Building a DIY Curve Tracer

[AlastairKnights]

I've now ordered the boards and the cost for a set of 5 including the rear panel was £37.81 for the boards, £25.24 shipping and £12.59 customs/taxes. The Yuan/GB Pound exchange rate has dropped from 9.3Y to 9.1Y in the past week so the original quote seems about right. PCBWay are quoting $170 just for the boards, so it's worth shopping around!

[tatel]

If you think it would be possible to send a complete set of 5 including rear panel, I would gladly take it.

[AlastairKnights]

Do you mean one set of 4 boards, ie the Front Panel, Front sub-PCB, Main PCB and Rear Panel? It also depends of the shipping cost, particularly as the UK has left the EU.

Suggest that we wait until my boards have arrived and I checked them over and I'll post an update here. 

[tatel]

You are right, sorry. No problem to wait. I think probably Royal Mail will be the cheapest, other couriers put outrageous custom paperwork fees. Spanish Correos will also put a fee, but it will about a third of, say, FedEx.

Edit: of course, if you find there's anything that bothers you, please say so, and I'll look to order another set of 5

[watchmaker]

I've now ordered the boards and the cost for a set of 5 including the rear panel was £37.81 for the boards, £25.24 shipping and £12.59 customs/taxes. The Yuan/GB Pound exchange rate has dropped from 9.3Y to 9.1Y in the past week so the original quote seems about right. PCBWay are quoting $170 just for the boards, so it's worth shopping around!

Ah, so the cost to you is the same as was the cost to me  (38 pounds= $48 USD then 12 pounds for VAT).  I have 2 sets of the boards for $55 plus shipping ready to ship.  This reflects my total cost delivered to me in the USA.

PM me.

[Waky79]

I have the following extra parts for sale for anyone that wants to save a few $
All prices are USD$
Selling as a set, not willing to sell parts individually.
Please PM me if interested.



987-1335-ND
P260T-D1BS3CB100K
POT102, Voltage control pot, $13.94 from Digikey

   
53CAD-E16-B20L-ND
53CAD-E16-B20L
POT20, Offset pot, $11.13 from Digikey

2x DUT sockets,
P70, P71
$13.
These cost me $26 shipped for 4. Minimum order is 4, so you are stuck with 2 extra.
They're nice and fit perfectly. I was worried about getting junk from Aliexpress or getting nothing at all.........

Front panel, in green, unpopulated.  $10 or so?

$50 in parts


$35 + actual shipping cost to your location. I will do whatever I can to keep the shipping cost minimal.

[zygoma1]

Hi Alastair,

If you have a set of boards available (inc. rear panel) I would love a set.

Cheers,

Tim

[tatel]

Following the directions kindly given by Alastair, I just ordered a set of 5 (x4) boards. If there are some people looking for some set(s) I'm willing to send it within the EU.

I will let you know more details after delivered to me from JLCPCB

[AlastairKnights]

And just to add that if you are in the UK then I have a few sets left of all 4 boards. £15 plus packing and postage (about £7 for delivery in the UK, so £22 in total).

However, if you are outside the UK it may be less hassle and only a bit more expensive to simply order a set direct from JLCPCB or similar. Mine took 7 days and only cost £75 for 5 sets delivered and tax paid.

Alastair 

[tatel]

Well, JLCPCB has a doubt about the main board:

There is no keep out layer in your file, could we use the highlight outer frame of solder mask layer as board outline? （If there are cutouts in gerber file, please help to point out）

I think the answer is yes but better to ask here before. Please see atachment

[AlastairKnights]

That's strange.

Can we just double check that you've sent the correct files and process? From the GitHub site https://github.com/paulvee/VBA-Curve-Tracer/tree/main/Main%20Board/Gerbers, download the 9 Gerber files and ignore the 'Desc.txt' file. Zip up the 9 files and upload to JLCPCB. Use the default options and you should be good to go.

I did run the JLCPCB Design Rules Check and it had various warnings - see copy attached. However, these were either not relevant or simply being a bit cautious. I've since carefully examined the physical boards against the DRC warnings and the boards are fine. I've included a photo below of the actual main board area that is being flagged.

Does that help?

Alastair

[tatel]

That's strange.

Can we just double check that you've sent the correct files and process? From the GitHub site https://github.com/paulvee/VBA-Curve-Tracer/tree/main/Main%20Board/Gerbers, download the 9 Gerber files and ignore the 'Desc.txt' file. Zip up the 9 files and upload to JLCPCB. Use the default options and you should be good to go.

I did run the JLCPCB Design Rules Check and it had various warnings - see copy attached. However, these were either not relevant or simply being a bit cautious. I've since carefully examined the physical boards against the DRC warnings and the boards are fine. I've included a photo below of the actual main board area that is being flagged.

Does that help?

Alastair

I just downloaded all as a zip file, uncompressed it, then got into each of gerber directories and used:

zip file_name.zip *

So all files in that directory got into the zip file I sent to JLCPCB, including "Desc.Txt". Please see attachments. Upload was accepted, then an email confirming it had been reviewed with no problem came in.

Some hours after that, new email asking that question came in.

I see both front and back panels have a .GKO file. Neither the Main nor the Front boards have it. Don't know why. I think it's quite obvious that soldermask limits define the shape of the boards. I think the person putting it into production is perhaps more wary than the other persons  putting previous orders into production.

But, being the first time I deal with gerber files and, moreover, not being a native english speaker, I thought it would be A Very Good Thing (TM) ask here before answer. The part about cutoffs blew my fuses to be honest. Unless I'm wrong about the meaning of "cuttoffs", I think there are none, at least none not defined by the limits of solder mask. Is that right?

[tatel]

Well I got answer from Mark Allie on the comments of paulvdiyblogs.net, here's the link, you can go there to read the complete answer:

https://www.paulvdiyblogs.net/2022/06/the-vba-curve-tracer.html

The Keepout layer was used for the cutouts in the inner parts of the board not the board outline or to keep copper out of certain areas of the board which is the intended use of this layer. This never has a use as a gerber file unless you are faking the keepout layer as a board outline layer. There is a keepout layer for the front panel PCB since it has the rectangular connectors on it for holding the DUTs. Some manufacturers use the keepout layer to indicate internal holes. This is not the intended use of the layer either. I have encountered several different uses of the varoius gerber layers. You have to decide with the board manufacturer what they want to use as the board outline correctly or incorrectly.

The gerber layers JLPCB has, all have board outlines on every gerber layer.

So now we know what to say if this question arises again with any PCB house.

[tatel]

Boards are here. If somebody in the EU "needs" it please PM me. All 4 boards-> €15+shipping

Edit: sorry first picture is now the last one after uploading...