sci.electronics: Re: Veroboard cutting and veroboard−layouting
Re: Veroboard cutting and veroboard−layouting
Source: http://sci.tech−archive.net/Archive/sci.electronics/2005−03/0116.html
From: Ross Herbert (rherber1_at_bigpond.net.au)
Date: 03/16/05
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:11:22 GMT
On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:30:46 GMT, Rikard Bosnjakovic
wrote:
>Greetings
>
>As a newcomer to the wonderful world of electronics, I have recently
>setup a minor electronics lab in my home and started to build a few
>things. My tools and equipment exists of standard components (resistors,
>capacitors, ICs, etc), soldering iron, a bunch of veroboards and a
>multimeter. I do not, however, own an oscillator or any of those more
>expensive tools like PCB−etching equipment and such. Atleast not yet.
>
>As stated above, I'm using veroboards (stripboard and breadboard is a
>synonyme for the same thing, i think) for building my circuits. I also
>own a licence of Electronic Workbench (Multisim and Ultiboard are the
>ones I use most frequently). However, since I do not own any etching
>equipment Ultiboard is of less use for me since it can only do
>PCB−layout/routing. I have contacted the developers to hear if there was
>any possibility to make Ultiboard output to veroboards, but regretfully
>enough UB is designed for PCB only, was the answer.
>
>1. Is there any layout/routing−application that is able to output
>layouts for veroboards? I have only found two cheap shareware−programs
>on Google. Even if they work, they were terribly tedious to use (limited
>amount of components etc). Is there no commercial or fully developed
>program anywhere? A great plus would be if the program could read the
>format that Multisim saves to, thus allowing me to save time by not
>designing the whole circuit all over.
>
None that I know of. If you think about it, Veroboard is intended for
prototyping only in order to verify a circuit design. Of course it
does have it's use as final board for a one−off design but essentially
it is used only for prototyping. It would not be viable for any
software designer to develop a layout package for Veroboard since the
ultimate goal for any product manufacturer who uses an electronics
module is to go to a standard pcb layout.
>
Re: Veroboard cutting and veroboard−layouting 1
sci.electronics: Re: Veroboard cutting and veroboard−layouting
>2. When constructing on veroboards, I often have the need in cutting the
>boards to smaller shapes and I've found that it's pretty cumbersome
>since I haven't found any good tips of how to do it the right way. For
>new boards, I could take a small saw and shape it up without much
>problems. But for new circuits that I haven't done before, cutting the
>boards could lead to a too small board in the end, requiring me to start
>it all over again.
Yes, the cut−after−fitting−components does make it difficult and is
only recommended for very small boards maybe up to 50 x 50mm. With
this approach I always cut with a 32tpi hacksaw blade with the blade
teeth flat across the copper strips or in between strips as the case
may be. You have to ensure that the board is held rigidly and this may
be difficult and also make sure that you use both hands to guide the
hacksaw frame and use small forward motions to start. When you have
scored the board to about half thickness it will then snap quite
cleanly such that a file will tidy up any irregulariies. Of course you
can cut to a greater depth to make it even neater.
>
>Therefore I build new circuits on unmodified boards, so I get the whole
>space to begin with and cut it down later. But here's the problem. When
>I cut (not using a saw), the board usually tends to break up and it
>seems it doesn't want to be cut in straight line. I've tried a long and
>sharp knife, placing it between the lines of copper, and pushed hard.
>But the board still tends to break up in pieces near the end.
>
>Has anyone got a tip / link for me where I can read about how to cut
>boards without any breaks?
>
>
The best way to construct larger boards is simply by proper planning
on paper. I draw out the physical shape of the components about 2x
scale on paper so that they occupy a logical arrangement according to
the circuit schematic. This can take a good deal of experience based
upon the characteristics of the individual components you are placing.
This knowledge only comes with years of experience so I can't give you
specific instruction in this regard. You can use lined paper so the
lines simulate the copper traces or you can use linear graph paper on
a 0.1" grid to draw it up full size. You need to work out where to cut
traces and where to add wire links to suit your design. Use a soft
black pencil and remember an eraser is your best friend The more time
you spend on the paper layout the easier it will be to add the
components to a piece of board which is pre−cut to its finished size.
Re: Veroboard cutting and veroboard−layouting 2