Interesting, as I found the DipTrace schematic function to work well when I designed a fairly large board (40X2, UMFPU, maybe a half-dozen smaller chips, dozen or so off-board connectors [GPS, among other things]) several years ago It came in just under the DipTrace "free" limit of xxx pins ;-) Something I designed for a friend and he wasn't interested in checking my work on the PCB. I did have to cut one trace and add a jumper wire but that could have been avoided with another set of eyes :-( However, all the features did work, which is as good as PCB design gets.I sent in my second board, it was a struggle to get it under 100mm. Turns out as soon as it's larger than 100mm there is a $4 "engineering fee" and the board prices go up as well. Being on the cheap side of thrifty I spent an hour rearranging components to shrink the board to 99mm.
5 boards for around $10 delivered.
I'm not sure how others do it but I find drawing a schematic in diptrace a waste of time. The way the program arranges the components on the board is a jumble that takes too long to untangle. I find it easier to have a printout of the schematic and arrange the components manually in the PCBLayout window. I also waste a lot of time looking for components, I needed a JFET with the middle pin being the gate, took a while to find one.
I'm guessing it will all get easier with use. I'll start working on the next board, it's nice having a sample board for figuring out spacing of components.
It absolutely does work and if I was designing professionally I would follow the suggested method. I can see making a large board how having a schematic in diptrace would be beneficial but for my piddly little boards I plan on drawing a schematic on paper and then going straight to layout.( However, all the features did work, which is as good as PCB design gets.
good grief, you must have valuable skills to have gone out of retirement so often.I'm retired for the 4th (or is it 5th) time. Some days are just too short to get done what I want done. Maybe part of that is being OLD ;-)
Thanks for sharing, fascinating career. I'm sure most everyone on this board has an interesting story to tell, it's hands down the most interesting corner of the internet. No matter how oddball a topic I come up with an expert advice is posted tout suite.Totally off topic, but an answer to your question.
i'm guessing metal printing is very expensive. i found an example of a smart phone size plastic project enclosure and i think it was $40.metal 3D printing
I've had several small parts CNC machined from aluminum by hubs.com. In quantities of 5, they cost about $60 each. JLCPCB will print them in stainless steel for $8 each. I'm tempted, despite the weight.i'm guessing metal printing is very expensive. i found an example of a smart phone size plastic project enclosure and i think it was $40.
i'd like to get a home 3d printer but it takes up goodly amount of space and seems very fiddly. i'm also hearing it takes hours to make a print.
hubs com is new to me, good website, they had a sample part about 110mm cube, $63 printed in nylon, not unreasonable for a custom made part delivered in a week or so.hubs.com
$8 for a small metal part is a bargain.I've had several small parts CNC machined from aluminum by hubs.com. In quantities of 5, they cost about $60 each. JLCPCB will print them in stainless steel for $8 each
I'm interested to hear of others experiences with 3d printing or making enclosures generally, I always find them hard to get right
Here are descriptions of somewhat incestuous enclosures and circuits (the 3D printer is printing parts for itself). But they do use Picaxes. In one case, the enclosure had to be opaque. In the other, it had to be translucent.I've considered 3d printed enclosures in the past. I just checked jlcpcb prices to have a useful enclosure (https://grabcad.com/library/enclosure-for-digital-electronic-part-tester-pcb-1 - approx 65mm x 75mm x 20mm) printed.
The cost (excluding shipping and taxes) would be about £2.70 for white plastic resin and about £65 for 316L stainless steel. So that's not bad really for the plastic one.
Personally I've never really liked the look of 3d printed enclosures. I find the 'acrylic sandwich' construction (acrylic sheets are the bread, the pcb is the filling and is held in place with hexagonal pcb spacers) within even my limited construction abilities; they'd be no good in the rain though.
I like this idea from Allycat: avoid actually having an enclosure
I'm interested to hear of others experiences with 3d printing or making enclosures generally, I always find them hard to get right
i have made acrylic boxes using acrylic adhesive and it's not too difficult, the issue i run into is making the opening for displays, tough to get right. i have a new portable dremel tool and a bit for cutting acrylic i will have to give it a try this weekend and yea i like the acrylic sandwich method. most every other project is either open like alan's or enclosed in big shrinkwrap sleeve.find the 'acrylic sandwich' construction (acrylic sheets are the bread, the pcb is the filling and is held in place with hexagonal pcb spacers) within even my limited construction abilities; they'd be no good in the rain though.
Do you have any tips for cutting acrylic for the boxes? I don't have a bandsaw so I score the sheet, snap it and then sand the edges.i have made acrylic boxes using acrylic adhesive and it's not too difficult
I agree, openings are the toughest part for me. I bought a drill press (and can finally get my holes square to the board) and attempted milling openings with it: I got poor results, my slots tend to wander off to one side. I now print the opening dimensions on paper, glue it to the acrylic, cut the opening with a coping saw and then tidy up the edges with a file.the issue i run into is making the opening for displays, tough to get right
I don't know which is easiest but I use Freecad because it's open source and has plenty of tutorials on youtube (I am slowly working through a series from a channel called Adventures in Creation). I don't find cad modelling particularly easy but I do enjoy the process.what would be the easiest to learn package for making files that JLCPCB needs to fabricate
Did you order these from jlcpcb? Once again, I'm interested to hear how they turn out.Well, I went and ordered a couple nextion faceplates
I use a table saw with a carbide blade. Woodworking a hobby that i sadly neglect due to all the dust that interferes with my other hobbiesDo you have any tips for cutting acrylic for the boxes?
Freecad is good but like everything these days, highly complicated and bloated. I'm trying to learn just enough to make boxes.I use Freecad because it's open source and has plenty of tutorials
Yes, ordered from jlcpcb and i will write an update once it comes in. so far, it seems to take a bit longer than pc boards. i'm still waiting for the files to be approved, looks like a human looks at it before it's put into production and it's done on business days so probably on a weekday. good to see that people get a weekend off in china. i have seen pc boards used as front panels , it's a good idea.Did you order these from jlcpcb? Once again, I'm interested to hear how they turn out.
Well done, clocks look great, love the keep it simple approach.With regards to cutting openings for displays and buttons, I now have a few approaches.
I've seen videos explaining the parametric approach to customise generic enclosures, e.g. this oneI wish someone would distill million and one options in freecad to a simple box software, put in the dimensions and voila, nice box with a lid.
I think it can be done with macros so eventually it could become simple.
Thanks for posting your methods, they are very neat, I'm inspired to try them. One question: did you just draw the outline of the shape for the openings on the 'cuts' layer or does it need to be a filled polygon? Or perhaps it does not matter.With regards to cutting openings for displays and buttons, I now have a few approaches.
i do have a router, safest way to get it done is to rout the cutouts on a large sheet of plexi and then cut with the table saw. i hesitate using a router on a small piece of plexi, it would work well with a jig.probably have a router
i like the guy with the swiss accent. i'm also liking tinkercad, it's meant for classroom. good enough for me.'ve seen videos explaining the parametric approach to customise generic enclosures, e.g. this one
I "draw" them on the dimension layer in Eagle as a rectangle. For slots I have sometimes added them to the slots and milling layer(s). I might also write a note in text within the area I'm expecting to be cut out saying some thing like "This is a rectangular hole, 133mm x 35mm" just in case. Never had one come back without the holes yet. The Gerber viewer on JLCPCB often doesn't show the cut outs which is why I often add my notes just to give me an extra level of confidence.Thanks for posting your methods, they are very neat, I'm inspired to try them. One question: did you just draw the outline of the shape for the openings on the 'cuts' layer or does it need to be a filled polygon? Or perhaps it does not matter.
Me too. I bit the bullet and ordered the $8 stainless steel part from an existing STEP file last week. In on-line chat just now, they indicated that the file has been sent to the engineer for review, but it's early morning there. From what I know of Chinese New Year, he may not be in a condition to review much of anything. No problem, no hurry. I used the same STEP file for ordering CNC'd parts, so I have confidence in its accuracy.my 3d prints are still in "File Review" stage. Maybe it's because of Chinese New Year, it's taking far longer than PC board fabrication.
my opposite point is in French land, Kerguelen Islands, middle of nowhere.The antipodal point from my house in in the middle of the ocean, off the west coast of Australia.
In my case, they did flag an area that effectively goes to a sharp edge and is probably not printable, but is machinable. The edge is not important, and I authorized the print. It will be interesting to see what I get. I've had no issues printing the part in various plastics, but 316 stainless steel, no!I suspect that the reveiw is to determine the best orientation to print out taking into account did like the amount of support material. It may also be where the file is sourced and turned into g code resulting to be sent to the printer. So no skipping the reveiw I'm afraid.
They look like the cable glands such as this https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-power/mg-20-white/m20-cable-gland-white/dp/CBBR7375?st=cable glands that I use quite often in my outdoor or garage projects. I'm quite keen on the tiny M8 ones as well.What are those white screw-on (and I assume waterproof) connectors
Cable glands, as others have said. They have a silicone bushing inside that when the cap on the gland is tightened, squeezes around the wires and provides a water resistant barrier. Figured it was somewhat important since the inside of the cold frame can get pretty humid so trying to keep the electronics as moisture free as I can. It's been running none stop for almost 5 years and working well.Nice-looking. What are those white screw-on (and I assume waterproof) connectors you have going into the 2nd box?