PCB layout for Cinch ModICE enclosure

[KW1252]

Great job!

[jharvey]

Pushing now, those heatsinks look interesting, I think this case can handle quite a bit of heat.

[KW1252]

Downloaded. I'll put it through the works tomorrow.

Damn impressive looking case! Compact and all business. When headers have internal fastening screws you just know it's going to be good.

[nitrousnrg]

Well, kicad's release candidate does export a .wrl file. Its buggy but it will work soon. Dev list is always flooding my mail, and thats good for the project.

This is a screenshot of FreeCAD. Those overlays are probably a FreeCAD bug, not a kicad one, but I don't know how to open a VRML file with blender or other cad software, jharvey is the master in that subject :-)


Note that the MCU is shown in kicad 3D display, but not here. Also, USB connectors, and pressure sensors aren't shown in both kicad and freecad.

Help-> About-> kicad (build 2011-04-01) - testing

Oh, and its a 22MB file

[jharvey]

Can you post that somewhere, such that I can get the wrl?

[nitrousnrg]

Here it is!

http://www.4shared.com/file/qmSmjnlk/puma.html

Hit "descargar ahora" (download now). Not sure if its in spanish or english. Btw, it sucks to not have my own server online

[jharvey]

Got it. Also if you zip or rar, tar, ect, you get a check sum, that allows verification of data integrity, as well compression is handy for my slow network. I'll let you know if I can open it.

[KW1252]

Updated!

I removed the FET locations and spring plate pads from the actual board and made spring components instead! If there's now a design without high-powered TO-220's, there won't be useless bits of foil to bother routing. Plates are now located by top layer document rectangles.

I also put SMD pads to the spots where the board is supported by case tabs. This is to enforce the "no traces here" and increase mechanical durability on those areas.




This is one spot to really appreciate the 3D view, making those FETs meet the spring plate has little room for errors! For those wondering how the springs work, the arches pointing inside the case are supposed to push against the recessed area on the top of the case.

It turns out the unit of length used in the 3D viewer is 1/10". Sort of makes sense in electronics design, but still induces a cringe or two from a devout SI endorser.

EDIT: Could be a Mil too. There are few scaling issues that aren't too clear ATM.

[jharvey]

Also note, that when rotating footprints in custom measures, 450 is 45 degrees. Seems they simply moved the decimal. Also I was wondering how those plates worked, thanks for the pictures, that really helps clarify.

[KW1252]

Okay, this should be the definitive PCB layout:



The yellow casing outline are on Eco2 layer, which I understood isn't used for much so it shouldn't create problems turning on or off the check the layout. Component maximum heights are indicated according to the zone layers. The part going under the front panel mount tab is made into a pad, again for increased mechanical durability. The springs are located by the top rectangles only.

The non-heatsinked boards are 20mm wider, so I might just as well had put the pads back on the main PCB layout. This way though it's easier to check in 3D view for component clashes.

Next I need to finally figure out the GIT system and create a repository for this module.