Re-laying out a board from a PDF - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2013, 11:03:00 pm
content: Some time ago I purchased an Elektor article that came with a PDF of the PCB to be use with the toner transfer. The board is a bit too dense for my toner transfer skills and it is dual layer. I haven't been able to contact the author and ask for gerbers, so I want to take the PDF and possibly use a PCB program to lay it out again. Does anybody knows any PCB designing programs that can somehow (directly or indirectly) import a PDF as a reference?

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2013, 06:10:42 am
content: You can import a vector image into eagle cad (and many others cad packages I assume) -http://todbot.com/blog/2011/06/06/from-illustrator-to-eagle-vector-graphics-in-circuits/You could use the imported image as a reference.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2013, 06:50:07 am
content: I haven't try it on PCB though, but tried on few scanned comic books while ago and it worked quite amazing.Potrace, Transforming bitmaps into vector graphics ->http://potrace.sourceforge.net/Its based on GNU General Public License.Example, before and after, make sure to check other more complex examples as well.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2013, 11:10:33 am
content: The biggest problem is scaling and resolution of the imported image, that's why I was looking for something better than Eagle's image import. I will check out that site.As for the bitmap to raster converter, it looks like a very nice way to get started when you only have a bitmap. Luckily, my PDF file with the board is vector based.

author: dr_p
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2013, 11:45:25 am
content: If you can import an AutoCAD drawing, you can use the free version ofAny PDF to DWG converter. Thay have other variants as well.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 10:21:28 pm
content: GIMP (GNU's Photoshop) can also read PDF. You may need to fiddle with the resolution a bit. Perhaps GIMP has a way to make the traces thinner. Thinner traces are more difficult to etch though so you may end up solving a problem by creating a new one.I strongly recommend using the UV transfer route. It takes a bit of investment to set it up but it will serve you for decades.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 10:33:38 pm
content: Quote from: ivan747 on August 30, 2013, 11:10:33 amIf you post the file I can try and convert it for you.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 11:12:51 pm
content: http://www.elektor.com/magazines/2010/september/high-voltage-probe.1466830.lynkxThat is the article.This is the board:http://www.elektor.com/credit-payment.589.lynkx?event=Order&productGuid=82532ffc-e988-4ef7-9499-0510f694fff0Should be free to download. The article costs 10 Elektor credits, or US$1.80 if you want to build it.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 11:24:38 pm
content: Try that! It's an Illustrator R13 DXF export as per the "Illustrator to Eagle" settings given in one of the above posts.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 11:28:59 pm
content: Quote from: jucole on September 02, 2013, 11:24:38 pmWorking on it. I will edit this when I get it done.Doesn't show anything when running the Eagle script.This is what the Eagle script says it generates:Code:GRID MM;SET WIDTH 0.0;CHANGE POUR SOLID;LAYER 1;SET WIRE_BEND 2;I tried opening it with the free Autocad WS and all I see is a large rectangle. It says it is 832x596, no units.

author: dr_p
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 04:54:35 am
content: Maybe these formats will help you out.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 09:17:47 am
content: Perhaps the script only works with simple vector shapes.This time I ended up rasterizing the PDF to 2400 dpi then saved as a 1 bit Bitmap; then in Eagle imported as a Bitmap which after a while of spluttering, then gave me this...brd file attached in zip.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 09:32:19 am
content: I can't upload the board file because of the forum upload settings; so here is a link to the zip containing the .brd and hi-res rasterized bitmap.here

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:58:13 am
content: Excellent, I will try the file once I can use the computer.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 06:24:39 pm
content: Works perfectly, time to relayout!Thanks a lot for that jucole

author: Rooies13
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 01, 2016, 11:52:30 am
content: I know this is a old post but does any one have the pcb layout in Eagle format? the link with Zip file does not work anymore.