PCB Production by Direct Plotting

Circuit cards upto four inches square maybe produced with the equipment specified, namely PC computer and flatbed plotter. The PC does not have to be of a particularly high specification although that will depend on the software used.

The current system uses a Hewlet Packard HP7475A flatbed plotter and the software used is EasyEdit and EasyPlot by Protel of Austrailia. This particular software dates back to 1990 and is available in two versions, a DOS version and a later Windows version. The DOS compatible version is free and the Windows one isn't, (although a none 'file saveable' Windows version is free). Unfortunately it's a bit expensive for my budget so the DOS version is used. It comes with the required driver to run the HP plotter and works well for hobby use. The DOS version doesn't have any of the more modern functions, such as, autorouting and schematic capture.


Sponsored by MikeT

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