The Configuration Guide should be read in conjunction with this page, it provides information on how to set up EAGLE for different types of board, and how to acheive 100% auto-routing.
The free version of EAGLE is limited to 80*100mm boards. Larger boards require a license, which all departmental computers have. DONT edit a large board on a freeware version of EAGLE. This may work, but the board will not be manufacturable.
| Freeware license |
Installed on all dept PCs and can be installed on student PCs for free. |
80*100mm, non-commercial |
| Full license | Level 5 hardware PCs can be installed as required, see Vic Boddy (104). All networked PCs have this license. | Unlimited, educational |
Project students do not need permission to get in-house boards made. Time is usually fast (one day or so) but depends on technician loading - it is very important to check this before assuming a particular timescale for board production. we have facilities for both double-sided and double-sided with PTH boards, however the PTH process is very complex and takes a longer (several days) to manufacture. It will be available only when technicians are not heavily loaded, so check carefully in advance.
Read the Configuration Guide for details of how to prepare boards for in-house manufacture.
External manufacture will only be allowed for project students when this is absolutely necessary, and when you have allowed at least three weeks for boards to arrive. You must get explicit permission to manufacture boards in your project from the projects coordinator. Typically this means finalising boards layout before exams. In-house manufacture is much quicker. External boards are typically double-sided with silk screen on one side and solder mask on both sides. There is no benefit getting single-sided boards manufactured externally. Boards with more than two layers may be needed for dense digital designs but will not be allowed unless absolutely necessary.
EAGLE BRD files are accepted by most external board manufacturers as is, which is convenient. Different manufactures have different restrictions on minimum sizes. Particular care should be made when using Olimex since their min silk screen size if larger than the EAGLE default for text. there are various fixes to this, and Olimex will fix boards but at an additional cost.
Cheap PCB manufacturers do not exist in the UK, so total lead time is made up of:
Fastest time from board submission to PCB arrival if lucky is about one week, allow 3 weeks.
Cost of made up of:
Cheap manufacturers we have used in the past are:
| www.pcbcart.com | cheapish, but shipping is quite expensive and slow. Accept BRD files. | Must order via own credit card & reclaim cost. |
| www.olimex.com | cheap, fixed board sizes. Accept BRD files. | Can order via department |
All provide good quality boards.