Corner angles are just a layout issue, and yes right angle joints can be
a bit "iffy" in some cases. Generally I use a couple of 45 degree
segments to create a turn in a track, but I have used 90 degrees
sometimes, as with most things it depends on what you are doing.
The cost of PCB production has dropped, but it is still VERY expensive
for one-off / hobby use. To give you an idea, eurocircuits via
elecktor will charge about 100 euros, and pcbtrain about 110 pounds for
a double sided board, 100 x 120mm
Even if you order from the far east, and manage to half that cost (then
in the UK you get stung for import duty and handling charges which nearly
negate the cost reduction) it's still works out expensive. The major
benefit is that you can get real PTH boards, which you cannot do at home.
Considering that a pre-coated board is about 2 pounds there is still a
considerable saving with DIY.
Andy
On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:57:13 +0000
Philip Vossler <philvossler@...> wrote:
I think the price of having pcb's made professionally has dropped so much
that it's hardly worth etching ones own boards, unless their very basic.
I never liked traces to have right angles, and I liked to have tracks coming
in to connector pads horizontally for connectors vertically orientated and
vertically for horizontal connectors, but this is proably not very important
when having pcb's etched professionally as the quality and resolution of
thefinal board is much better than I could ever achieve etching my own
boards. But it would allow for greater clearance between tracks and pads.
As for the tracks. I think years ago right angles were frowned on as etchant
could eat away into the corner, it's just a practice I've kept with - laying
a track across a right angle eliminates the corner.
On 14 February 2011 14:29, josh_eeg <josheeg@...> wrote:
I would like to try photoetching but dorkbot pdx and batch pcb do such a
nice job for a decent price that I don't even know if it would be cost
effective to get the stuff and do it at home.
--- In kicad-users@..., "Anders Gustafsson"
<anders.gustafsson@...> wrote:
Ditto, having wider tracks and pads gives more leeway, especially as
imperfections in the exposure-process tends to narrow stuff. This is for
prototype etching. For layouts that I send off to PCB-houses, I make
everything thinner.
Ideally, there should be an option in PCBNew to "fatten" when poltting :)
- Anders Gustafsson
Engineer, CNE6, ASE
Pedago, The Aaland Islands (N60 E20)
www.pedago.fi
phone +358 18 12060
mobile +358 40506 7099
fax +358 18 14060
Philip Vossler <philvossler@...> 2011-02-11 21:39 >>>
I always tend to make pads, especially on connectors as large as I can,
same
with signal tracks. But I have always (up until very recently) had to
etch
my own boards
--
*"Clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones, coastlines are not
circles,
and bark is not smooth, nor does lightning travel in a straight line."
BENOIT MANDELBROT*
*1924 ¡ª 2010**
*
