Creating a PCB Image using Export |
If you want to etch a PCB with a layout in Eagle then you will need to create an image like this one to transfer your design. This brief tutorial explains how to set things up so that you can use the Eagle export command.
Let’s say you are starting with this layout. This is Joe Davisson’s Antiquity Fuzz from his Analog Alchemy site.
First, change the background to white by entering the command “set palette white;” and then the command “window;” (or press function key F2 to refresh to the screen and see the change. I get this:
Next, display only the traces and pads by entering the command “display none bottom pad via;” to get something like this:
If you have any ground pour, remember to run the “ratsnest;” command. For this layout, I ran the GND polygon all the way around the board so that I get
Finally, enter “export image pcb.png monochrome 600″ and you will create a .png format graphics file at 600DPI that looks like this
The file will have the name pcb.png and it will appear in the same subdirectory as your board file. You can print this file with MS Paint or insert it into MS Word and it will print to scale. This is true no matter what resolution you choose for your file. For example, 300DPI works well for PnP Blue transfers to copper clad boards.
Maury McCown said:
Hey man
Long time, no chat — and I lost all the old emails where you were helping me with EAGLE! CRIPES!!
Anyway, I’m missing some components in the libraries, namely non-polarized elec caps, and polystyrene caps. I know I can place polarized caps in the layout and just ignore the polarity, but I’d like to keep things accurate.
I’m also needing 5.5×12mm poly caps with 2mm lead spacing (http://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/23p.pdf).
Are those not in your library, or am I just not seeing them?
Thanks! Drop me an email, because I think I’m about to have to remember how to drop a via into my traces, and that always kicked my butt!
Posted 10.05.2008 at 6:19 am
Trevize said:
I find that to print a good layout the better solution is to install a free pdf printer such as bullzip.
Eagle prints in a vector format so you don’t have rasterization artifacts and if you print from Acrobat reader you don’t have to worry about scaling the layout.
You can also open the layout in Inkscape (opensource rival of Illustrator) and modify it keeping the vector informations.
Posted 28.05.2008 at 5:13 am
gaussmarkov said:
hey Trevize,
thanks for the helpful comment.
in addition, there is a direct way in eagle to produce vector format (EPS) images using the CAM utility. because EXPORT is a little more direct, i wrote this tutorial first. i am also going to add one about using the CAM processor.
if anyone is itching to try that, from the layout window open the CAM Processor (under the File menu). in the CAM processor window open the Job layout2.cam. you can print the component side and/or the solder side.
watch out for the file extensions. for example, the file extension for the solder side will be .sol, not .eps as you might expect. also you may want to uncheck the Mirror option.
you can do this sort of printing for the schematic as well.
cheers, paul
Posted 28.05.2008 at 7:00 am
Trevize said:
great news! Thank you I’ll try that!
Posted 05.06.2008 at 2:33 am
gaussmarkov said:
hey! update!!
i was just reading through the changes in the latest version of eagle (5.0). the print command can produce PDF documents in 5.0. so no need to use the CAM processor.
also, they have introduced a print preview.
Posted 05.06.2008 at 6:10 am
allan said:
My board items are laid out in a real mess but every-time I try and move any items in my board window I get a warning that the process is unavailable due to the ‘light version license’ (?!) Is there something I’m not doing right?
Posted 27.10.2008 at 2:37 pm
gaussmarkov said:
my guess is that you are trying to move items around outside of the board’s boundaries. that will give the message you quote. items must be moved onto the board and once they are there, they cannot be placed off the board.
hope this helps.
Posted 27.10.2008 at 4:03 pm
allan said:
Thanks, think I got it figured (a bit better anyhow!). I deleted the board file and made a new one and it came up much neater this time, not sure exactly what I did wrong in the first place.
Posted 02.11.2008 at 7:45 am
topebanjo said:
please i need some one to help me on ways to create my own pcbs any on with useful materials can pls forward it to me via mail my mail address is topbanj@yahoo.com
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Posted 17.05.2009 at 10:08 pm
deadlydoug said:
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Posted 02.08.2009 at 12:37 pm
wrangler said:
Wow, good site! I’ve been using 4.16 for a few years. I have always exported to bmp at 300 DPI and touched up anything in Photoshop. It never occured to me to use Bullzip. That’s the program I use to copy the tutorial!
Posted 12.02.2010 at 4:22 pm