As I have finally gotten to the point with Eagle where I don’t want to stab myself in the eye every time I use it. Having gotten there, I am going to publish the library that I am creating on GitHub. It will have components related to the Electric Imp and reference designs. There are devices that I have made as well as those from other libraries and modified devices from other libraries. I will be attempting to strictly follow the manufacturers recommended footprint for all package designs, but use this library at your own risk.
If anyone would like to add to the library, please let me know. If you are interested in learning Eagle, the best tutorials that I have found are from Jeremy Blum (YouTube), the Adafruit Learn site, and Sparkfun’s Learn site.
I’m very open to other products… the only reason I have been sticking with Eagle is that there are so many open hardware designs to pull from, and I am learning a lot from studying and using parts of those. The module footprint should be pretty easy to build. Smartmaker has an Eagle device built, so you could just reference the dimensions and build it easily in something else.
EDIT- Actually, I’m seeing that other posts answer some of my pcb questions. I’ll probably find what I’m looking for. Thanks. I should read more before asking questions…
Wow. This is a great thread. Thanks jwehr and deonsmt. Good information here. It is very relevant to my current situation.
Now that I have my first Imp project running (5 Thermistor), I’m realizing a good final touch before leaving units like these at client sites monitoring my solar hot water installations is to get rid of the fast food container box! And possibly manage the wires with a custom connection board to simplify the wiring…
I appreciate the reference to DesignSpark. Just a few days ago I tried Eagle for the first time to plan a custom connection board and realized it is probably more software than I need to learn for just a connection board, and my plan to make only a few dozen units at most. I’m downloading DesignSpark today, and trying. Are there any other really simple pcb design programs that might be more appropriate for just headers, resistors and screw terminals on a simple custom pcb?
I’m also somewhat amazed that I can get Eagle files for the April board. I assume that means I can modify the design if I want to enlarge the board and mount it in a Bud or Serpac enclosure, with the headers, resistors and screw terminals on the new enlarged, perfectly-sized design (for a specific enclosure)?
I’m also wondering if I’m crazy…meaning that when I get my first online quote for a few connection boards, after taking time to learn Eagle or DesignSpark, I’ll just end up finding a protoboard close to the right size and mounting that inside a dozen or two enclosures? I have never ordered a custom pcb before…
I apologize for this comment being a bit off-topic. I can delete and move it if you want.
You can modify the Sparkfun Eagle design, and that is what I am doing for several designs. I have about a dozen or so ideas, and am working on a few of them. One of the first things that I did was to download the gerber files for the Amber reference design and get those printed by SeeedStudio. I sourced all the components from Digikey and hand soldered them. I can’t tell you how much I learned from doing that, and studying the reference design. If you want to look at the gerbers, there are a few free tools. Gerbv is a free gerber viewer, and there is a website called circuitpeople that will let you upload gerbers and view the layers online.
I’m working on a board that uses the Arduino form factor, so that it can be mounted inside the prototyping enclosure that Adafruit carries. (The one with the LCD knockout). I think its a handy enclosure.
Definitely read through all the stuff in the hardware section. Tom is adding things all the time and there is loads of good info.
Re: simple PWB programs - I’ve used Express PCB and Pad2Pad for several designs. Upside is the very short learning curve, and quick turn (for Express PCB) … nice quality too. Downside is board cost, captive fab, and proprietary software. But something to perhaps check out if you’re just trying to turn out a couple boards quickly aren’t overly concerned about cost.
For your design, you’re probably better off just making a very simple board that the april can plug into - you could also feed power into the april via VIN/GND - and buying Aprils - just as you’ve drawn.
This is mainly because the April has various small SMT components, and you board is more connectors/resistors so could be made very cheaply and hand-soldered together quickly without needing to learn to do SMT
