Hi there, I was searching in this forum and nothing after 2017, Anyone here was able to make PCB in the MPCN and happy to share the steps, preferable in a free PCB software, I have the PCB made in EasyEDA already but don’t know how to go from there.
Thanks in advance,.
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I wanted to try that. I was looking into the different parts. But it just doesn’t cost that much to order them built professionally. The big benefit for making them at home is, of course, the turn around time. But if you are like me, you don’t mind designing and ordering on the weekend and then waiting two more weekends or so for them to be delivered. If you are not like me, you are probably normal.
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I have a PCB etching station. For me it’s the ability to test designs and adjust. The turnaround for ordering would kill me.
Okay, I paid for Estlcam, which I’ve used to mill a couple of PCBs. The trick is to turn the Gerber file into a DXF, and of course just the layer you want. I used to just scale and print the layers on transparency, then used a photosensitive PCB to etch them. I still have a stack of photosensitive PCBs, but you have to use the whole PCB when you open one, since once developed, it doesn’t change any more. For photoresist, I used a Gerber to PDF converter
there are several solutions available that can convert a GBR file to DXF. Obviously you only want the copper layer, and not the silkscreen or mask layers. Nothing seems to be freeware to convert directly ti DXF, but there do seem to be free PDF to DXF converters which would probably work.
Once you have your DXF, Estlcam can do the CAM work and generate the GCode.
It seems like a lot of steps to get a PCB milled, but once you get the tool chain going, can probably be done to go from PCB design to Gcode reasonably smoothly.
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I downloaded the converter and the files associated, but I don’t understand what to do I run the app and ask to press Return, then vanishes.
it’s a command line tool, so on the command line, you’ll need to specify the input Gerber file, and possibly an output file. Try it with -? as arguments
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I bumped into this Instructable today. I just scanned it looking for his software pipeline to turn Gerber files into g-code. He does it all in one step using a free, open source tool called FlatCAM.
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I have made a fair number of PCBs on my MPCNC, but my workflow is hardly typical. I actually do the whole thing in 3D solid (Fusion) then just toolpath the drilled holes and trace profiles directly. I dont mess with gerbers or any traditional PCB design. It would probably be easier if I did, but this works for me.
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