Beachmaster Files

[ivconic]

Pcb's arrived:

[gurdal]

Hı master ivica,
Looks nice

[Olly]

Nice looking boards, what are the other larger boards with the rounded cutouts?

When assembling the Beachmaster boards, remember to use the Fab files for component location as the silkscreen ID locations get a bit cramped in places.
Post #24 above has the latest doc pack which includes all files including the 'Fab' files and updated 'Build' document.

Good luck with the build and let me know how you get on.

Regards

[Qiaozhi]

Hi Olly,

I just wanted to say "Thank You" for re-sparking my interest in KiCad. I've been using DipTrace, and recently upgraded to the 500 pin version. However, a design I'm working on has 582 pins, and I didn't want to pay the extra money to upgrade to 1000 pins.

When I last investigated KiCad it was a bit weird and clunky in the way it worked, and I did not get a very good impression of the software having used several other commercial PCB packages. Now with Version 6.0, things have changed dramatically. I really like the PCB interactive router, and the way that the general usage has become much more intuitive. It more or less works as you would expect it to. The only thing missing is the ability to renumber the reference designators in the PCB and backannotate to the schematic. However, that's not a show stopper. Someone has written a Python plugin that apparently adds this feature, but I haven't tried that yet. KiCad also has the advantage that it runs in native Linux, unlike DipTrace which requires the use of Wine. This makes it run faster and more smoothly than DipTrace.

Anyway, the design is complete, and passes all ERC and DRC checks, and Gerber files are ready to go to JLCPCB.

For anyone interested in looking at KiCad 6.0, then go here ->
https://docs.kicad.org/6.0/en/gettin...part_1_project

By the way, I also took a look at your Beachmaster design in KiCad. As you didn't supply the project file, there are some things that cannot be accessed.
I ran an ERC check in the schematic editor and it reports 4 errors and 18 warnings, and DRC in the PCB editor reports 67 errors and 74 warnings.
Some of the errors in the PCB may cause you problems. If you get stuck eliminating some of them, I should be able to assist if you can supply the complete project. It was also not possible to run a schematic / PCB parity check due to the missing project file.

Have you got as far as building the detector yet?

[Olly]

Hi George,

Thanks for the feedback, I too have used many different professional EDA packages over the years and am very impressed at what KiCad has become (Especially the price).

I originally designed the schematic and PCB using KiCad version 5 and that is what I used to generate the Gerbers.
In version 5 the schematic ERC and DRC on the PCB side was totally clean (Except for courtyard clearances which I set to ignore).

I suspect that my routing rules didn't fully translate to version 6 as I've just done a DRC using V6 and as you say it seems unhappy with a lot of things.
I didn't supply the project file as it references some files and libraries which are custom on my Mac, when I get the time I'll try to clean it all up in version 6 then publish the updated project etc.

Rest assured that the PCB as defined with the gerbers that I posted works just fine as I have already built two of the units which both function correctly.
I had the PCB's manufactured by 'PCBWay' in China and they had no issue with the manufacture either.

I also checked the Schematic in V6 and it does report some errors, specifically to do with power connections. These are actually connected on the PCB, I suspect that they might have changed the way power definitions are defined and used from V5 to V6.

Kind regards

[Qiaozhi]

Rest assured that the PCB as defined with the gerbers that I posted works just fine as I have already built two of the units which both function correctly.
I had the PCB's manufactured by 'PCBWay' in China and they had no issue with the manufacture either.

That's good to hear.

I also checked the Schematic in V6 and it does report some errors, specifically to do with power connections. These are actually connected on the PCB, I suspect that they might have changed the way power definitions are defined and used from V5 to V6.

The files are supposed to be upwardly compatible, but there were some major changes to the schematic and symbol formats. Apparently they've now moved to using S-expressions notation, so maybe that's the problem.

I uploaded my Gerber files to JLCPCB ... and less than 2 minutes later they're were reported as in production!

[Olly]

I've never tried JLCPCB although the cost of their 4-layer PCB's looks tempting.
Has your experience with them been good, would you recommend ?

[gurdal]

excellent quality

[Qiaozhi]

I've never tried JLCPCB although the cost of their 4-layer PCB's looks tempting.
Has your experience with them been good, would you recommend ?

I can definitely recommend them. The quality is excellent, and the turnaround is fast.

[surfdetector]

the turnaround is fast.

Just don't make the mistake of ordering during Chinese New Year like I did

[MartinB]

I've never tried JLCPCB although the cost of their 4-layer PCB's looks tempting.
Has your experience with them been good, would you recommend ?

Excellent quality and fast turn round . Generally two weeks from order to delivery. Cost is usually around 20 GBP for five boards, whilst UK manufacturers want around 200 GBP for the same thing

[bernte_one]

has someone one pcb over for germany? need a short break in my 3d printer hobby/buisness

[ivconic]

Nice looking boards, what are the other larger boards with the rounded cutouts?
When assembling the Beachmaster boards, remember to use the Fab files for component location as the silkscreen ID locations get a bit cramped in places.
Post #24 above has the latest doc pack which includes all files including the 'Fab' files and updated 'Build' document.
Good luck with the build and let me know how you get on.
Regards

SMW, an old project. I made numerous of those in through hole fashion so far.
Now I just want to try SMD.
...
Thanks!
I ordered flux the other day, waiting to arrive. Same with some components.
I suppose it will go slower, now with SMD, than usually, because I am novice in this now.
But certainly I will report my impresion and results when all is done.

[ivconic]

I can definitely recommend them. The quality is excellent, and the turnaround is fast.

Weird thing... I am registered at both; JLPCB and PCBWay.
And I randomly order pcbs at both.
Most of the time I don't really pay attention which is which.
Both serves me the same good so far.
Prices for 2-layer boards are pretty much the same.
All the gerbers I do prepare in Sprint Layout 6.
No problems so far.
...
Ok I am intrigued enough to try Kicad...
DANG!

...
I am back to Win7 for several months.
I used Win10 for quite some time.
But some old software isn't working well under Win10.
So I was annoyed with that and returned to Win7.
Now seems I will have to return back to Win10 to be able to try Kicad.
Older version will work under Win7, but I want to see new one.
Damn!
Crazy enough; I am having Win10 in Vbox, working just nice.
But installing such huge (1Gb) package in virtual machine will eat completely the virtual space i designated for virtual drive.
Probably also slow down the system.
I might return back to Win10 one of these days, will see.

[bernte_one]

if you order at jlcpcb be smart and take the smd paste stencil option, will save a lot of work