wanna do a perfboard design, i dont know if exist a specific software for it, but im sure that the use of Autocad is very properly and easy for it.

I sorry for my english, but i am kind of missing link between spanish and english

J M Fahey

Eagle is good, but the size limits kill me.
It´s perfect for somebody designing a microprocessor brain for his walking Robot and stuff like that, or maybe a pedal, but any guitar preamp is usually 5 or 6 knobs wide, plus some jacks, switches, a couple Leds.
Mine, although narrow (1.5" to 2") are *never* shorter than 6 to 8 inches, way over Eagle´s limits.
If you have Autocad, just draw a paper and pencil rough sketch and then go straight to AutoCad, don´t even bother with Eagle.
*There is* an EXCELLENT perfboard (and Stripboard, also does regular PCBs) software:
DIY Layout Creator.
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=7&gs_id=14&xhr=t&q=diy+layout+creator&tok=7SId2l3B_sWIJUUb06isYw&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&site=&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=diy+lay&aq=0&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=89b9a48e83276cdf&biw=1024&bih=600
Use the "old" 1.x Windows version, for 2 excellent reasons:
1) it´s the simplest one (not bad in my book) and the most important:
2) there are zillions of designs out there made with it (different versions are not compatible) so you can "learn by seeing other guy´s mistakes" or learning smart tricks from them.
A page chock full of designs made with DIY LOC:
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php

lapsteelman

I am old school. I always draw out my perfboard layouts on 10 squares to the inch graph paper. As far as ossilations and layout, I just try to keep the input and outputs separated as much as practical, and separate signal and power grounds
Anymore I just use "dead bug" or "ugly" construction for my one offs.
Lap steel player, Electronic maker.

polo16mi

Quote from: J M Fahey on December 08, 2011, 10:17:25 AM
Eagle is good, but the size limits kill me.

Im using Eagle v5.6.0 and dont see any restriction about board size.  ???

Here you have a sample of file with 7 pot and inputs at front.


J M Fahey

CADSOFT(EAGLE) says:
QuoteFreeware
The EAGLE Light Edition can be used for free!
How do I get it?
Follow these steps to install the free EAGLE Light Edition on your system:
    * Go to the Download area and get the file that contains the EAGLE program installation data for your operating system (Linux, Windows or Mac).
    * Install the file you have downloaded onto your system.
    * When you first start EAGLE, you will be asked whether you have a personalized license disk, or whether you want to run EAGLE as Freeware. To use the Freeware license select the "Run as freeware" button.
Limitations
The following limitations apply to the EAGLE Light Edition in general:
    * The useable board area is limited to 100 x 80 mm (4 x 3.2 inches).
    * Only two signal layers can be used (Top and Bottom).
    * The schematic editor can only create one sheet.
So you either paid U$1500 to get the Commercial version or .... better don´t ask  ;)
To check "official" pricing:
http://www.cadsoftusa.com/shop/pricing/?language=en

polo16mi

#7
Quote from: J M Fahey on December 09, 2011, 05:11:00 PM
CADSOFT(EAGLE) says:
QuoteFreeware
The EAGLE Light Edition can be used for free!
How do I get it?
Follow these steps to install the free EAGLE Light Edition on your system:
    * Go to the Download area and get the file that contains the EAGLE program installation data for your operating system (Linux, Windows or Mac).
    * Install the file you have downloaded onto your system.
    * When you first start EAGLE, you will be asked whether you have a personalized license disk, or whether you want to run EAGLE as Freeware. To use the Freeware license select the "Run as freeware" button.
Limitations
The following limitations apply to the EAGLE Light Edition in general:
    * The useable board area is limited to 100 x 80 mm (4 x 3.2 inches).
    * Only two signal layers can be used (Top and Bottom).
    * The schematic editor can only create one sheet.
So you either paid U$1500 to get the Commercial version or .... better don´t ask  ;)
To check "official" pricing:
http://www.cadsoftusa.com/shop/pricing/?language=en

Ejem..... of course.... a friend of mine let my use its pay version on your computer..... i know what it cost.  :cheesy:

I just installed the trial version, and it has like you say, that limitation.

J M Fahey

Once I installed a cr4ck3d version, and it seemed to work (the cr4ck itself filled my computer of viruses which were hard to remove, so beware), *but* when I exchanged some designs with a friend which had a legal ones, it wouldn´t open them and claim "corrupt file".
I´m sure the same will happen if I send my designs to some commercial fabricator who will obviously have a legal one too.
I think even the free version can *open* any size boards for fabrication, it just can´t edit them.
Well, I guess these Eagle guys are intelligent. 8)