Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Putnam" <circuit@g...> 
wrote:
> Someone was asking what types of software people use to manufacture 
their boards. My machine is not setup for milling. I have only used 
it for drilling holes in the boards and thus wrote my own program to 
do so. At the time, I could not get any useable information regarding 
excellon files or NC drill files, so I wrote the program to accept XY 
coordinate files. This is very time consuming for complicated boards 
to produce the original file, but if you are making several of the 
same board, it is quite efficient. Actually, some CAD programs can 
output the XY coordinate file and thus most of the work is already 
done.
> Lately, I have given some thought to adding on a conversion program 
so that the program will accept the NC drill files produced by the 
standard CAD programs (still in the research stages). 
> 
> In my research I came across a webpage with a tutorial on what is 
in a drill file (excellon). I thought others on this group would also 
be interested in this. It is at 
http://www.excellon.com/applicationengineering/manuals/program.htm
> This site is packed with a lot of information.
> 
> -Mike
> 


Although I have not done it for PCB's. I spot points on my CAD 
program and can save it as a text file, similar to a DXF, but 
readable by a word processor.

I pull it in to Excel to make a G-code file out of it and run Turbo-
CNC to drill holes.  

The neat thing is that you can use DIP outlines and just plop caps 
and resistors and whatever package you want on the drawing, then just 
save the layer with the points that represent the center of the 
circle.

Dave



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