PCBs
Boards
- Some Eagle BoardFiles.
Places we’ve tried (please add comments)
- Custom PCB - based in Malaysia. Accepts Eagle .brd files. Accepts multiple designs in a single order and will depanelize (for a fee, of course). Fast, cheap, good! Did an order with 3 designs, double-sided, solder mask both sides. Total of 24 boards (1”x1.25” each) for about $4 each delivered. With close traces, they might bleed into each other. Go as big and widely spaced as you can.
- AP Circuits - based in Alberta. I’ve used them before. Not so cheap but fast and good. (mang)
Other places
- Olimex - single side 6.3” x 3.9” for $21. Based in Bulgaria.
- Advanced Circuits
- PCBexpress
- More info: http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/egr326/PCBManufacturing
Design software
- Eagle CAD - freeware version
- gEDA - a GPLed electronic design package. Under active development.
- Osmond PCB - for macintosh, free
- Lots of free software listed here: http://www.opencollector.org/collector.php3
DIY
Stripboard
- Nice example of how to use EagleCAD to design for stripboard here
Soldering
- SMT soldering tutorial using an AVR dev board here
mang’s notes to his own bad self
- putting a square pad on pin 1 of headers is good, but a larger rectangle would be better (single row headers only)
- some text (e.g. ADC, Vin) on top side next to headers would be good
- should mark pin 1 on ICs
- with AVR no need to make LEDs negative logic
- 1”x1.25” seems to be a good size for CustomPCB (24 boards in their standard size order)
- surface mount coin cell holders could be a good thing
- SOT-223 voltage regulators look interesting
- make your traces as large and widely spaced as possible
- remember to leave space for mounting holes, if that’s your thing
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