I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

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shobley
 
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:16 pm

I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by shobley »

Last week I made up a Laser Harp on two stacked proto shields. Works OK, but like all "prototype" electronics it looks like a big ball of solder.

So... I downloaded the proto shield file and started to add a few new traces, just to make things a bit easier. After about 6 hours of (obsessive) work I managed to put everything I needed onto a single proto board.

(Yay!)

I've never done anything like this before, and I did not use an underlying circuit schematic in Eagle, I just hacked away at the brd file.

Is there a hope of getting this made up without spending a fortune?

Again, not sure if I really did everything right, and always deleted the "Rats-nest" lines (whatever they are...)
This is a double sided board, and I've made the assumption that a pad connects both top and bottom sides of the board.

Steve

trialex
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:25 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by trialex »

shobley wrote:Again, not sure if I really did everything right, and always deleted the "Rats-nest" lines (whatever they are...)
That kind of makes me nervous, not sure what you mean! In eagle-speak, the "Rats-nest" button takes all the un-routed connections, which are called "air wires", and makes them as short as possible. You shouldn't "delete" the air-wires, you should route them.

Here is some good advice for making hobby boards...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-ho ... tools-by-/

Sparkfun is probably the easiest place to get them made. They provide a tutorial to make sure your board conforms to their rules and teaches you how to provide the files that they will need.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/tutori ... als_id=115

shobley
 
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:16 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by shobley »

Yeah, I'm really nervous...
:shock:

I started to hack the existing proto shield board, I kept all the stuff around the edges, just removed the SOIC and the long GND/5v traces. All the air wire stuff seemed to be related to things I was placing, and when I looked at the "Rats-nest" the wires made little sense, so I removed them.

I compared what I have with the original design and everything that is important (around the edges) looks the same.

Thanks for the links, I'll be reading them later!

trialex
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:25 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by trialex »

Sweet.

Lets face it, you aren't going to endanger yourself, or lose heaps of money, so you may as well learn by doing it.

If you eventually post up your files, people will often be happy to look at them and provide suggestions.

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by Franklin97355 »

Seems I'v read a post where someone put up a "bare" shield with just the edge jumpers laid down so you could lay down any footprints and routing you needed.

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macegr
 
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Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by macegr »

I have to recommend starting with a schematic. You can organize the schematic however you like, and make it easy to verify that everything is connected correctly (not that it always works that way). But anyway, you can start with a schematic and then use the airwires to guide your component placement and routing. Then you can be reasonably certain your PCB matches your schematic, and you didn't do anything silly like reverse a couple of connections.

You could start with the Eagle schematic and PCB project here: http://www.macetech.com/blog/node/69

Just add your own components to the schematic and move the Arduino I/O blocks around as necessary. Switch to the PCB, and you'll have the Arduino headers locked in place and a board outline for reference. Place your components and route the airwires.

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westfw
 
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Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by westfw »

I have to recommend starting with a schematic.
I agree 100%. I've never understood how or why people put up with the PCB programs that don't start with a schematic editor as well. It's like having a built-in error checker.

You can always post your .brd file when you think you're done and ask for commentary. Bravely doing stupid things with a schematic/board file beats sitting there going "this is too complicated", and you can probably find several people who will gently correct your mistakes...

shobley
 
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:16 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by shobley »

Well the board just came back from BatchPCB - and despite my omitting a feedback resistor entirely* I'm pleased to say that it works!

Yay!

Pictures here
http://stephenhobley.com/blog/2009/03/1 ... r-harp-20/

* I know - start with a schematic. :D

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phil.drummond
 
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Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by phil.drummond »

Your learning curve is really impressive!
All my board designs are in the "duh" stages :)

Phil

shobley
 
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:16 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by shobley »

Thanks,

I never intended to create a full shield, just tweak the protoshield to make the laser harp a little bit easier.

But it was a really slow day at work, and one thing led to another - by 4pm I'd done the whole thing. :D

I made to the two corrections to the layout and I think I have a winner.

I have since gone on to get to grips with all that schematic/airwire/autoroute stuff for another project.

"Sometimes I amaze even myself"
"That doesn't sound too hard"
(Conversation overheard aboard the Death Star)

adafruit
 
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Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: I designed my own shield... Now what do I do?

Post by adafruit »

lookin' good! i'll post about it :)

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