We have a lot of Nick’s around DMS! You are referring to @technick14 who started this thread. I’m looking forward to hearing how he is coming with his interesting class. I’ve built an Arduino (or close to it) on a breadboard before but I will be in his class because it sounds like fun.
I was referring to @NickWebb, the Eagle scout who I mentored and gave the Sensors class to.
Hey miker,
Yes, I laid-out out the pcb months ago on paper, but I am struggling more than I would like to admit to layout the pcb in software. I have no successful experience with these types of software. I have played around quite uneventfully with kicad and eagle, but never gone through a project from start to finish until now. This is the hold up. I have checked a few times hoping to find classes, but no one ever seems to have classes on this topic. So unfortunately I am not sure when I will finish the pcb design in software. Its very frustrating to me because I drew it out on paper several months ago, a day or so after I created this post.
One idea:
Each Tuesday evening, The Dallas Personal Robotics Group (DPRG) has Robot Builders Night Out (RBNO) at DMS. I have attended a couple times with different questions, and I have found a welcoming group of folks willing to help/answer questions.
There are a number of DMS people that design and have boards fabricated. I would greatly encourage you to drop in to DPRG. It is an informal work session in the Interactive that starts a little after 7.
Also, I would post a Talk topic asking for help.
Hello Nick! I fully understand the issues with KiCAD! I made a simple 1 transistor relay driver
PC board just to understand the process to go from schematic to finished board and it seemed
like I was in an endless loop locating and correcting net errors, etc. If you want to share your
schematic I can give it a try as well!!
Hey Miker! Oh yeah, so you understand haha. Yeah I would welcome some help! I PMed you more details. PCBs are something I’m trying to learn how to manage, and its proving more difficult than I expected by a long shot. I have been looking but never seen a class on PCB layout. Anyway, thanks for the offer, look forward to hearing back from you!
P.S. I’m tired of not finishing this project lol. I’m going to be at the space mon, tues, wed if you or anyone else has PCB layout experience I’d love to finish this crap up, and get the class started ASAP. Any ideas or help are welcome! Thanks!
Best regards,
Nick
Thanks Bernard_Gray and bpamplin! Really do the robotics people mess with PCBs? Not to sound brash, but I was not aware any of them would go as in depth as to make their own PCBs. However, robotics is not something I am terribly knowledgeable about. I would not want to pop in, and distract from robotics I guess. I just would not think to ask these people for help with PCBs I guess. Thanks, maybe I should stop by this week I guess. I really know nothing about DPRG at all actually lol. I’m still fairly new to the space.
thanks,
Nick
I did one a year or so back, it went about as well as could be expected, I tried to do a full layout in a few hours (I think I had the room for 4) and while I got finished with the board most of the audience of the class didn’t. A couple that had PCB layout experience benefited from it greatly to see the pros and cons of KiCAD vs their preferred package, but the electronics committee decided that maybe we should split it up into multiple classes in the future.
I’m happy to help out with a train the trainers or whatever for it, but I won’t be able to teach it more than once or twice because I’m busy over in the machine/metal shops.
Speaking of that, @artg_dms You ever put together that soldering class on the boards we ordered?
Ok, thanks for the info @malcolmputer! Oh, the layout in 4 hours? Oh, yeah I can understand that. I took some classes on using other software like inkscape and it went similarly. Yeah, splitting it up into multiple classes sounds wise.
I would definitely be interested in being able to help teach classes on PCB layout if I could get it down well enough myself lol. Just trying to finish this first PCB and dual class project to extend my PCB layout knowledge.
Soldering class? What kind of PCBs were the project for?
Since it sounds like you’ll already be there Tuesday evening, I would suggest you amble over to Interactive classroom about 7:00 or so. The RBNO event is the time set aside for folks to assemble and “work on” (sometimes equivalent to “show off” 
) their projects. It tends to be an informal gathering, and I’ve never been treated as though I was bothering them.
I have always found them to be welcoming and helpful. If they don’t know how to help, they likely know someone who does.Godspeed.
For the board I did the schematic and layout in the class for 
It was a ATTINY with a couple FETs and a couple relays, a bunch of 0.1" headers etc.
The idea was that the machine shop (and other groups at DMS) needed a relay board so they could come up with a RFID solution that was DMS owned.
@Bernard_Gray ok thanks, I will try to figure out where that is, and see what happens. You’re right, this could be quite helpful! I would not have thought of this myself haha. Thanks!
@malcolmputer oh that’s really interesting! I have read countless web articles, books, etc about attiny, but always wanted to layout PCBs for the project. That has been the hang up for me personally getting into a attiny as well as other projects lol. That sounds fun. How long does a relatively small project like that take someone like you competent with PCB layout?
@malcolmputer also, do you have preferred PCB layout software? I am using a web version at the moment for the manufacturer of the PCBs that I want to use. I have some very very limited experience playing around with Eagle and KiCAD as well.
It took me a couple hours to get it to 80%, as in working but the silk needs adjustment and it needed checking.
I hate web apps. They’re slow, laggy, and they change all the time. If I spend the time to learn it, I don’t want it changing without me updating something.
For me? KiCAD 100%. I’ve done small stuff, I’ve done big stuff, KiCAD has been great for everything. It’s Open Source, free, gets frequent feature updates, etc
For a hobbyist? KiCAD 100%.
For a full time layout engineer that doesn’t want to worry about part updates and has $10k plus $2k/year in maintenance? Altium.
The DPRG Tuesday night is not so much a meeting as an extremely informal work session and one of the most fun events I’ve been to at DMS. Just wander in and ask an intelligent question like, “What does this do?” You may have to pull away after half an hour because everyone is extremely helpful and likes to tell about their project. I don’t do robots but I like to hang out there and will likely be there for the first hour of so tomorrow. Several do PCBs.
@Dale_Wheat is a regular at DPRG and has a business based on designing and selling PCBs.
A couple weeks after @malcolmputer class, I did a beginner level class on ATtiny. I have been thinking I should repeat it. Watch for it on the Event Calendar in a few days.
You might also look at the upcoming KiCAD class/possible series at https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/14043
Ok, thanks.
Lol yeah that’s definitely true about this web app too. Guess I been telling myself its not that bad, but its easier for me to use than KiCAD. Ok, I’ll try focusing on KiCAD then. Thanks!
Yeah, I don’t have that kind of money or real need, but that program does look pretty nice!
Thanks Brady! Lol what does this do, love it. Thanks for the advice!
Thanks, we’ll see, but I really want to develop my hand at designing PCBs myself. I will keep him in mind though, thanks! For now, I don’t really have money or a real need to pay someone to design PCBs for me. Just like to play around with little (sometimes big) useful hobby projects.
Oh wow, thank you! However, unfortunately I work every Saturday for the foreseeable future lol. Nonetheless, thanks, I will have to keep hoping someone does one earlier in the week.