CADsoft EAGLE suited for professional use?

[vandelay]

I've just started working for a small company, with schematics and layouts as part of my job. I've had some chats with my boss regarding which software licenses to get, but I feel I need the advice of others as well. I've drawn for years using CADsoft Eagle, and it's by far the most intuitive suite I've ever tried, however, I feel it's more for the DIY'er than for professional use, especially when my boss (old school kind of guy that wants 149 attributes per component to ensure parts from the same manufacturer etc are used in future assemblies) starts nagging about levels of documentation. I've had experience with OrCAD and used Capture extensively for simulation, but I don't like the layout part and it is too expensive for us at this time anyway. My boss suggests CADint (we do have a license for this one), I'm educating myself on it right now but are already developing a hateful attitude towards it - i don't like it at all, at least so far...

I would be a happy camper if I could make the designs in Eagle. I work fast and efficient there. But can I recommend it to my old school boss wanting layers and layers of documentation and traceability so that someone can pick up the design 10 years from now and put it into production again without trouble?

I do master the User Language Programs (ULP) scripting in Eagle, which also simplifies component generation etc (from excel pin sheets generated from pdf), so obviously, I feel my edge lies within Eagle, but I'm not sure which route to go now... Can anyone provide some kind words and advice? :| I will get an Eagle license if I make the argument, but will it be the way to go for our business?

Thanks in advance,
Kjetil

 

[keith1200rs]

I know what you mean about Orcad and the parts attributes. I used to use Orcad for schematics from version 3 and exported the netlists Boardmaker for layout and Pspice for simulation. That was over 25 years ago! I never liked their layout tool. A company I worked for at around version 7 dropped it after a year because it was just too much like hard work to make layouts. I have been using Eagle ever since. What it doesn't have is the many attributes that you can assign to a component, but you can merge the BOM with database files - something I have done occasionally. Sometimes too many attributes just slow down software. I have used some packages where you have so many things to define, even on a pad, that it takes ages to draw a new component.

The question about its suitability for "professional" work has cropped up before and I have supplied some pictures of real layouts to Mario Blunk to help his case that it IS a real package capable of professional results. I hope he doesn't mind me linking to his presentation on his web site **broken link removed**

I have been using it professionally for at least 11 years.

I think the issue of maintaining any design work is down to the individual. I have been able to pick up designs that are 20 years old for my old customers. In some cases I wouldn't want (or be able) to modify the design because of the ability to run the old software, but at least I can find out what the circuit & layout & BOM were and they were on old Orcad + Boardmaker. I can also find old Pspice netlists & simulations and re-run them with my latest simulator.

Keith.

 

[123jack]

I've had to make a similar decision this year after many years away from this sort of thing. Fortunately I'm also my boss.

I looked at many different packages and finally landed on EasyPC (ignore the name - its a fully fledged PRO package)

What I did before making a final choice was to go to a trade show and talk
to a number of different PCB manufacturers about what they could use and
what they preferred to use. You could do something similar by looking at
various web sites I guess.

Out of all the packages I tried and the ones I liked I got more manufacturers "hits" on this one (in the price/function range I was working) than any other.

Eagle was one of my top choices and at least one high end package many people recommend was a total no no.

At the end of the day I'd say 90% of your decision should be based on
what you are personally most comforatable working with.
If you aren't comfortable you won't wont do your best work no matter
how hard you try. Electronic design is a very complex business - just
think about the various mental processess you go through with the simplest design.

You have layout of course, but there's component choice, interactions, mechanical tolerances electronic tolerances noise issues, manufacturing issues
ergonomic issues materials knowledge documentation and so on and so on. The skills required are pretty awesome if you think about them. It really pays (as in bottom line) to be comfortable when doing all that.

If you think about it - if your chosen manufacturer can work with what you produce today - the only real tool you need for next time is PKZIP.
No amount of documentation can make up for a part going out of production.
But you can document anything special the boss wants if needs be afterwards.

If you like eagle I'd say go with that. If you just want something else to try
easyPC wont waste your time.

hope that helps

jack

 

[keith1200rs]

By the way, I don't know what version of Eagle you are using (I am still using 4.16r2) but the newer version 5 has additional attributes which you can add for components. What I didn't see was a bom.ulp which actually prints them out, but I am sure that could easily be sorted. There may be one already, but not named bom.ulp.

Keith.

 

[vandelay]

Thanks for taking the time to answer, guys!

I'm on Eagle 5.6, and yes I've noticed the attribute parameters you mention Keith. They seem very useful. A bom.ulp can easily be written for our own needs with minimum effort, one thing I've been asked regarding Eagle's abilities that I don't know for sure is whether some sort of high-level 1st-page-model easily can be used to organize the schematic pages, for use in large projects with numerous schematic pages. I could probably do something with a standardized frame on each page containing page info, and an ULP script looping through the schematic pages generating a list of some sort on page one, but I've never really felt the need to do something like that. Mario's presentation by the way gave me some very useful thoughts on things I've never really looked into, such as frames using attributes to list revision changes, to mention one...

I am already pretty biased towards Eagle however, so if anyone have some critic remarks on using Eagle please speak up. I would hate advising my employer to buy software licenses turning up not to suit our use. Any remarks/opinions in any direction is highly appreciated! The more the better!

Kjetil

 

[keith1200rs]

I forgot about hierarchies. I used to do a lot of 3D camera work where you ended up with 6 identical channels (2xRGB) so with a hierarchy you only draw the channel once and if you change the circuit it automatically changes all 6. With Eagle it is all flat so you would have to draw each channel - not an issue, you just cut & paste - but any changes would have to be done 6 times.

The other benefit of a hierarchy is it allows you to show the structure of a large circuit at almost a block diagram level which can be useful. Still, I seem to manage all right without it. Usually I end up just drawing a block diagram separately if I need one to help explain things to someone.

It is always tricky to decide how much functionality you need. For example, a 3D view might be useful, with the ability to export it to a CAD system to make sure it will fit in the equipment. That sounds great until you realise that every time you create a new footprint you have to make a 3D drawing of it as well. That would slow the work down!

Keith.

 

[Fragrance]

I've just started working for a small company, with schematics and layouts as part of my job. I've had some chats with my boss regarding which software licenses to get, but I feel I need the advice of others as well. I've drawn for years using CADsoft Eagle, and it's by far the most intuitive suite I've ever tried, however, I feel it's more for the DIY'er than for professional use, especially when my boss (old school kind of guy that wants 149 attributes per component to ensure parts from the same manufacturer etc are used in future assemblies) starts nagging about levels of documentation. I've had experience with OrCAD and used Capture extensively for simulation, but I don't like the layout part and it is too expensive for us at this time anyway. My boss suggests CADint (we do have a license for this one), I'm educating myself on it right now but are already developing a hateful attitude towards it - i don't like it at all, at least so far...

I would be a happy camper if I could make the designs in Eagle. I work fast and efficient there. But can I recommend it to my old school boss wanting layers and layers of documentation and traceability so that someone can pick up the design 10 years from now and put it into production again without trouble?

I do master the User Language Programs (ULP) scripting in Eagle, which also simplifies component generation etc (from excel pin sheets generated from pdf), so obviously, I feel my edge lies within Eagle, but I'm not sure which route to go now... Can anyone provide some kind words and advice? :| I will get an Eagle license if I make the argument, but will it be the way to go for our business?

Thanks in advance,
Kjetil

OK my friend here is video tutorial total 8 part a comprehensive over view and some advance tips and trick how to create professional quality PCB hope you like it go for link

EAGLE TRAINING VIDEO.rar - 4shared.com - partage et stockage de fichiers en ligne - télécharger

Regards
Fragrance

 

[123jack]

If you're still undecided (after reading the followups) I'd suggest it worth downloading the free demo for EPC.

jack

 

[keith1200rs]

It's a while since I have used anything from Number One Systems, but they used to do some good stuff. There was some connection with Boardmaker (someone from Tsien left and set up Number One Systems I think) so you used to be able to read Boardmaker files with Easypc.

Keith.

 

[123jack]

There is also a converter for eagle files.

jack

 

[keith1200rs]

There is also a converter for eagle files.

jack

You mean for Boardmaker to Eagle? Do you have a link?

Keith.

 

[123jack]

Sorry that wasnt very clear of me - no I meant from eagle to EPC


jack