Noob has absolutely no idea where to begin on PCB layout-HELPPPP

[diemilchmann]

I decided i needed to design PCB for all my effects, and i have no idea where even to begin. They are fairly simple circuits, but i cant even work the EAGLE program that well. Any pointers?

[foxfire]

get yourself a pad of graph paper, a pencil, and a few erasers. i found that the extra effort (as opposed to using a computer program) it takes to draw a layout by hand forced me to think a lot harder about what i was doing before i put pencil to paper...honestly i'd have to say that doing layouts this way taught me the most about how to put together a pedal that will work. 

[Steve Mavronis]

Try out ExpressPCB. It is easy to figure out and customizable. You don't have to use their board service but the software is free to make PCB layouts and Schematics:

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Download.htm

P.S. I couldn't figure out Eagle either

[R.G.]

I decided i needed to design PCB for all my effects, and i have no idea where even to begin. They are fairly simple circuits, but i cant even work the EAGLE program that well. Any pointers?

Yes. I wrote a whole book on precisely that topic. It's available from Small Bear, and has had some decent reviews from others. You may want to do some googling about it.

It's the second one down here: http://www.smallbearelec.com/Categories.bok?category=Books+And+Publications

[Taylor]

I can vouch for RG's book being an excellent way to get into doing layouts. It's very detailed and thorough, much like his posts.

[JKowalski]

It's typically a duanting task but if you just start doing it, you will usually figure out the process in a short amount of time.

I go in rough steps:

-Outline the board size

-Determine off-board connection areas, mark them

-Lay out the IC's in approximate areas where they make the most sense relative to each other (pins line up with each other and the off-board pads the best they can) Give yourself room around them for passives/transistors, but not too much so that you stay compact

-Start placing parts/connections to them, working outwards from an IC. Don't be afriad to use the occasional jumper, they help alot, are sometimes totally necessary, and dont look bad or anything. If you think they might not look "professional" because you "cheated", remember that professional single sided boards use them too but cleverly disguise them as zero ohm resistors  You'll probably have to scoot the next IC's a bit. Having them there before lets you visually see the area you have to work with and make sure you have some allocated to the larger items.

-Make sure to think about the directions you are going. If you have an output pin on an IC, for example, facing the opposite direction from the off board connection output, try to start moseying over to it's eventual destination using the interconnecting passives as bridges over other traces.



I have typically used DIY Layout Creator / Photoshop, but I am now starting to use Eagle. It's confusing, but I think I am getting the hang of it. So far though, I can admit that it is alot more powerful then most other methods when you are well aware of its capabilities. I predict a much  easier future for my board making attempts.

[diemilchmann]

How cramped is too cramped? Im slowly putting this schem together, and everything is just really jammed tight on a 3 sq. in. board. Ill post when its done.

[R.G.]

How cramped is too cramped? Im slowly putting this schem together, and everything is just really jammed tight on a 3 sq. in. board. Ill post when its done.

Just a quick tip. You won't like it when you get it done if you don't figure out where all the fixed-location stuff (controls, LEDs, etc.) go before you start laying out.

Most layouts of through-hole parts can be done with good results at audio frequencies with the board no more than 25% bigger than the components brickwalled together. But this demands good choice of how those bricks are stacked to get proper performance.

There is a lot more to PCBs than getting copper to connect the pins.