PCB Layout & Gerber Viewers
PCB Layout
Osmond PCB - Osmond is now FREE
PCB Layout. There is a design size limited free version, and a unlimited commercial version. Latest development includes a Cocoa version with updated UI. Scriptable. Macintosh OS X only.
My DesignWorks page has a Netlist generator here.
McCAD GView
Gerber viewer. The free version only allows two layers at a time. File size restrictions. Macintosh OS X and Windows.
LayoutEditor
PCB, Thin Film, & IC Layout. Offers three license levels. Uses Calma’s GDSII file format but is compatible with five others including Gerber file format. Will work as a Gerber viewer for Osmond.
Open source version:
Professional version:
Epoxy
PCB layout. French and English localization, but only French documentation. Development stopped in 2010 but source is available. Macintosh OS X only.
CircuitPeople’s “Got Gerbers”
An online service for viewing PCB gerber files. Web based.
Gerbv
An outstanding Gerber file/drill file viewer. Supports current and deprecated Gerber commands. Includes measurement tool. A Gerber File viewer that can be built with FINK, MacPorts, or Homebrew. If you haven’t built open source applications on OS X before, go here for a tutorial. Includes measure tools. Full GUI under X11 (Mountain Lion/Mavericks users need XQuartz). Does not understand standard Mac trackpad gestures. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, and Linux.
http://gerbv.geda-project.org/
Installing from Homebrew, first install Homebrew:
Then brew install gerbv
Sockulator
Some web based tools for making Osmond components with pads in a circle.
http://nixietube.info/Sockulator.html
This one works with both Osmond and Eagle:
pcb - Printed Circuit Board Layout Tool
PCB layout. Open source. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, and Windows.
Good tutorials are here:
http://blog.csdn.net/lamboy/article/details/7248102
http://www.delorie.com/pcb/docs/gs/gs.html
If you are new to building your own tools, here are some tips on using Terminal, Shells, and paths.
Gerber File Viewers & Editors
Cenon
2D CAD software. Gerber import feature works with version 3.9.3 and later. Gerber files need the extension “.gerber”. Free, source available. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and UNIX.
Printed Circuit University web site
Online training resource for professionals involved in the engineering and design of printed circuit boards and related technologies.
PCB Layout & Gerber Viewers
DIY Layout Creator
Schematic capture and proto board layout tool. Java for Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows.
http://diy-fever.com/software/diylc/
Source code project:
LayoutEditor
PCB, Thin Film, & IC Layout. Offers three license levels. Uses Calma’s GDSII file format but is compatible with five others including Gerbers. Will work as a Gerber viewer for Osmond.
Open source version:
Professional version:
DipTrace
Free. Schematic, PCB layout, 2 layer limit. Package modules allow you to exchange schematics, layouts and libraries with other EDA and CAD packages (DXF, Eagle, P-CAD, PADS, OrCAD). DipTrace allows you to export edge polylines to DXF. The DXF files can be converted to G-code for milling machine generated PCBs. Macintosh OS X, Windows. Catalina is not supported.
Saturn PCB Design Toolkit
This impedance/thermal PCB calculator is a Windows application that runs well under Crossover. Macintosh OS X under Crossover, and Windows.
Visit my other pages:
PCB Prototype Software & Hardware
PCB Milling
A nice ‘how to’ site for PCB Makers:
http://reprap.org/wiki/PCB_Milling#Installation_on_Mac.C2.A0OS.C2.A0X
Download PCB-Gcode source and documentation here (after you have logged in):
http://pcbgcode.org/file.php/download/12/93/pcb-gcode-3.5.2.11.zip
Download cynbes-gcoder source and documentation here:
http://muq.org/~cynbe/gcoder/cynbes-gcoder-2008-12-21-04.49.09.tbz
CircuitCalculator.com
Calculators for trace widths, wire parameters, RMS and so on.
If you have any comments or know of links I should add, please feel free to email me.
Visolate
Generate efficient gcode to mill PCBs using voronoi-regions. Free, source available. Java for Macintosh OSX, Linux, UNIX, and Windows.
http://visolate.sourceforge.net/
Download from:
PCB Milling Wiki
Eagle
Schematic, Layout, and autorouter. Old click on ‘command’ and then do command type of interface. Must manually add junction dots to connect net spurs. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows. See the 3D board viewer below under Web Based Tools, further down this page.
https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle/overview
PCB Etching plugin:
Web based tool for making components with pads in a circle:
http://www.desmith.net/NMdS/Electronics/soculator.html
Symbols are available from SupplyFrame:
https://componentsearchengine.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=asp&utm_campaign=discovery
Web Based Tools
MCN Gerber Viewer for MAC OS X
MAC OS X native Gerber File viewer. Reads both drill and plot files. Version 0.1_143 has issues with %LPC*% and %LPD*% commands like Osmond uses. Free. Macintosh OS X only.
McCAD GView (Professional version)
Gerber viewer. Supports both 274-D and 274-X. Up to 32 layers. Macintosh OS X and Windows.
Kicad
Kicad is an open source (GPL) software for the creation of electronic schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork. Includes Gerber file viewer. The Gerber file viewer has problems with copper floods but shows promise. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, Linux, and Windows.
http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite
Macintosh OS X binaries:
Kicad
Kicad is an open source (GPL) software for the creation of electronic schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork. Includes Gerber file viewer. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, Linux, and Windows.
http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite
Macintosh OS X binaries:
http://www.mdx4.org/index.php?/categories/5-Kicad
Symbols are available from SupplyFrame:
https://componentsearchengine.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=asp&utm_campaign=discovery
PCB Array Calculator
A calculator to find out how many boards/arrays you can yield from a panel.
Panel Efficiency Calculator
A calculator to find out how many boards/arrays you can yield from a panel. Includes detailed explanation and efficiency.
KwickFit
A subscription service with a lot of panelization capability.
PCB Design Javascript Cost Calculator
A quick calculator for the most popular PCB manufacturers for prototype PCBs.
McCAD
Schematic capture, Simulation (analog & digital), Printed Circuit Board layout, Autorouting. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows.
McCAD is supported by PCB Libraries.
A good source of information for the Gerber File Format
Online Gerber-Viewer
An online service for viewing PCB gerber files. Web based.
Other Tools
The Surface Evolver
Modeling of liquid surfaces shaped by various forces and constraints. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, and Windows.
Clearance and Creepage Rules for PCB Assembly
http://blog.optimumdesign.com/clearance-and-creepage-rules-for-pcb-assembly
Cenon
2D CAD software. Gerber import feature works with version 3.9.3 and later. Gerber files need the extension “.gerber”. Free, source available. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and UNIX.
Razen
A schematic and layout package. Uses Python for automation. Built-in source control through Mercurial. Macintosh OSX, Linux, and Windows.
gerber file viewer (beta)
Display gerber pcb (RS 273X format) files and drill files. Layers must have file suffix .grb and drill file must have suffix .drl. Java for Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows.
Cuprum
A Gerber File viewer and Quick Look plug-in. The viewer is a basic viewer with measurement capability, but the quick look feature is unique. You can rapidly scan through a folder of several Gerber files like you normally can Quick Look text files. Supports both current and deprecated Gerber constructs. Works well with Osmond PCB output. Properly understands mac trackpad gestures. Current version only works on OS X 10.10.x and later. App Store. Macintosh OS X only.
PCB Trace Impedance Calculator
Calculates the characteristic impedance and per-unit-length parameters of typical printed circuit board trace geometries.
PCB Impedance and Capacitance Calculator
Calculates the characteristic impedance and capacitance of typical printed circuit board trace geometries.
https://technick.net/public/code/cp_dpage.php?aiocp_dp=util_pcb_imp_calculator
Copper
Copper is able to open Eagle CAD files saved in the XML file format (Version 6 and above). Copper stores its own settings in another file stored along the .brd and .sch files generated by Eagle and syncs any changes made in Eagle. Features include generate 3D Models of your PCBs, attach real parts from your favorite Distributor using Built-In Part Search Engine powered by Octopart, manage your Bill of Materials and check pricing & availability of parts, and more. Macintosh OS X and iOS.
FR4, Aluminum, or Flex. 1-16 Layers. 4 mil traces & 8 mil holes, or up to 3 oz. copper. Asia
https://www.seeedstudio.com/fusion_pcb.html
FR4. 2-6 Layer. 6 mil traces & 12 mil holes, or up to 2 oz. copper. Asia
http://www.smart-prototyping.com/Prototyping-Services/Electronic-Prototyping/PCB-Prototyping.html
FR4. 2-4 Layer. 6 mil traces, or up to 2 oz. copper. Asia
https://www.itead.cc/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping.html
FR4. 2-4 Layer. 6 mil traces & 11.8 mil holes, or up to 2 oz. copper. Asia, Free shipping.
http://www.geeetech.com/oed-m-service-c-97.html
FR4 & Flex. 2-4 Layer. 6 mil traces & 12 mil holes, or up to 2 oz. copper. Asia
http://www.elecrow.com/services-c-73.html
FR4 2-28 Layer. 3 mil traces & 8 mil holes, or up to 2 oz. copper. Asia
https://www.elecrow.com/premium-pcb-service-p-1061.html
FR4 & Aluminum. 1-10 Layer. 4 mil traces & 7.9 mil holes, or up to 3 oz. copper. Asia
http://www.pcbgogo.com/pcb_prototype/
FR4. 1-6 Layers. 5 mil traces & 5 mil holes, or up to 2 oz. copper. Canada
FR4. 2 Layers. 6 mil traces & 15 mil holes, or up to 1 oz. copper. Asia
FR4. 2-4 Layers. 6 mil traces & 12 mil holes, or up to 1 oz. copper. Asia
https://www.makerfabs.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=93_106&product_id=138
FR4. 2-6 Layers. 6 mil traces & 12 mil holes, or up to 1 oz. copper. Starts at $2. Asia
FR4. 2 Layers. 10 mil traces. Solder mask and silkscreen optional.
PCB Fabricators for small quantities
pcb2gcode
pcb2gcode is a command-line software for the isolation, routing and drilling of PCBs. It takes Gerber files as input and it outputs gcode files, suitable for the milling of PCBs. It also includes an Autoleveller, useful for the automatic dynamic calibration of the milling depth. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows.
PCB Panelizing software
gerbmerge
Combins the CAM data from multiple printed circuit board designs into a single set of CAM files. GerbMerge currently supports Eagle, Orcad, and the free PCB. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows. Latest fork here:
https://github.com/unwireddevices/gerbmerge
Documentation (old):
http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/stefan_tauner/tools/gerbmerge/doc/
PanelMerge
A top level interface for gerbmerge. Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Windows.
Gerber Viewer
Free. By Ucamco, the creator of the Gerber File format. Web based.
3-D Gerber viewer
Free. A Gerber File viewer in 3-D. Web based.
pcb-rnd
Free. PCB layout with many plug-ins. Also works from the command line for automated workflows. Exports 3D data to Openscad. Macintosh OS X, UNIX, Linux, and Windows.
http://repo.hu/projects/pcb-rnd/
Macintosh OS X install:
Sierra Circuits PCB Calculators