--- In [email protected], KeepIt SimpleStupid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- Dan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > First, I have a question: what degree is your son > > working on? I have > > a BSEE degree from a top state university, and I > > never did any PCB > > design while in school. This is generally not > > covered in BS-level > > undergrad classes, and probably not in grad-level > > classes either. > > It's considered something you pick up on the job, if > > you need it. > > Agreed. I learned PC Layout at Hewlett-Packard, now > Agilent in a Boy Scout Explorer's post in 1972. I > taped a few major electroncs hobbyest projects and the > Leach Amp (80's). The only layout software I've used > extensively so far was DOS based, EasyTRax. > > The larger the library, the easier and faster the > design. It's almost like what should probably happen > is that the component industry should get together and > define a universal importable footprint/3D model etc. > These guys have done that with a neutral data base.. do a footprint once, one editor to learn and export to many PCB packages. http://www.accelerated-designs.com/ at a fairly low price for design houses that have to deal with multiple input formats.
There is a huge KiCad Library ported from Eagle: http://library.oshec.org/ click the Download all button. A project that is needed is a library manager. KiCad is designed in a way that we only need one schematic symbol for a resistor yet have many choices of footprints. What the world really needs is a universal part numbering database that is close to the manufactures number, symbol for the schematic and footprint for the layout. Every company, HP included, in the past did their own because they had their own choice of PCB layout and manufacturing inventory, second sourcing and ordering system. Important to those companies still doing manufacturing plus engineering. This is one reason why Digikey is popular (they use to have an OrCad library), the Bill of Material becoming closer to a purchase order. But then no matter which PCB layout S/W you use there are always new parts on any new design and that is why H/W designers have come to expect a new part symbol and development boards with schematics. The problem is there is no standard format or database design. A project called MR1 looked promising for anyone wanting to jump into this type of adventure. -Frank Bennett > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs >
