Merging PCBs in Orcad Layout 9.1

S

Sam Goldwasser

Guest
I am trying to combine several small PCBs onto one panel.
Some of these were created with OrCad Layout and others with
Tango PCB+. The Tango files were imported successfully to OrCad Layout.

There are apparrently two ways to do this in OrCad - merge the .max
files or merge the Gerbers:

1. Merge the .max files.

Merging according to the OrCad help using Load command doesn't appear to
do anything useful. Either the second PCB doesn't show up or parts
on the open design change randomly. What's missing?

2. Merge the Gerber files.

This needs the aperture lists to match. What's the easiest way to to
this from different designs?

(2) seems like it would be better as the part numbering doesn't get
screwed up.

Or, can I go the other way - export OrCad .max to Tango PCB+ .pcb. All of
the designs are so simple that Tango would fully support everything.
Using OrCad Export requires the original Tango design to be present
which isn't terribly useful if the PCB was created in OrCad!

Any information appreciated.

And, no, changing to another layout package is not an option! :)

Thanks.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Site Info: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: The email address in this message header may no longer work. To
contact me, please use the feedback form on the S.E.R FAQ Web sites.
 
On 09 May 2004 08:29:50 -0400, Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> posted
this:


2. Merge the Gerber files.

This needs the aperture lists to match. What's the easiest way to to
this from different designs?
Click to expand...
Gerber files are ASCII and look the same no matter which software
generates them. The apetures are embedded in the file in the most recent
versions. It may be as easy as concatenating the gerber files with a text
editor. Of course, the original gerbers should be generated with an offset so
that they don't plot on top of one another.

Try that and run the resulting file through a gerber viewer to see if it
does what you want. You may have to massage the concatenated file to get it to
work, but a good text editor should make that easy.

Jim
 
Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> wrote:

I am trying to combine several small PCBs onto one panel.
Some of these were created with OrCad Layout and others with
Tango PCB+. The Tango files were imported successfully to OrCad Layout.
Click to expand...
Why not let the PCB manufacturor deal with it? They probably have the
ideal tools to do this because they already have to combine different
designs on 1 panel anyway.

--
Reply to nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.)
Bedrijven en winkels vindt U op www.adresboekje.nl
 
nico@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) writes:

Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> wrote:

I am trying to combine several small PCBs onto one panel.
Some of these were created with OrCad Layout and others with
Tango PCB+. The Tango files were imported successfully to OrCad Layout.

Why not let the PCB manufacturor deal with it? They probably have the
ideal tools to do this because they already have to combine different
designs on 1 panel anyway.
Click to expand...
That is a possibility. However, since this is basically for prototyping
and research, we have been going to companies Web based companies with
small minimums and basic services at low prices. Usually, they spec a
maximum board size or area and other design rules. When we merged
and panelized a set of boards, one company refused to deal with it
even though it met their specifications. I guess they make their money
on the simple designs!

Does anyone have a suggestion for a PCB company that would do this
for a small order?

Thanks.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Site Info: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: The email address in this message header may no longer work. To
contact me, please use the feedback form on the S.E.R FAQ Web sites.
 
On 09 May 2004 16:52:24 -0400, Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu>
wrote:

nico@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) writes:

Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> wrote:

I am trying to combine several small PCBs onto one panel.
Some of these were created with OrCad Layout and others with
Tango PCB+. The Tango files were imported successfully to OrCad Layout.

Why not let the PCB manufacturor deal with it? They probably have the
ideal tools to do this because they already have to combine different
designs on 1 panel anyway.

That is a possibility. However, since this is basically for prototyping
and research, we have been going to companies Web based companies with
small minimums and basic services at low prices. Usually, they spec a
maximum board size or area and other design rules. When we merged
and panelized a set of boards, one company refused to deal with it
even though it met their specifications. I guess they make their money
on the simple designs!

Does anyone have a suggestion for a PCB company that would do this
for a small order?
Click to expand...
---
PCBplus.

Call Randy Craggs at 877 397 9400

--
John Fields
 
"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:fa7t90h4ipkamhh56d6pjiigsh7lm0vr6u@4ax.com...
On 09 May 2004 16:52:24 -0400, Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu
wrote:

nico@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) writes:

Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> wrote:

I am trying to combine several small PCBs onto one panel.
Some of these were created with OrCad Layout and others with
Tango PCB+. The Tango files were imported successfully to OrCad
Layout.

Why not let the PCB manufacturor deal with it? They probably have the
ideal tools to do this because they already have to combine different
designs on 1 panel anyway.

That is a possibility. However, since this is basically for prototyping
and research, we have been going to companies Web based companies with
small minimums and basic services at low prices. Usually, they spec a
maximum board size or area and other design rules. When we merged
and panelized a set of boards, one company refused to deal with it
even though it met their specifications. I guess they make their money
on the simple designs!

Does anyone have a suggestion for a PCB company that would do this
for a small order?

---
PCBplus.

Call Randy Craggs at 877 397 9400
Click to expand...

You could also try Newbury Electronics in the UK (www.pcbtrain.com). These
use a pooling process where the tooling charges are shared out between many
customers - you don't end up with gerbers but it makes prototyping small
quantities economic. They also do 4 and 6 layer PCBs this way. You might
find it cheaper to place two separate orders with them, even considering the
postage. I think you'll need to panelise different designs onto one panel
yourself, although they will panelise the same design to your specs FOC.

Mark.
 
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