Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:44:20 -0800 From: Steve Meier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: gEDA-user: pick and place ?plugin?footprints.c? for gerbv To: gEDA user mailing list <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I am a little confused here. Are we discussing taking a gerber file and using it to generate the component location/rotations for a pick and place machine? If we are wouldn't it be a lot easier to use the pcb file to generate the file? Steve Meier Steve, This seems to be a simple problem, but trust me when I say it is not. The root of the problem is CAD libraries. Many people input foot prints into libraries, and do not realize they MUST be on center. If they are not, the centroid data from the CAD is wrong. Also, some libraries are drawn on origin (pin 1) and not on centroid. Taking a file, inputting it, then fixing it is just as time consuming as hand teaching. Programs like Eagle and such have so many user drawn libraries, the Centroid data is all but worthless. I'm sure even people here have drawn parts into the library off center. It would take an enormous effort to go back and change the libraries. Most people are not going to, so I'm left with the accurate data I get, which will be the Gerber, however dumb it is. I have thought of offering a discount for anyone who supplies accurate Centroid data, but for the ones who do not know......the argument will begin. They will have a part someone else drew....and want the discount, because their parts were drawn correctly. It is just time consuming to separate the good from the bad. The only good thing about doing it as above, once I get a good file from a person, I can pretty much bet, the rest will be correct. It is something to think about.....maybe a little incentive for that. But there are still programs which do not output centroid data, believe it or not. Unfortunately....there are also people using those. James Long Owner/Designer Lil Brother LLC (Instrument Division) _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list [email protected] http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
