Panelizing PC Boards for Assembly with Free Software
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- Опубліковано 27 лис 2019
- Today we're preparing a PC board panel for SMT assembly at JLCPCB. We'll use the ThisIsNotRocketScience Gerber Tools to panelize the actual PC board, but panelizing the BOM and pick-and-place files is more complicated. I couldn't find any free software to handle this part of the project, so I wrote my own and made it available on GitHub.
ThisIsNotRocketScience Gerber Tools: blog.thisisnotrocketscience.nl...
Clough42 PCB Tools (BOM Panelizer): github.com/clough42/pcb-tools
Pentalogix ViewMate: www.pentalogix.com/t/software...
When I watch your videos I feel so inadequate 😊. I find all of this so fascinating. Thanks for all you share. Joel.....
Thank you for taking us through the process and your tools James. You show and explain the vagaries and pitfalls during PCB fab ordering, which I'm sure have already caught many people out. Adding the waste strips that serve to add rigidity and allow inhouse identification marks rather than on the product is sublime.
Thanks!
Hi James Look forward to a new batch of bords. Thank you for your help with Bring in Denmark. It ended up with no board and 5 hours phone and mails but ebay payed back my money I have almost every ready for testing my metric lathe
Looking forward to the mill spindle project. Happy Thanksgiving!
Good stuff and SMT assembly instructions start at 24:38 Thanks for the code mate!
stoked for when the new boards come in...put me down for three... happy bird day. i intend of doing a complete install video on my atlas th42.
Big thanks for sharing bom and centroid panalizer support....👍
Thank you for this great guide, I was able to accomplish what I wanted. I was figuring out how to generate my own panelDescription since it was not mentioned on the video. The format is prefix,x,y . You can use any prefix you like, get the x,y on the gerbset file. As for the other files, you need to make sure you have the exact same format like the files on the samples folder. The CSV should be comma separated, tools like EasyEDA exports a CSV that is tab separated (as of this writing). You need to convert that tab separated CSV into a proper CSV. You also need to have the same exact columns. If you have issues with GerberTools , ask it directly on the GerberTools repository. That's all thanks again!
Unlikely that I will generate boards, but you have laid the process out in a VERY understandable manner. I think I could generate an order based on what I have learned. Super impressed with the stepper leadscrew synchronizer, and I may convert my G4000, since the gears are a PITA.
James, I think your panel project is wonderful. Maybe that will make your cost a little less. I am looking forward to you getting more boards. I have about got all the parts to try the electronic lead screw project. Love your videos, they are so well edited and well explained that they are very easy to understand. Glad you are back to making videos.
I have boards in stock now, if anyone is waiting: ebay.to/2WuLa7m
Unlikely I'll ever use the info in this video. That said I do find it interesting and would watch others like it. Keep up the good work your doing.
I might actually use it. I am interested in electronics not only as user, but also as maker. I am a beginner and my first and to this day yet last attempts are dating back to my middle school days where we used to make some basic circuits onto a PCB. First we hand drawn our circuit and then etched it, then we worked with EAGLE to design our circuit for an electronic game dice (well, the circuit wasn't actually ours, but the parts assembly and the actual PCB layout was). Mine didn't work and it actually kind of made me ashamed (especially when the first circuit worked, only it didn't last very long). But I didn't give up yet and I still want to come up with a working circuit more complex than the blinky diodes we did first - and that's an electronic dice we were making as second PCB design. I found a resource online, not an actual circuit we were working with, but from pictures it looks like it's working, so I wanna try it out :) But that doesn't mean I want to steal others' ideas. I am merely experimenting, and that board will never be in production for selling. I will etch it, assembly it, test it, and take pictures and send them to the original creator to see - look! I can design PCBs, too :D The circuit is his own, so I gave him credit on the silcscreen (which won't be actually part of the board, only on a documentation, I'll also send him, screenshots from EAGLE and also original PDF file printed for photographing session of the circuit onto the board).
Awesome explanation! Thank you very much
Great work, very interesting
Thanks. That was very informative. I hope JLCPCB Helps you out.
Thank you for sharing this video , very informative
Ohh wow really thank you for these tool :D
I never bothered about the pick and place files but this is amaizing. I did had some weired issues with the panilizer tool from Itsnotrocketsience, butI will try your tip of unchecking this "clip to board outline" checkbox. I think this could defnitly caused my problems
so pretty much thank you and go on making these vidos :D
You're welcome. I'm ghad you find it useful.
Clough42 I tested it and, yes this fucking checkbox caused the problems and has stolen me 2-4h of work. *narff*
I had silkscreen that was hanging over.
Btw the 2019 release has a bug regarding the "fill empty areas" option. It will just crash the view. The 2018 version works. But you can not create mouse bites to these fills. You have to export the gerbers and re-import them into a new project. Now the fills are solid board and nothing of the panelizer tool. NOW you can create mouse bites to it. Weired but works for me 😄
This feature is very helpfull if you have weireder shapes, that are not just rectangular.
Hope this helps someone ✌
Awesome video! Thanks. Any chance you could show how to do this with round boards? Thanks
Thanks for useful video. By the way, how you did panel strips? Added it as separated Gerber?
Really great job and thank you for putting it up on GitHub! I've built a lot of castles out of sand in my life, much of it software. A very under-appreciated job, particularly when you dump a lot of hours into a perl/python/java script and few people use it/know about it. I'm sure you knew this going in and this is really all about getting lots of quality/affordable boards made for your customers. Top job, and thank you for the behind-the-scenes look. I'm sure many who watched the mini-lathe series have no idea what a BOM file is, and although this was a bit of a crash-course it also served as a fantastic overview. The message I got from this video is don't even get into panellis/zing unless you are making hundreds of boards, and even then you basically just start from a single board and debug for 3 days :-P Or rephrased into a positive, if you have the perseverance of James Clough, you can make anything :)
Thanks. My thinking is this: it took me several days to figure out how to do it, which means this is an under-served corner of the maker community. I made a tool and a video and hopefully that will help someone else. Or, as has been the case here, it may bring together multiple people who are working on the same problem and the community will benefit from some new collaboration.
@@Clough42 Do you think you'll put the panelizer jar up on github for us maven challenged individuals?
For your next panel -> you could also use the same panelizer tool to merge the BOM.. ;-)
There are some hidden options because they are not 100% ready for prime time yet.. but the tool can already do it. (no standards! yay! hard to support...)
Let me know if you want me to give a stab at automerging your BOM in the tool directly.
Great to see our paneltools ending up in all the odd corners of the internet :-D
This is awesome! I think integrating the BOM merge into the panelizer will be a much better long-term solution. And yes, I'd love to have you test with my boards. How do I get you the files? GitHub issue? That would probably be a better option than trying to discuss here.
@@Clough42 mail to stijnkuipers@gmail.com will work
The biggest problem we have right now is that there is no real standard for these kind of files.. so when I provide some way of doing it, I'll probably have to work on providing export scripts for all the usual suspects
For eagle I solved the export issue by directly reading the eagle xmls.. but that wont really hold up during version upgrades etc
Great tool BTW but wondering how to zoom in or scroll the view window. I have a 18"x24" panel but can't zoom in to see the shape of the mousebites. Selecting Scale 1:1 always shows a zoomed in view but only one location.
The latest version doesn't have that feature, is there something I am missing?
what 3hp spindle are you going with? m looking at the s30 from cncdepot. it is supposedly American made. my friend is running 3 of them. loooking forward to the video
Although it is not probable that I will be developing a board that needs multiple copies at reduced cost, it was cool to see the process involved in making a panel of multiple boards all the same.
Hi James. Thanks for the reply, as I indicated I thought that was where you were coming from and it looks like your viewers sided with you about panelisation as well! Anyhow, as well as your excellent breakout board I've now got the TI Launch Pad from the States (took just two days to get here!) as well as a locally sourced Hybrid servo stepper kit and PSU. My next step is to breadboard the set up. Cheers. BobUK.
Where did you source your Hybrid servo stepper kit and PSU
I've had the PSU for a long time. I think it originally came from StepperOnline. I got the servo from Automation Technologies, but I ordered through their eBay storefront: NEMA23 Closed-Loop Servo Motor and Driver (eBay*): ebay.to/2WUJlRt
You might look around. They have a new one that's just a few dollars more that produces a lot more torque--especially at higher RPMs.
Hi. I'm thoroughly enjoying your videos. I'm just now getting into SMD and am finding your videos very helpful. Quick question, though. JLCPCB does have their own panelizing option. I'm just wondering why you don't use that instead of going through the extra work of laying out the copies in another tool. Thanks
Circuitmaker looks really good - been using Eagle 5.6 for years, looking around for more modern alternatives.
Yeah, I used Eagle back in the day for a couple of projects. The new Eagle looks fine...it's just the licensing for commercial use.
Would you share your your Excel spreadsheet that you used to calculate the co-ordinates?
Eres mi dios, infinitas gracias, maravilloso programa
Hi, how to get the panel description file?
Can you show how to do from Eagle?
When I drag the Gerber file into the program, it does not appear. What should I do?
Thanks for the video! Did you encounter "distance closer than drillradius" message? I'm getting it while trying to add the long tabs. from 2 sides of my 2x2 matrix. One side is fine but other side I have this message, even though it's symmetric
No, I haven't seen that message.
Thanks for the great giude
It looks like very professional editor, and frankly completely free to use and even commercially? Looks like bette choice than EAGLE, which I am very used to. What's even better is that it has an option to import and export EAGLE project files! :O That's so good!
And yes, I actually registered and downloaded it :) I am studying Applied Electronics in VSB, Technical University of Ostrava, so making own project wouldn't be much difficult, right? :) I will still use EAGLE, but only for personal testing purposes, as its free version is first limited to maximum of 2 layers (and board size being limited in maximum dimensions), and second of all, it is forbidden to use it for commercial purposes (which also includes selling the PCBs made with this piece of software - seriously, if noone ever knew EAGLE was used to print out photo shield for photographing and then etching the PCB home, nothing would prove it). My projects will be really small, so it ain't be much large boards that I might once create. I'll hassle around and try out the CircuitMaker to see its capabilities :) I'll try out to lay down some well known basic circuits and see how it looks like when projected on a board :)
It's pretty good, up to its limitations. The primary thing about it is that it's community-based, so the component library is shared with the community. Your projects are shared with the community, too. I think you can now have two "sandbox" projects that are private, but realistically it's only useful if you want to share your projects with the world.
I think the biggest frustration for me is just the component and footprint library. It's all linked to Octopart, and your versions of the footprints can get mixed up with everyone else's, which may be of dubious quality. You can use your "favorites" list to keep track of the ones you have modified, but it's not as nice as just developing your own component library with the parts you use.
@@Clough42 I actually ended in EasyEDA, which also uses KiCad's library amongst LSCS library. It also has direct connection to JLCPCB.
hi james. thanks for the guide. anyway, i'm curious about the panel strip top & bottom. is it available on the gerber panelizer or u create it by yourself? regards.
I made it myself.
@@Clough42 thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it. By the way, do u have suggestion / recommendation on the fiducial mark & tooling hole on the panel strip for smt assembling. This is my first time doing the panel for smt assembly. I saw your panel strips are quite clean (no fiducial & no tooling hole). Thus it makes me thinking are these 2 not necessarily required for smt assembling (hence it will be easy for me as no extra work need to be done). But if they are highly required, like i mention on top, what are the recommendation based on your experience. Best regards.
RS274 was the industry standard when I got involved in CAD in 1985, it had been around then for 5 years. RS274X was introduced in September 1998, and has been the industry standard ever since.
The use of unfamiliar extensions to Gerber files leads me to suspect that some manufacturing firms are using the free software that is available for step and repeat panelisation. I would have expected them to be using "proper" software for this, not cutting corners.
Ive been developing some panelizing software, panelizing in eagle is hell, and if you make changes its a bitch to redo, i downloaded this program called panelizer(gerber tools is the same thing), but was unable to get it to export properly, would only export 1 channel, so thats why im working on it.
Im almost done writing the gerber parser, the GUI is almost done, written in C# and openGl.
Why are you not using the panelize funktion of jlcpcb in the board settings?
Yeah, is there a reason to bypass their panelization service?
They do not support assembly if they panelize the board.
@@Clough42 Now that they know where to get a good Bom- and centroid file multiplier that possibly changes😌
Great work! Keep it up!
P.S. Panelization for only PCB at JLC works great though!
@@Clough42 I can't find any mention of incompatibility on their site. I might be missing it, or have they changed their minds? (later:) Nope, if I select SMT, then Panelize, it closes SMT. You're right, despite no explicit note on the page. Damn.....
This is really a great video on a subject that is super tricky. I was wondering if you have any tips on panelizing boards that aren’t square, but have curves. Was thinking something like a badge or something like that. Thanks again
Hi James. I've been watching and following carefully you're video on "ThisisNotRocketScience". Having worked my way through the first 10 minutes or so, you on one screen, the program on another, with frequent pauses and restarts, I was with you until it cam to dragging and dropping the Gerber zipfile into the program. This is a little 20mm x 20mm PCB I designed on Cadstar, which I used to use professionally but now as a hobbyist. Try as I may, using Imperial instead of my usual Metric user files for post-processing, even calling the zipfile "Gerbers.zip" (which I am sure is cannot be necessary) nothing I do will persuade the zipfile to drop onto the TINRS panel. What am I doing wrong? Any advice would be most appreciated. I followed every step exactly as you say in the video, with no success. A very interesting video, for which I thank you.
The tool is very picky. I had to fight it for a long time before I got something that made it happy.
I have the same thing. I suspect that the Gerbers used in this panelizing S/W are using very restrictive file name convention. I use PADs PCB, and my manufacturers prefer the Gerbers in "RS-274X" format, whatever it means. Just looking at file extensions in Gerbers directory in the video (.GBS, ,GBP, .GBL, etc.), they have nothing in common with Gerbers generated from PADs (which are a bunch of .pho and .rep, and ncd.lst). It looks like the Gerber standard (www.ucamco.com/files/downloads/file/81/The_Gerber_File_Format_specification.pdf) has a free form of naming the files, their examples all have file extension .GBR, and layer designation comes in filename, like Example1_Copper$L1.gbr, etc.
Gerber file set example from UCAMCO: www.ucamco.com/files/downloads/file/220/pcb_fabrication_data_in_gerber_example_1.zip
I ordered a SMT board from JLC when the placement preview was broken, and it turned into a complete nightmare. A footprint for a SOIC-8 was too wide, but I had no way of knowing because there was no placement preview, so they contacted me after the PCBs were manufactured, but before the PnP was done, and said "sorry, we can't place these parts" - which of course made the whole board useless. After a bunch of back and forth, they refunded most (but not all) of the order and I ordered again. On the second time around, a part that was out of stock the first time, and I had contacted them and asked if they could order more - first they said yes, then they said no, so on the first order, I substituted a less desirable part, was now in stock even though they said they weren't going to order more. I changed the footprint for the SOIC-8, and the part that was now in stock, but through some mix up, the part number on the BOM file didn't get updated for the previously out of stock component. There was a placement preview this time, and things looked good, but again after the boards were in production, the SMT placement failed either some automated (or manual?) verification. They contacted me again, and I said "ooh, the part # on the BOM somehow didn't get updated, can you just change it - the PCB is laid out for the part that first you said you weren't going to order, but is now in stock didn't get updated" - NOPE. There was no way to update even just 1 part number in the BOM "once it was in production" (even though the PCB had only gone through 2 steps, and SMT assembly was at least 5 or 6 days later). Again, much more back and forth, and they ended up refunding that order completely (but not all in one refund, in many pieces over a few days?), and I submitted the order a 3rd time. It's currently in DHLs hands, so hopefully when it arrives, 3rd time's a charm? I think their process really needs some streamlining, and better detection either when their website is completely busted (no placement preview at all), and SMT placement verification BEFORE anything goes to production, or the ability to change the SMT portion of the order after the board is in production if there's nothing wrong with the board itself, just a small PnP problem.
Yeah, that sounds like a pain. I have also been frustrated by the broken previews. I contacted support when their preview was broken and was told something similar--that they would check it. In my case, I had built boards previously from the gerbers, so I had already worked out the footprint issues, and everything turned out great. I imagine they're quite overwhelmed at the moment, given the newness of the system and the aggressive pricing.
They contacted me after this video was published to confirm that they do manually check component orientation based on the markings on the sikscreen, so it looks like that suspicion was correct.
@@Clough42 In the end they made things right, and completely refunded the second order (on their own, without me bugging them about it), and the 3rd order everything was good. It just arrived on Monday, and I was able to test everything, and solder the connectors onto the entire batch, and got some of them back into the mail for a friend (they're Christmas light controller boards, so timing was getting tight). Even though the first batch of boards was slightly more expensive because of the failed first order, the boards still worked out to be $2 each including parts and shipping (instead of ~$1.40 without the failed first order). Pretty aggressive pricing indeed! I'll just chalk it up to a learning experience, and be much more careful about footprints and BOM entries from now on!
trying the jar tool but failing . will give me the help options but when i provide the files it fails.
seams there is too many " in the batch file ? now getting :
Input BOM: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\bom.csv
Input Pick-and-place: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\cpl.csv
Panel description: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\panel.csv
Output BOM: E:\GEBER\Bomtool
esults\bom.csv
Output Pick-and-place: E:\GEBER\Bomtool
esults\cpl.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exception in thread "main" java.util.NoSuchElementException
at java.util.ArrayList$Itr.next(Unknown Source)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.csv.Row.parse(Row.java:14)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.csv.CSVFile.readRow(CSVFile.java:39)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.csv.CSVFile.(CSVFile.java:25)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.csv.CSVFile.load(CSVFile.java:50)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.csv.CSVFile.load(CSVFile.java:44)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.panelizer.Panelizer.panelize(Panelizer.java:18)
at com.clough42.bom.panelizer.BomPanelizer.main(BomPanelizer.java:68)
java -jar "%~dp0bom-panelizer.jar" %*
this is the Batch file
Ok my BOM needs updating now - so just the batch file was the issue
Now all working with one quote and corrected BOM . Thanks
E:\GEBER\Bomtool>java -jar "E:\GEBER\Bomtool\bom-panelizer.jar" -b bom1.csv -c cpl.csv -o results -p panel.csv
BOM PANELIZER
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Input BOM: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\bom1.csv
Input Pick-and-place: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\cpl.csv
Panel description: E:\GEBER\Bomtool\panel.csv
Output BOM: E:\GEBER\Bomtool
esults\bom1.csv
Output Pick-and-place: E:\GEBER\Bomtool
esults\cpl.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OK BOM generates but pick and place file not correct
y not use the penalize function from JLC pcb itself ? there is no point of using this methods unless u have multiple boards in same gerber
You can't use the panelize by JLC option when doing SMT assembly, as their auto panelization uses v-scoring, and they can't (or won't) assemble v-scored boards. As soon as you choose "let JLC panelize", it disables the SMT assembly option.
Hi James, I can see how this fits in with your educational mission. I think the community of interest will be very limited. Interesting to see what others say. BobUK.
Quite possibly. My thinking is this: I spent way too much time figuring it how to do it because the information out there already was insufficient. I can make that situation better, so I did. You are right that this may not be super interesting on what is ostensibly a machine shop channel. Then again, I still get new viewers every day who are trying to figure out how to program a VFD. So maybe it's diversification, or maybe it's dilution. We'll see.
@@Clough42 I'm really interested in this sort of videos :)
@@Clough42 This fits my needs as well.
I'll go with diversification. I play around with robots. A big part of what I like about robotics is it involves machining, circuitry, programming, and more. As for future content, follow your interests, and take us along for the ride.
I find this video highly interesting.
The mix of machining, CAD, electronics and programming is what makes this channel so outstanding to me!
It's an amazing combination that really showcases what goes into the development of a finished product.
I do not understand why JLCPCB cannot SMT assemble boards that are panelised by V Groove :(
I use their own EASYEDA for designing and the V Groove method is so easy to use, just go to Tools, select panelise and set the number of boards across and down, no messing around modifying files as all they need are the files for one single board :)
As for components orientated the wrong way then the first stage they do is DFM Analysis to fix them, so it is important that things like diode cathodes are marked in some way.
I don't know for sure why they don't offer panelization with assembly. It might be an order-of-operations constraint, or maybe the V-grooves make the panels hard to handle in the assembly machines. Of maybe it's just a software thing. It's clear that they went to market quickly with a an MVP (minimum viable product) and they are learning fast.
@@Clough42 V groove has to be a lot easyer to handle than odd shaped slotted boards, I suspect that either they have not updated their software to handle the pick and place file or that they have but forgotten to remove the V groove not supported text from the ordering page.
@@steverpcb they actually don't explain anywhere that it isn't supported until you try to select the option.
1969??! hmmm... it seems this old tony has been messing with the timeline again.
James, you are jack of all trades. You developing a java program to improve a manual process of making panelized PC board I have say AWESOME. I love watching your videos they are very informative. I like your twist you add to these videos which shows another possible way of getting something done. What I can wait for is the spindle you are planning to add to your machine. I have been looking at the cheap chineese knock offs and saw a video on the mechatron version that has a tool changer if needed. Marco Reps video was very impressive on these spindles and shows how well made they are link here www.mechatron-gmbh.de/. Marco Rep's video the tear down and testing of his new mechatron spindle here. ua-cam.com/video/vB_FvkllLPc/v-deo.html
12:48
Your logo does not chow up well.
I will be "flamed" from here to eternity for what I say below, but then I feel it must be said for the "masses".
There are few people that can understand 90% of what you are saying. IE: you started out telling us that you wanted to do away with the gears on a lathe and let software do it instead. GREAT. You did it. Now make the parts to do this easy to get and install. End of story, albeit JUST enough of programming to make it a GREAT endeavor. Who except software engineers needs what you gave us today?
I have made it plain how brilliant you are and a great instructor and I love you for it, But NOT what you we gave today. Sorry...
Ok I have just put on my "flame suit".
FLAME AWAY!
There are quite a few hobbyist and professional electronic engineers that create and make boards for various projects. Nearly everything has some type of computer electronics in it these days. And with the rise and interest of Raspberry Pi, Arduino and the like, getting started down the road of electronics manufacturing has never been easier. What James is showing through this series, is that while it's possible to make your little electronics using only pre-made stuff (Arduino, RasPi etc) once you graduate beyond that level of tinkering and want more... there's a barrier of entry to free, cheap, or inexpensive options for the hobbyist or tinkerer. By showing there are in fact good alternatives out there, it's getting more people involved who would otherwise let their ideas just stay ideas. You have no way of knowing who you might inspire someday by just being a teacher. The next Tesla could very well be watching these videos and it's given them enough courage to move forward with their projects by just trying.
Personally, I'm not math minded, I really suck at electronics. I'm artistic, visual and creative. I have no idea why I'm even watching these... but I understand the value videos like this bring to the maker community. I'm converting my lathe to have an electronic lead screw, but I don't need to know the how or the why behind how it all works, or the programming that goes into it. But I do like this series because it's shown me a world I never even knew existed. Creating your little electronic boards in these simplified CAD programs is really fascinating! I'll never use them... but it doesn't mean that someone on my team might want to, and I can point to these videos.
>Who except software engineers needs what you gave us today?
**raises hand**
I've been watching this channel for quite a while, and while I don't even own a lathe, I did just buy a busted CNC VMC machine a few months ago. My computer engineering training, and personal experience diagnosing and repairing electronics for many years allowed me to fix the spindle drive in the CNC machine for $50 of parts, whereas the previous owner had a quote of $3,000 for the same repair (and why I was able to buy the machine for less than half the repair quote). If you click my name, you can see a video of the machine - it's not a little toy, it weighs 5.5 tons, and has a 32x20x20" working area - 15HP spindle, 5HP servos on each axis. I found the development videos of this project quite valuable - I learned some machining tricks (which I'm a complete novice at), some good embedded development nuggets about real time signal capture and how to avoid missing edges (way back in one of the very first videos on this project), and now some interesting tips about how to panelize a PCB. I just ordered assembled PCBs (for a completely different project) from the same service that James used, and no doubt submitting a panelized board at some point is in my future. Not everyone is here for one topic, and what makes this channel especially great is how broad the topics covered are!
*_[ suits up ]_*
I want to learn how to make things - not just chips on a lathe, but anything I need made. As we saw from the lathe video, a VFD and some software can replace a load of mechanical gears and pulleys, and deliver things never before thought possible for a lathe. However, many people probably aren't willing to learn the entire field of electronics just to get started with how to actually do that, and would prefer to buy a solution that takes care of it for them, so they can get to making chips.
So we really can't blame Clough42 for his viewers coming to the electronic lathe project from two different places - electronics and machining - and for two different purposes - making chips, and making machines that make chips for other people.
This video is definitely for those in the latter group today, because it's about making 100's of PCB boards. However it's still interesting if you buy one, to see the hassle American inventors have to deal with to become entrepreneurial while all affordable/competitive production is happening in China :)
Eh you might be right. But as james said, he spend a lot lf time getting this right. And while it might not be useful to you, maybe some EE students comping along will.
So it might expand his viewer base.
Ewww Java ;P
Kidding aside - great video!
I just don't get why JLC don't support assembly for boards panelized by them oO.
Their panelization uses v-scoring, and the SMT assembly service is not compatible with v-scoring (why? I don't know). I also have a feeling that panelizing the gerbers is pretty straight forward (the tools are readily available), but they don't want to be responsible for panelizing the BOM and the centroid file just as James showed, so they just make you supply it explicitly. Also, I'd think panelizing it would end up costing more in shipping, because now they have to ship the large panel, instead of all the individual boards stacked in a much smaller box. AFAIC, unless you have to do further automated assembly beyond what they're doing, panelizing it is a manufacturing problem, not mine as the customer. I'd rather just end up with fully finished boards (no mouse bites to sand or file smooth, smaller shipping box, etc etc). I could see where having it still in a panel could be handy in some situations. Only limitation of just ordering them as individual fully finished boards is you can only order 50 at a time with assembly. If you want to order a batch of more than 50 boards, you have to panelize it manually yourself.
Circuit maker is not free software. You can use it for free, but you are not free to use it as you see fit. It just free as in beer, not as in freedom. Eventually they may choose terminate the "free" access, charge you a ton for it, and you are screwed with all your past projects stuck inside a ransomware.
This is the case with pretty much all of the new breed of cloud-based applications, including Fusion 360. For now, my needs are aligned with their business model, so I'm choosing to take that risk. If that changes in the future, you are correct; I could get caught out. In this case, I would still have the gerbers, so it's only an issue if I need to modify something.
Your needs may differ--especially if you're deriving your income from what you're producing.
Next time around, I think I'll try out KiCad, but for other, technical reasons.
Wow. PCB Math sucks. Nice work.
The whole world supports metric, except the US.