EAGLE von CadSoft
 | Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor -- this is EAGLE. With this software you can design printed circurrit bords by yourself. Whether this is easy or not this article will show. |
Normally
Normally you assemble your more or less small circurrits onto a cheap, much too big and amateurful Euro-Bord. Those can be purchased rather cheaply from Conrador any other electronic supplier you trust in but they have the disadvantage of being much too big and they can't be adapted to the project.Industrial products are equipped only with made to purpose boards which have the advantage of being only as small as needed.
The equipment
A corroding station (e.g. Conrad Electronic, Order No. 529435, € 26,36) is the lowest equipment needed to create printed circurit bords by yourself. Furtehrmore a precise drill is needed to punch the board. A tool for soldering looks rather unimportant beneath that.But that's all - you need nothing more...
The program
In the meantime eagle is available in version 4.08r2 and has become a tool for hobbyists. Although the freeware version is limitated these limitations do not affect the hobby user. In detail the limitatiions are:- bords not > 100 x 80 mm²
- Only one page for circurrit
- Only two layers (top and down)
The big component libraryand the very goot auto routing, that calculates wires automaically, are teh top points EAGLE provides.
As for every program for FEDler ER- und DR- Checks are build in.
Thos etwo modules check the circurrit/board for observane of "Electronic Rules" (ER) and "Design Rules" (DR).
For new customers a Tour on the manufacturers homepage is helpful although the operation is intuitively even for beginners.
A disadvantage is the missing SMD-component-library. A library shold exist but can't be found at the homepage.
A big advantage is the "Control-center". All projects can be overviewed and organised here
Result
Even for Scots EAGLE is suitable. For "non-commercial" use CadSoft demand not a Cent/Penny/etc.. The needed equipment is the only hurdle for beginners. Thank to the Eagle help system (F1 the creation of circurrits is a real children's game.Missing librarys can be created and made available for download. CadSoft offers WebSpace for own projects that should be publicated online.
I hope that this article has given you a short view on Eagle and you just try it. I am very satisfied using Eagle cause it provides professional features for free.
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