Warning for PCB makers !!

Hi,

Update on my previous post - I discovered that the board layout which failed to generate the full suite of etching files was missing a critical component. For some reason the board outline had been erased from the design in question.

The solution is to ensure a closed board outline is present on layer 20 (dimension). This may well be masked by other layers (eg polygon outines)

Sorry if my error caused a panic - Ive tried and tested all the generated files after replacing the board outline, and all seem to operate as expected.

Peter

Hi,

More problems with Eagle 8.0.1 generating pcb milling files!!

When running the pcb2gcode program on the same file but loaded into different revisions of Eagle, the results are totally different, and in the case of Eagle 8.0.1 completely useless and wrong!!!!!!

Screenshots below show the problem.

1) Board bottom side layout for surface mount component experiment.

2) Etch toolpath when running pcb2gcode in Eagle 7.4.

3) Etch toolpath when running pcb2gcode in Eagle 8.0.1

No changes made to pcb2gcode setup between runs

Don't ditch Eagle 7.X in favour of Eagle 8.X, the board and schematic files load without problems in either version. The parts library is local to the board, so no problems can arise with library mismatches.

Hope this helps someone.

Peter

Top stuff from Peter as always

Hi,

After a LOT of experimentation I have finally managed to get Eagle 8.0.1 to generate what appears to be an electrically correct pcb "etch" file.

It all seems to be tied to the polygons used to "pour" copper onto unused board area. It appears that if the periphery of a polygon coincides with, or is inside the board outline, the pcbgcode process fails.

I tried placing both top and bottom polygons completely outside the board outline and have an etch file that is electrically correct, but has additional etching outside the board outline. This extra etching corresponds to the polygon outline(s).

The screenshot below shows the generated toolpath.

This may not be the whole story of course. I see that Eagle Rev 8.0.2 has just appeared, this will need to be explored to see if the same problem exists.

Peter

what is found is that you need to create a rectangle that is larger then the components using the rect tool. then make sure the rectangle is on layer 20 "dimension". This magically makes pcb-gcode.ulp work and finish.

Hi qdewolf,

That is what I discovered early on. Mainly due to the changes in the "Delete Polygon" command in Rev 8, I had inadvertently deleted part of the normal board outline on layer 20.

The later problems appeared when "Pcbgcode" terminated normally. However due to a slip up on my part when carrying out a virus and malware scan, I had to completely (including purging the registry) uninstall and then reinstall both Rev 7 and 8 as well as pcbgcode - now it seems I cannot reproduce the defective "etch" file when running Eagle 8.0.1. Very frustrating - maybe one of the Eagle or Pcbgcode files was corrupted, guess I'll never know!!

I intend to continue testing Rev 8, just in case there is a bug - however that appears to be unlikely now

Peter

Another update after further testing on Rev 8.0.1.

1) "Pcbgode" reverted to generating an incorrect toolpath again after several correct ones - don't know what I did differently!!

2) Grid repeatedly reverts to mm rather than inches !! Really annoying "feature" - sort it Autodesk!!

3) Had to remove "Command texts" so as to see all polygon parameters on one line not extension line.

4) Running "Pcbgcode" leaves spurious polygons on board layout. This appears to happen on faulty runs and doesn't occur in Rev 7.7 - which always produces correct toolpaths. These have to be removed after each defective run.

I'm going to try Rev 8.0.2 to see if it operates the same way, meantime I cannot trust Rev 8.x.x to generate correct toolpaths, so will revert to trusty Rev 7.7. In all the testing I have left the "Pcbgcode" parameters unchanged and only deleted unwanted polygons from the Eagle .brd file.

Altogether frustrating and time consuming !!!!! :angry:

Eagle 8.0.2 installed and tested for toolpath generation. Over 6 runs, every time has been correct so far !!!!!!

But so has Eagle 8.0.1 now - no idea what's going on as I tried everything earlier to get a proper toolpath.

Still very skeptical that Rev 8.0.2 has corrected the problem now that 8.0.1 works as well.

Time alone will tell, meantime I'll keep trying to break one or other of them!! 👿

The PCB making automation is broad, covering everything from the simplest PCB to the most complex custom device. PCBs made from paper reinforced phenolic resin with a bonded copper foil are less expensive and are often used in household electrical devices.