Need free PCB Designing software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: oliviasmithh900
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 03:40:35 pm
content: Hi,I am olivia, student of Computer Engineering, so I don't have much background in Electronics ( as my field's related to computer) but still we have to wok on electronics hardware in few subjects and currently we are studying DLD, where we have to submit a hardware project at the end.I have selected Automatic Door lock using logic gates and I have almost designed it on Breadboard and now problem is I have to design its PCB board. I have worked on Proteus software but have only designed circuit, haven't tried PCB ARES yet, & I think I am working on free version so it won't allow PCB design.So, here I am in great need of some excellent PCB designing software, and as I am student so I can't afford much, it will be better if its free. I'll be really obliged !!!Have a good day.Regards.

author: eliocor
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 03:43:50 pm
content: https://kicad.org/

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 03:44:43 pm
content: Quote from: eliocor on January 14, 2021, 03:43:50 pm+1

author: jackthomson43
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 03:47:01 pm
content: Proteus is a great tool to work with but yeah it's paid, and if you have the money then you should give it a try. Proteus ARES is used for designing PCB circuits, while Proteus ISIS is used for circuit designing, which you must have worked on.But as you are looking for free software, you should have a look at thisCircuit Simulator, these are free PCB tools, I think that will be helpful in yoru case.

author: oliviasmithh900
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 03:50:09 pm
content: Quote from: eliocor on January 14, 2021, 03:43:50 pmThanks I will check it out ....I will check that out too ..... and yeah I have worked on ISIS before, but I couldn't find ARES anywhere. I will search for it too. I want to designMultiLayer PCB

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 06:19:30 pm
content: I have found thatDipTraceis much easier to learn than KiCAD.

author: Pitrsek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2021, 09:02:10 pm
content: https://horizon-eda.org/

author: GerritMax
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2021, 09:15:48 pm
content: https://easyeda.com/is another free one.

author: PKTKS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2021, 02:55:11 pm
content: Quote from: oliviasmithh900 on January 14, 2021, 03:40:35 pmInteresting statement... I've heard similar comments way back in 80s. early 90s.when computer tools (like computer RAM) were very few and costing way toomuch to consider a commodity.Well things changed.. as you may have noticed computers are everywhereand such distinction (like saying computer this.. or that..) is irrelevant.A plethora of tools, compilers, programmers and hardware (smart tvs, smartcars.. smart phones.. even smart watches) are abundant and the proper skillis no longer related to computer.. but the whole stack.You may guessed that hardware engineering skills is the top most prioritybeing the rest of stack (OS, toolchain, languages.. CAD EDA soft ) highly abundantToday a folk which is "computer something" is as good as a mechanicwhich can only use a screwdriver... not a wrench..ONE MORE VOTE FOR KiCAD...Being a suggestion to quickly integrate your panorama into AutoDesk CAD tools(like EAGLE) and OrCAD a must have knowledge for proper dealing withmodels..Which BTW numerical simulation is still a vast requirement..and AFAIK i am not aware of some folk which is "Numerical Engineer.."Times changed.Skills more than tripled than beforeLook ALTIUM as well - nobody escapes that framework as wellcheersPaul

author: gnuarm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2021, 06:29:25 pm
content: I have used Orcad for schematic capture in the past, but that is not free software in any sense of the word. I've used FreePCB for layout of the board which is "free" in every sense. Many who use FreePCB use TinyCAD for schematic capture which is also free in every sense.While I can't personally recommend TinyCAD (having not used it), I can very much recommend FreePCB. It is much easier to learn and use than KiCAD. I'm not really a fan of KiCAD because of the various eccentricities in the UI. I am using it on an open source project for a ventilator and it has a number of limitations. One is that it does not support pages of a schematic in the usual sense of being sequentially numbered. It supports hierarchical design. Moving from page 2 to page 3 requires using a page selection tool to select the page based on it's name rather than just flipping to the next or previous page. It sounds like a small thing, but it greatly interferes with productivity as do many other "features" of KiCAD. The new release fixes some of these issues. For example in layout they allow the Y axis to be positive going upward in layout just as most CAD programs do. So at least it is moving in the right direction.

author: riyadh144
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 07, 2021, 06:31:48 pm
content: KiCAD all the way. It is under great development, the engineers are great, and the community is great.