developer notes on tools we use or thinking about
Automated manufacturing notes.
We want to start automated picknplace assembly of v3.1.
They would do the CAMfiles (I think teach the machine manually), but I expect it takes time and I don't like that method. I asked for the CAM format. I couldn't get the required data format yet :-(. But they said it's ASCII, so it will be trivial to perl on-site.
Miska's script outputs the placement of components, grouped by component values.
First version of Eagle script produces sorted component placement data as shown below for top and bottom layers separately.\n
; num [ id] [ pack ] [ part value ] [ X ] [ Y ] ANG [ 33] C34 C0805 0.001µF 84809 93946 180 [ 2] C3 C0805 0.1µF 34097 119561 90 [ 3] C4 C0805 0.1µF 35660 123029 180 [ 39] C40 C1206 0.33uF 85027 81246 0 [ 69] C70 C1210 1uF 69149 33421 90
(yes, they said it's an ASCII format, will be perl-ed to match at the site). Many thanx, Miska.
SW:
Eagle schematic and PCB editor (and it's license terms!) from http://www.cadsoft.de/
I use the Eagle 4.11 professional license, but eagle with any license can view sch or pcb, and any can edit the one-page (therefore a bit clumsy looking) schematic. Eagle is a relatively shitty program. The lack of some very simple functions make your life hard.
Eagle wishlist:
- when editing libraries, you cannot select a symbol or package from another library. Just drag and drop the package to the library you are currently editing. I tried drag and drop (that was the first way I tried), it did not work. However opening one destination library for editing, and browsing source lbr in the control panel treebrowser helped: right click on the symbol: copy to library
- eagle should show the component values (not just name and package) in the status bar when component is viewed (with the eye icon), this brings us to:
- shared highlight functionality between brd and sch (without typing the show command)
- eagle should show the name of the routed trace (!!! unbelievable how they forget this, maybe they use PADS for their own work)
- it's really stupid that we cannot declare 2 subnets are connected (without merging the names, because merging names is irreversible. Grouping supplies nicely on sch helps somewhat, because rename "segment" on sch works. )
eagle working list:
- Separate clearance for polygon fill (eg. 12 mil, the keyword is edit-isolate) and minimal DRC clearance (eg. 8mil) is available.
- Copy sch sections to other design: found it in cadsofts support channel. The procedure is very odd, First close the board!!! Then make selection, cut it, then delete it. Now paste to new sch sheet. Open board again, run ERC. If not all devices in a package is moved a new component will be added and the ERC will fail.
GEDA GNU electronic design automation.
These software are good for simple design. VEMS team mostly uses Eagle. Autorouter functionality is poor, but 2 layer boards must be routed manually for sane result anyway :-)
do you know how to share info between PADs and Eagle schematics and layouts? Have links? A friend insists on PADs (which he paid serious money for) and would make smaller boards (eg. stepper-driver for a special app, special form-factor).
Spice and clones (eg. acs) for simulation
HW:
scopes (like Vellemann K7103), signal generators
Virtual trigger signal generator by Ray Hall, handles the most common stock trigger arrangements:
http://www.autronic.com/software/SignalGen.zip
Lab equipments
http://www.e-lab.de/index_en.html
Interesting links, practices, examples:
ManuFacturing links, eg.: ManuFacturingInHungary
See also MechanicalDesign, BuildProcedures
4.11 Eagle Lite Sources
AVR simulation (should have it's own page?)
- AVRstudio works quite well, reads objects in coff format. However it is winblows only and not suitable for automatic regression-tests (only manual stepping of code)
- simulavr and gdb should be OK for measuring cycles while everything happens in memory: the IO port (and timer interrupts etc..) handling is very incomplete for Atmega128
- http://compilers.cs.ucla.edu/avrora the new canon, check this out!!! Should be nice and powerful.
See also