Over the past few months, our PC Board Design Tutorial series
has provided a good look at the technologies and processes involved in PC board
design and manufacture. Along the way, we've also recommended a number of
guidelines applicable to actual board design, such as grid spacings, track
widths, and much more.
Many of our readers have indicated that they are now ready to
"have a go" at their first design but are not sure where to start. Over the next
month or two, we hope to provide enough "hands on" information for you to bring
your first design into reality.
Which software?
Undoubtedly the most common question we're asked is "which PC
board design software should I use?" There's simply no universal answer to this
question; there are literally dozens of products on the market, with varying
features and price tags. However, we strongly believe that you should "try
before you buy". All reputable products are available in shareware or
demonstration versions, allowing you to make sure that you're getting exactly
what you need before reaching for your wallet.
However, if you're a beginner to PC board design, then it's
difficult to know precisely what you need. In addition, if you don't plan to
produce many boards, then you probably don't want to pay much (if anything!) for
the software anyway. Well, the EDA software experts Altium (formerly Protel
Technology) have come to the rescue. They've recently made the most popular
DOS-based PC board design software available free!
