HOW TO MAKE PCB USING CIRCUITCAM AND BOARDMASTER

HOW TO MAKE PCB USING CIRCUITCAM AND BOARDMASTER

This tutorial explains how to make a PCB using CircuitCAM and BoardMaster using the

Gerber files of a design.

First let’s open CircuitCAM program. We can see that the jobs to do are located in the red

rectangular in their order of execution. First job is to import the layers of Gerber files. Let’s

click on import as shown below.

Now let’s select the top layer file with the extension of GTL.

Now we can see the “import window”.

With the preview option we can preview the layer.

The import options of the top layer should be selected as:

File Type: GerberX

Layer: Top Layer

List of Apertures: GerberDefault

After we click on import, we can see that the top layer is imported.

Now let’s import the bottom layer by selecting the file with the GBL extension.

The import options of the bottom layer should be selected as:

File Type: GerberX

Layer: Bottom Layer


Now we can see that the bottom layer is also imported.

Next file to be imported is the drill file for the drill operation. For that purpose, let’s select the

drill file with the DRL extension.

The import options of the drill layer should be selected as:

File Type: NC-Drill

Layer: DrillPlated

List of Apertures: NCDrillDefault

We can see that the drill file is imported.

Now let’s import the last layer of the Gerber file set, which is Board Outline (Keep Out

layer). In order to do so, we should import the file with the GKO extension.

The import options of the bottom layer should be selected as:

File Type: GerberX

Layer: Board Outline


We can see that all layers are successfully imported.

We should better save the design at this point.

Next job on the list is contour routing. This job drills the PCB border so that the PCB can

easily be detached from the main sheet. In order to do so, let’s click on contour routing.

If there is a hole in the middle of the PCB, inside contour routing should be selected. Since

this is not the case for most PCBs, outside contour routing is selected. Other selections are

shown in the figure below. After these selections are entered, we should click RUN.

The resulting view should be like this:

Next, we must select the contour layer

And move the * mark by +/- keys to the middle of the upper side. After that, we can click on

the Breakout Tab button to make a breakout as shown below:

After we do this progress to all four sides, the PCB should be like this:

After this point, there is no need for BoardOutline, so we can remove that layer. In order to do

so, let’s select the BoardOutline layer.

And delete it by clicking DEL key. It may take several steps to delete all board outlines. The

resulting PCB is like this:

In every step, we can click on Layers button to see the layers.

And select which layers are selectable and viewable.

Now let’s move on to the next job, which is Rubout All Layers.

And define the selection rectangle by clicking to the upper left and lower right corners of the

selection.

Next we must insulate the layers in order to ease the milling process.

Or else we can click on Edit → Insulate to use non default options.

The default insulate options are shown below:

For easy soldering, let’s increase the width of insulation around the pads, and set it as 2mm.

After the insulation, the PCB looks like this:

Now our work with the Circuit CAM is done, let’s export the design to continue.

What looks like an error window is actually telling that the export operation is successful.

Next let’s open BoardMaster. The first window asks where the tool is:

Let’s select the appropriate position. If none of these apply, just click OK without selecting

any.

We have several buttons to control the plotter:

Moves the plotter head

Moves the head to the home position

Moves the head to the origin

Starts/Stops the vacuum

Moves the head to the pause position

Now we must import our design. In order to do that, let’s click on File → Import and import

out LMD file.

Next we must place the PCB base material sheet if we haven’t done already and start the

vacuum.

Using move button we can move the location of the project within the operating

area. It is important to move that the plotter head is around the project and check that the

head is inside the base material at all times.

Now we can begin PCB production process. Let’s start by selecting 1. Making Drills from

the production phase dropdown list

This phase makes small holes to the areas which later be drilled. After selecting any phase, we

must click on button to select and highlight all design, then the click on

button to start.

Next we continue with 2. Drilling Plated phase. Similar to the phase before, we click on All+

then click on Start.

Next phase is 7. Milling Top phase, which makes the routes on the PCB. We jump from

second to seventh phase, since it is easier to finish the top plate then continue with the bottom.

After the seventh phase, the top plate is finished. We now flip the PCB base material as

shown in the figure below:

Next and last, we select the 5. Milling Bottom phase, once more click on All+ and Start.

After the bottom milling is complete, our PCB is ready.

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HOW TO MAKE PCB USING CIRCUITCAM AND BOARDMASTER