Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:44:24 +0000

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PCB Design tools

EAGLE
Nice, easy to use CAD/CAM software for PCB schematic and routing. We accept .BRD files for prototyping. You can donwload free evaluation version.

gEDA
gEDA is a free, open-source schematic capture and layout package that runs on Linux.

ZenitPCB
ZenitPCB is a freeware layout software.

PCB
Free unix PCB editor.

FREE-PCB
FreePCB is a free, open-source printed circuit board layout editor for Microsoft Windows!

TinyCAD
TinyCAD is a free open-source schematic editor written by Matt Pyne.

KICAD
GPL open source schematic capture and PCB routing.

TCI3
Free PCB routing and schematic capture software.

SCORE
Free schematic capture software (Alfa version).

OSMOND PPC
FREE MAC PCB CAD/CAM software.

MINIMAL PCB EDITOR
Open source schematic capture and board layout editor for windows by OKADA Hitoshi

PROTEL
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download 30 days free trial. Protel offers free old-DOS based software called EasyTrax.

CADSTAR
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. Have free for download limited demo version.

ORCAD
CAD/CAM software. No demo/evaluation version.

CIRCUIT MAKER
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download limited demo version.

P-CAD 2000
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download FREE trial version.

PCB ELEGANCE
Nice looking CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download limited demo version.

EDWIN
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download limited demo version.

VISUALPC
You can download limited demo version.

BPECS32
Very limited PCB CAD software. You can download limited demo version.

AUTOENGINEER
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version. We never used to run it as some messages in German language appear.

EXPERT PCB
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

CIRCAD
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

LAYOUT
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download free version.

CIRCUIT LAYOUT
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

MCCAD
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

DREAM CAD
Japanese PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

E-CAD
Supermax CAD/CAM software, runs on NT. You can download limited demo version.

POWERPCB
CAD/CAM software. No demo/evaluation version.

PCB ASSISTANT
Low cost PCB CAD software. You can download limited demo version.

PCB DESIGNER
Low cost PCB CAD software. You can download limited demo version.

QCAD
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

QUICK ROUTE
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

TARGET 3001
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

WIN CIRCUIT 98
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

BOARD EDITOR
Low cost PCB CAD software. You can download free demo version.

VUTRAX
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

CIRCUIT CREATOR
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download free demo version.

PADSPCB
PADS PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download free limited demo version on this ftp server.

DESIGN WORKS
PCB schematic capture and simulation software. You can download free evaluation version.

LAY01
PCB CAD/CAM software with limited demo version (200 pins) for free download.

GElectronic
Low cost PCB routing and schematic capture software.

PRO-Board, PRO-Net
Schematic capture and routing for AMIGA computers.

CSIEDA
Schematic capture and routing for PC.

VISUALPCB
Low cost schematic capture, spice and routing for PC.

WINBOARD
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download limited demo version.

ULTIBOARD
CAD/CAM software for schematic and routing. You can download limited demo version.

EASY PC
PCB CAD/CAM software.

RANGER
PCB CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

PROTEUS
Low cost CAD/CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

EPD – Electronics Packaging Designer
RF/hybrid/flex design tools based on AutoCAD.No demo available for direct download.

AutoTrax Eda
Schematic design and PCB routing software. You can download free copy from the web site.

SprintLayout
Low cost tool to create layouts for single-sided and double-sided PCBs . You can download limited demo version from the web site. NO DRC check which make this program quite useless.

CADINT
Schematic capture and PCB routing. Have 30 days trial version for download.

Merlin PCB Designer
Shareware for Corel Draw which allow PCBs to be routed.

WINQCAD
Schematic capture, PCB routing, autorute. Have free 200 pin version for download.

Pulsonix
PCB schematic capture and routing software. 100 pin restricted demo available.

DIPTRACE
PCB schematic capture and routing software. 30 days evaluation version. Not-for-profit version available allows 4 layers and 1000 pins for $125

RIMU PCB
Low cost PCB schematic capture and routing software. Demo version is available for download

TopoR
Schematic capture and PCB layout with some unique features as round edges auto-routing, made in Russia. Demo version is available for download

TINA
Schematic capture and PCB layout with analysis and spice. Demo version is available for download for EUR 1.00

Let me know who else should be here….

Gerber CAM/viewers

Gerber viewer ONLINE
Online Gerber viewer tool, no need to register or download software, just upload your ZIP and visualize all gerber files inside. Great online tool!

GC Prevue
Free gerber viewer.

ViewMate
Free gerber viewer.

GerbTool
Cool Gerber CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

CAM 350
Gerber CAM software. You can download limited demo version.

CAMTASTIC
Gerber CAM software. You can download 45 days trial demo version.

CAMCAD
PCB CAD/CAM viewer / translator. You can download limited demo versions.

CAM Expert
CAD/CAM program. You can download limited demo version.

Evgraver
Progarm for control of CNC engraving machine. May be used for Gerber/HPGL viewer/convertor. You can download limited demo version.

ViewPlot
Gerber viewer and editor.

Circuit People
Online Gerber viewer.

GerberLogix
Gerber viewer can be downloade and used free for non-commercial use.

This is a tale of a very specialized application. I mention it not because I think anyone else reading this site will need this application, but rather, as an example of how to find specialized software for your non-Microsoft computer, and as an illustration of the wealth of software available in open source.

Among my activities, I am an electronics hobbyist. I've even designed my own computer from the logic gates up. (Not anything competitive with a modern PC, just an intellectual exercise.) Over the years, I have used an assortment of EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software including OrCad, PC-Pro, and EZ-Board. And I've encountered two problems. First, the commercial software becomes unsupported, requiring me to pay for an upgrade to the newest version (which sometimes, in turn, requires a newer computer or operating system). Second, should I want to share my designs with other hobbyists, I can't really ask them to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for the software I've chosen to use to draw schematics and lay out printed circuit boards.

So last week I began researching new EDA software for my PC, specifically looking for open-source, cross-platform software. Since a major goal is to share designs with others, I can't require that those others install Linux to use the software, so I want software that Windows users can use. I'd prefer cross-platform software that can run directly on Linux, but as a last resort would use Windows software if it ran well under Linux using Wine.

A few hours' work with Google turned up the following candidates:

KiCad. This is an integrated schematic/PCB (Printed Circuit Board) package that is available for both Windows and Linux. It started as a one-man project but now seems to have several developers, and an active user community.

gEDA. The gEDA project has been around for quite a while, and offers a complete suite of circuit design tools for Linux. The layout program, PCB, seems to be a distinct project. At present there is no Windows offering.

Open Circuit Design. This project offers a schematic program (xcircuit) and its own PCB program (pcb). (As nearly as I can tell, this is a "fork" of the PCB program used by gEDA.) There is a Windows port of xcircuit, but not for pcb (whose latest revision seems to have been in 2006).

Electric. This also is a mature package, and is available for Linux, Windows, and Mac. It appears that this is intended as an integrated-circuit design system, and that printed-circuit-board (PCB) design is something of an afterthought. It's a free download, but I don't know if it's open-source. (Update: it is open-source, under the GPL. Thanks to our friends the Millers for this info.)

KiCad, gEDA, Electric, and xcircuit are all available from the Debian repository; another sign that these are reasonably mature packages. Technically, KiCad and gEDA seem to be the best match to my wants. And while gEDA may be more capable, KiCad is capable enough, and is truly cross-platform. And for my purposes, that's the deciding factor.


P.S. I should mention that I found, for Windows, two "free" (no-cost) schematic CAD packages for Windows, and one PCB layout package. But with so many Linux options to choose from, I didn't bother testing to see how well the Windows programs ran under Wine.