A lot of repeating component structures - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2012, 05:20:07 pm
content: HiI'm building an audio matrix. The circuit consists of 3 main building blocks: the input buffer, the output buffer and an audio switch. I just need a lot of them.Is there a way to draw the schematic for it without doing the actual copy-pasting yourself. I'm thinking if there was a way to define a module and I could repeat that module...Any help is most appreciated.Marc

author: andersendr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2012, 12:29:38 am
content: Marc, You could create the consist of parts as one library item. Then when you add that item to your schematic you will get all the parts for that block. The only downside is that I am not sure if you will be able to move the footprints of the individual parts within that library item when it is placed on your PCB without going back and editing that library item. I have never tried this so I am not sure. Hope that helps.

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 03:21:36 pm
content: Could you give me a hint how to do that?I am not very Eagle-fluentBTW: I'm running Eagle 6.0.0.0 Light (free version).

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 03:49:59 pm
content: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-custom-library-part-in-Eagle-CAD-too/

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 06:27:50 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on June 11, 2012, 03:49:59 pmI was under the impression that a 'consists of' part is not just another library part.If it is, I can not find a way to draw existing symbols on there...I can do Add Symbol which brings up an empty symbol dialog but I see no way to import from other libraries...

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 06:33:01 pm
content: I think you can open the part you want from it's library and copy/paste it into your library part

author: andersendr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2012, 01:33:15 am
content: Well basically you just add multiple parts/drawings/schematic symbol/PCB footprints to one library item.

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2012, 02:47:19 pm
content: Overwhelming ...

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 12:59:01 pm
content: Looks like fun.Are all those IC's op-amps or bilateral switches or both?Obviously I don't know what you want to do exactly and I don't know your circuit but I have a feeling you may be overdoing it a bit there... No criticism, just saying.

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 02:31:20 pm
content: The 8-pins are the opamps ( 8 ). The bulk is 4066 (64) and some 4094 shift regs ( 8 ). The audio switch has 2 resistors per 4066 IC the rest of the R's and C's is for the input and output buffer opamps, oh and bypass caps of course, one for each IC...I scaled down the schematic to a 4x4 audio matrix which still is a lot but manageable. I though I first get some experience with the layout and build a 8x8 later on. That and my free Eagle version does not allow me to layout such a big board. I'm thinking of switching to SMD to make the board smaller. I always stayed away from SMD, but last week I hand-soldered my first SMD IC - a 10 pin tiny uMax package - which was not half the trouble I thought it would be...

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 02:40:16 pm
content: Ah, I didn't see the DIP 8 packages under all that mess at first.I'm in the process of designing a 12x5 audio matrix at the moment, only I'm using mechanical switches. That's what threw me looking at all those IC's.

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 02:55:46 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on June 20, 2012, 02:40:16 pmHeheheAre you using relays? Wow, that's 60 relays, isn't that very expensive??Here you can see my schematic.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 03:00:06 pm
content: No, no! That would break the bank. I've got a batch of these old fashioned switches, like they were used in radios or test gear:Got them cheap on a local flea market.I thought about 4066's and digital control, but decided against it.Looking at your circuit that's exactly what I plan to do, not that there're many different ways of doing it.I want to use this for my HiFi setup at home - I'm sick of crawling behind the racks through dust, cables and cobb webs to change plugs.