PCB Design Software
PCB Design Software
(OP)
I have had some experience with PCB design software but I'm more of a casual user and don't really want to have to become dedicated to PC design. I am looking for a professional quality - easy to use - quick learning curve - pc design package that is stable and bug free ( or has a clean recovery). I have been using McCad from Vamp software and am not happy with the crashes when typing the wrong keystrokes. These keystrokes that cause the crashes are not documented nor does Vamp seem to be able to reproduce them at their end. I have a sample of Protel and have seen similar bugs and crashes but there seems to be a cleaner recovery. I like the simulation and FPGA design capability of Protel but I'd like to find out if there is better software out there.
Can anyone tell me that they have had good luck with a design package they have used?
Can anyone tell me that they have had good luck with a design package they have used?





RE: PCB Design Software
I found a free PCB software that is actually really good. It doesn't support auto routing so you have to decide where everything goes. It has most SMT and Thru hole pads, and you can create you own. It's also easy to learn. You can either have the company make the board for you, or you can print it out and use the toner transfer system.
http://www.expresspcb.com/
RE: PCB Design Software
Steve Smith
Product Engineer
Staco Energy Products Co.
www.stacoenergy.com
RE: PCB Design Software
http://www.cadsoftusa.com/
I have been using it for the last 7 months and found it to be farily bug free.
Mark
RE: PCB Design Software
It just depends on how much you want to pay.
Good luck!
John Day
Technical Director
Words&Images
RE: PCB Design Software
RE: PCB Design Software
A simple and somewhat more well-organized (though barely, and with its own collection of inconsistencies and weirdnesses) is WinBoard (layout) and WinDraft (schematic) from Ivex (www.ivex.com). Pretty cheap and workable.
RE: PCB Design Software
Steve Smith
Product Engineer
Staco Energy Products Co.
www.stacoenergy.com
RE: PCB Design Software
RE: PCB Design Software
Thread248-11222