I am sorry if this is a redundant request/question. I am currently building a cnc machine on which I would like to mill pcb's.
Others have worked out a tool chain using eagle: http://pminmo.com/millingpcbs/milledpcb.htm Is there any interest in a Geda-based alternative? Could it be gschem--pcb/dxf(export) or gschem--pcb--gerbv/dxf(export)? The dxf file would be an outline of all the traces and pads. The traces and pads would be 'islands' that the cnc machine would mill around. Here, is the tool chain I have tried to get working without success. 1. From pcb I export gerber files. 2. I load a gerber file in gerbv and export it as a pdf 3. I load the pdf in inkscape and save as a dxf file. However, when I view the dxf file in qcad or any other cad or cam program, the strokes and objects from inkscape are split into two incomplete and offset images, and the pcb traces are lines with no thickness. Inkscape is turning all strokes(pcb traces) into lines in the dxf file. In inkscape, if I go through the very cumbersome process of individually selecting each stroke(trace) with the 'Edit paths by nodes(F2)' tool, and select 'Path>Stroke to Path' and then combine all the edited paths and objects using 'Path>Union' I can get a dxf file that is an outline of the traces and pads. However, inkscape often adds a little bulge to the end of each stroke. So, it is not a perfect outline. This also takes way too long on anything other than the most simple pcb artwork. So, I am stumped. Any interest in adding the dxf export feature to pcb or gerbv? It seems to me that cnc milling of pcb's is becoming viable as a homeshop alternative to all of the other standard methods of fabricating pcb's. Thanks, Dave _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list [email protected] http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
