PCB design software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Jane
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 06:19:34 am
content: I would like to learn PCB design software to be able to design my own BGA stencil.Can you please reply to my questions:What PCB design software you use and whyWhat PCB design software you would suggest to start withAre there any GOOD tutorials for that kind of PCB design softwareAre there any support forums for that kind of PCB design software?Thank you for your help

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 06:46:54 am
content: I myself use kicad (non professionally)- Its free- Once you work out its way of doing things making schematic symbols and PCB footprints is very quick and easy to do- I like hierarchical pages to split up the modules (your dumb if you try and cram way too much on a page because you loose track of what your working on)- The hot keys really speed things along- There is a built in 3D veiwer for the pcb, and for most footprints you can find the models online (missing on most of the stock footprints, but easy to add / assign)downsides:- it doesn't come with a large number of common PCB footprints, so you will have to make them as you go, or find a library with them (libcms has quite a few)- it works on select the action before using a tool, (there are hotkeys) which especially with the trace tool on the schematic editor took some time for me to get used to.There does appear to be numerous support forums / subsections for support (this forum has a kicad sub-forum) and this and trial and error are how i picked up most of itThere is a good manual that comes with it, i read the first few pages then got bored and jumped in,I would imagine there are numerous online videos that go through it in a hold your hand fashion, but didnt go looking myselfIn general it has a few odd ways of doing things, but once you get used to them its a very powerful tool

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 07:37:45 am
content: I am using Eagle. It is stable, rich, popular and had a free version. It's common to find open source files for eagle and you can find numerous tutorials. For example:https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=eagle+cad&sm=3You can use it on windows, mac os and linux.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 09:04:42 am
content: Do you need to exchange board files with customers, suppliers, contractors or others?If so, then the most important criterion is what file formats they can use. There's no point in you buying, say, Eagle, if you need to exchange data with someone using PADS or Zuken.That's the main reason I use Orcad Capture and PCB Designer (Cadence) - I have customers who use it, and I regularly receive boards from a design house who use Allegro. Since the two packages are just license variations for the exact same software, exchanging board files is seamless.Over time you'll build up a library of parts and layouts, so you'll be effectively locked in to whichever package you use - so choose wisely, and make sure you don't find yourself having to start all over again because you need extra capability in a year's time.If all you really ever need to do is create BGA stencils, then they're little more than a regular pattern of circular blobs. Any PCB software can do this.

author: BalticLab
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 03:59:45 pm
content: I use DipTrace. Once I started using it just to see how it works and after getting used to it and the demo expired, I got myself the full version. Takes a while to get used to but once you know all the functions, it's a great software.