At 04:49 PM 9/27/2008, you wrote:
On Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:53:57 -0400
Rick Collins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> generate a *new* board file, so now you have two files that have to
> be kept in step each time you touch the design. You also have to add
Yes, we use the Unix tool named "make" for that. In my day job, everything is
manual. :-)
> your features to the panel file each time you touch the board file.
No. If you have standard PCB dimensions for standard boxes for example, you
never have to touch your panel file. You just have to generate a new one with
one command/click/etc...
But this "one click" is an extra step. I am a design engineer. I
run my own company and I am ultimately responsible for the *entire*
project. In the process of producing the files (note the plural)
that are required to have a PWB built, parts procured and boards
stuffed, there are a large number of "one click" operations. If I am
panelizing my own boards, then I want my Gerber files to reflect that
without post processing. Why, because it is another "one click" that
shouldn't be required.
Why does this extra "one click" need to be outside the tool?
BTW, how do you take a one-up board layout and replicate that for a
panel, plus add fiducials in a script? How does the script know what
the X and Y spacing and count are? How does the script know where to
put the fiducials? I expect you have to edit the script or pass
input parameters to it. Maybe you only have to define these once,
but you still have to run this as an extra step and it is outside the
layout tool and so there are extra files to keep track of.
Sure this is a "small increment", but there are something like a
dozen output files (not counting the multiple Gerbers) that have to
be generated for a new board (or a revision to an old one). I don't
want to muddy the waters more than I have to. I would like to have
just two or three source files, a schematic and a layout and possibly
a build options file (add this part, leave that part off, etc...).
I am currently using FreePCB and there are a number of external
programs to facilitate generation of the fab drawing, the XYRS file
and the assembly drawing just thinking off the top of my head. Each
one of these tools requires a separate setup file. This is what I am
trying to eliminate. I certainly don't want to add another file to
define my panel when it could easily be included in the layout file.
> In a production environment this is too much manual work and is
> likely to result in an expensive mistake at some point. Typically
I experience it in the other way around! :-)
You find manual work eliminates errors??? That is why automation
reduces the cost of assembly. It is not only faster, it is more accurate.
> the board layout goes through design review. Then producing the
> final design file set should be done with as little as possible human
> touch to minimize the chance of errors being introduced.
Yup!
> I am looking for layout tools that are well suited for a production
> environment. The lack of good panelization tools is one of the
> shortcomings of FreePCB. It provides board replication by use of the
> step and repeat Gerber command, but does not provide for global
> fiducials. I have yet to consider PCB fully so I don't know how well
> the script tool works. On the surface it would appear to have the
> above issues. If the script were integrated into the tool it would
> solve some of the issues.
AS DJ pointed out, PCB and the tools around it involves the philosophy of
UNIX, and so they will never get merged. At least I hope. We like it as it is.
If you want some fancy panelization tool, just go and buy one of CAD software
out there. You get the same scripts, but with a "beautifull" GUI, which hides
a lot of things. That is what I experience in my day job. The good news is
that there is perl installed on my computer. :-)
Ok, I didn't realize that the philosophy of open source was to
exclude everyone who doesn't think like you. I'll look elsewhere to
see if I can find open source tools with supporters who are a bit
more open minded.
Rick
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