Author Topic: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project  (Read 4332 times)

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Offline eton975Topic starter

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So, I'm gonna be making this simple circuit (except replace 47uf caps with 10ufs) in KiCad. After I've laid it out in Pcbnew, I'm gonna print it out and etch it:



But this is what my EEschema layout looks like:



And this is the screwed-up schematic I got from PCBNew after I generated the netlist from the EESchema layout (Yes, I DID click the 'Mode Footprint' button and associate footprints!):


_________________________________________________________________________
So what have I done wrong here?

A couple other questions:

How do I isolate touching wires so that EEschema knows they are separate? Are the wires that I crossed in EEschema all one giant wire? Or does EEschema separate wires based on how you placed them initially?

How do I move individual components around in PCBnew after I've imported the netlist?

Help appreciated.


« Last Edit: June 09, 2015, 11:00:09 am by eton975 »
 

Offline halexa

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2015, 11:49:22 am »
My suggestion: watch some Kicad tutotrials from Contextual Electronics:

https://contextualelectronics.com/course/kicad-tutorial/

 

Offline Thor-Arne

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2015, 04:02:55 pm »
Start over and make the schematic like the one in the example, it's not hard.

Don't place junctions at the part pins.
Junctions is used only where wires connects.

Watch tutorials, and be patient. You'll learn.
 

Offline jsquaredz

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2015, 05:59:45 pm »
So, I'm gonna be making this simple circuit (except replace 47uf caps with 10ufs) in KiCad. After I've laid it out in Pcbnew, I'm gonna print it out and etch it:



But this is what my EEschema layout looks like:



And this is the screwed-up schematic I got from PCBNew after I generated the netlist from the EESchema layout (Yes, I DID click the 'Mode Footprint' button and associate footprints!):


_________________________________________________________________________
So what have I done wrong here?

A couple other questions:

How do I isolate touching wires so that EEschema knows they are separate? Are the wires that I crossed in EEschema all one giant wire? Or does EEschema separate wires based on how you placed them initially?

How do I move individual components around in PCBnew after I've imported the netlist?

Help appreciated.

Can you archive your project and post the file here?
 

Offline eton975Topic starter

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2015, 06:28:43 am »
Will check out all the tuts, thanks guys.

Quote
Can you archive your project and post the file here?

Yep. I'll attach my (revised as per Thor-Arne's suggestion) version.
 

Offline Thor-Arne

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2015, 09:22:36 am »
Now you're on the right track, however still a bit to go.

I think you should have some more space to work on in there, move the symbols around until you have space enough for the wires.

If you look at symbol you see that it has some small circles on its pins, this is the connection node where wires should end.
Always connect a wire to a pin in a straight angle, and no wires under a pin.

If you look at the wires they have a small square on it's end, this is showing unconnected wire nodes.
In your schematic there several of unconnected wires.

A few tips, use M-key to move, G-key to drag.
Also, use the DRC to check your design, until it passes DRC check it's not finished.

When you get the schematic good, we can talk about PCB layout.
 

Offline eton975Topic starter

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2015, 10:48:36 am »
Now you're on the right track, however still a bit to go.

I think you should have some more space to work on in there, move the symbols around until you have space enough for the wires.

If you look at symbol you see that it has some small circles on its pins, this is the connection node where wires should end.
Always connect a wire to a pin in a straight angle, and no wires under a pin.

If you look at the wires they have a small square on it's end, this is showing unconnected wire nodes.
In your schematic there several of unconnected wires.

A few tips, use M-key to move, G-key to drag.
Also, use the DRC to check your design, until it passes DRC check it's not finished.

When you get the schematic good, we can talk about PCB layout.

Funny, they all seem to be circular to me:



Anyways, I did figure out some of the basics of the PCB layout, and I think it's almost ready for me to print out onto that acid-resist paper and start etching (BTW the copper sheet is single-sided). New revised archive below.
 

Offline Thor-Arne

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Re: Super n00b here - designing a twin-LED flasher as first project
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2015, 01:47:40 pm »
See attachment for unconnected square wire nodes.
The red unfilled circles is pin-nodes, and the green filled circles is wire junctions.

Try to make all wire-to-pin connections straight, like you did on Q1-B.
Also, always have wire  between part pins.

It's best to learn this as soon as possible, it will make larger schematics easier to do later.
 


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