3D CAD/CAM, 3D printing, routing and PCB production
Lecture at Nordic VUSHF Meeting June 15. 2019
LB8X Tom Twist [email protected]
Agenda
● 3D modeling (CAD).
● Getting 3D models from Internet.
● Slicing for 3D printing, 3D printers, filament types.
● CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), G-code.
● PCB design.
● PCB production.
3D modeling programs
● SketchUp (Trimble)
● Tinkercad (Autodesk) Free, Web based
● DesignSpark Mechanical (RS) Free
● SolidWorks (Dassault Systèmes)
● Inventor (Autodesk)
● Fusion 360 (Autodesk) Free for Hobbyists, students and startup companies
● Blender (Open source) Free form modeling
● Meshmixer (Autodesk) Free
● FreeCAD (Open source)
● OpenSCAD (Open source) Script based “programming”
SketchUp
● Easy to get started
● Limited free version, no extensions
● Make and Pro available at cost
● Windows and MacOS
● No personal experience
● https://www.sketchup.com
Tinkercad
● Web based
● Free
● Limited
● No personal experience
● https://www.tinkercad.com
Designspark Mechanical
● Free
● Integrates with RS-online webshop
● Based on SpaceClaim, from ANSYS
● Limited: No export, no plugins
● No threads, no 2D drawing creation, but available at high cost
● IGES and STEP import/export at high cost
● No personal experience
● https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/mechanical-software
SolidWorks
● Industry standard
● Many learning resources
● Expensive, but free for students
● Heavy on system resources (in my experience)
● Needs third party CAM plugin
● Windows only
● https://www.solidworks.com
Inventor
● Industry standard, #2 ?
● Expensive
● Windows only
● No personal experience
● https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor
Fusion 360
● New kid on the block
● Developed from scratch, based on experiences from Inventor and more
● Many learning resources
● Free for hobbyists, students and startup companies with revenues less than US$ 100 000
● Innovative combination of modeling and assembly
● Integration with Eagle PCB design. Sheet metal bending
● Includes 5-axis CAM, simulation and animation
● Windows and MacOS
● Requires registration and login
● https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360
Meshmixer
● Free
● "Swiss Army Knife" for 3D meshes
● Windows and MacOS
● No personal experience
● http://www.meshmixer.com
Blender
● Free form design, sculpting
● Open source = free
● Multi platform
● No personal experience
● https://www.blender.org
FreeCAD
● 3d solid modeling
● Open source = free
● Multiple Workbenches for different tasks
● Parts modeling, analysis, simulation
● Active development team
● Very active user forum
● Multi platform
● Limited personal experience
● https://www.freecadweb.org
OpenSCAD
● Script-only based modeller
● Supports parameters, modules and libraries
● Good documentation
● Can be used to make very complex designs, e.g. Mendel 90 3D printer
● Easy to make quick models
● Mostly popular with programmers
● Exports STL files for 3D printing
● Multi platform
● https://www.openscad.org
Why Fusion 360
● Modern, cloud based, but works offline.
● Full parametric 3d solid modeling
● Moderate on system demands
● Extensive, features being added all the time.
● Nice conditions for hobbyists, students and startups
● Steep learning curve at first, but few limitations.
● Can exchange design data with many different systems
● Can import STL files, convert them to solids, modify them and combine with 3D model
● Scripting, in Python and C++
● Can be used for most modeling and drawing tasks
● Massive online support on YouTube and forums
● Popular with makers, since many competitors have changed their conditions
Fusion 360 resources
● Lars Christensen, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/cadcamstuff/videos
● Fusion 360 Tutorial for Absolute Beginners— Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bc9c3S12g
● Paul McWhorter, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/mcwhorpj/videos
● NYC CNC, YouTube (mechanical) Fusion 360 Friday https://www.youtube.com/playlist
Fusion 360 Demo
● Live demo
3D models on Internet
● Thingiverse https://www.thingiverse.com Mostly STL files, but also for modeling
● GrabCAD https://grabcad.com Both 3D models and STLs
● Google 3d models and STL files
Thingiverse example
● https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2030237
Some 3D printer brands
● Creality
● Flashforge (Clas Ohlson)
● Prusa
● Ultimaker
● Wanhao
Creality Ender 3
● Good starter printer, but comes as a kit
● About 1 hour assembly time
● Affordable, current price in Norway: NOK 2595,-
● Machine size 440 x 410 x 465 mm, ~ 7 kg
● Printing volume 220 x 220 x 250 mm
● Nozzle diameter 0.4 mm
● Max nozzle temp 255 °C, max hot bed temp 110 °C
● Can print most filament types
● USB or µSD card
Creality Ender 3
Filament types
● Diameter 1.75 mm (most common) and 2.85 mm Normal materials:
● PLA (PolyLactic Acid) Most common
● ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) Somewhat difficult to print
● PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified) Upcoming, easy to print
● ASA (Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) UV resistent, outdoor usage moderately easy to print
Special filament types
● Flexible
● Carbon fiber reinforced
● Magnetic
● Conductive
● Fluorescent
● Glow in the dark
● Color changing
● Metal particles
● Wood fibers
● Clay/ceramic
● Wax (lost wax casting)
3D printer slicers
● Cura (Ultimaker) Free https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-cura-software
● Slic3r (Open source) https://slic3r.org
● Simplify3D (commercial) https://www.simplify3d.com
● Prusa has it’s own version of Slic3r https://www.prusa3d.com/prusaslicer/
Cura slicer
PCB Design software - EDA
● EDA = Electronic Design Automation
● KiCad (Open source)
● Eagle (Autodesk) Free + subscriptions
● Fritzing (Open source)
● Designspark PCB (RS) Free
● EasyEDA Web based, Free + subscriptions
KiCad
● Schematic capture, PCB layout/routing, Gerber viewer
● Open source = free
● Multi platform
● Design rules check, autorouter
● Many libraries available
● Can import libraries from Eagle and other EDAs
● Python scripting
● No personal experience
● http://www.kicad-pcb.org
Eagle PCB design
● Schematic capture, PCB layout/routing and CAM generation
● Free for hobbyist, limited to 80cm², 2 layers
● Subscription: Standard 160cm², 4 layers, Premium unlimited area, 16 layers
● Design rules and decent autorouter
● Large libraries, also from 3rd parties
● Integration with Fusion 360
● Requires registration and login
● https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle
Fritzing
● Schematic capture, PCB layout and breadboard layout
● Open source = free
● Multi platform
● Quite limited, awful to make components
● Good to document breadboard constructions
● http://fritzing.org/home/
Designspark PCB
● Schematic capture, PCB layout/routing and Gerber generation
● 1 m² area, 32 layers
● Integrates with RS-online webshop
● No personal experience
● https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/pcb-software
EasyEDA
● Web based
● Free + subscriptions
● Local version available
● No personal experience
● https://easyeda.com
Why Eagle?
● I have used Eagle since before 2000, both professional and for hobby
● Preferred tool among hobbyists/makers
● Easy to use, once mastered
● Good library support, easy to define new components
● Good DRC (design rules check) and autorouting
● Programmable/extensible with SCR and ULP
● SCR = Script, ULP = User Language Program
● Today I would probably choose KiCAD or Designspark PCB
Eagle demo
● Demo
Gerber code - Excellon
● Gerber code was control code for photo plotters
● Now industry standard
● Excellon is drilling code
● Tool tables for drilling
PCB prototyping with CNC
● Isolation routing
● Drilling
● Slot milling
● Contour milling
Isolation routing
Issues with PCB CNC routing
● Flatness of PCB
● Must use auto leveling to achieve acceptable results
● Auto probing the PCB, and applying the height map to correct the G-code
PCB CAM programs
● FlatCAM (Open source) http://flatcam.org
● Pcb-gcode (plug-in for Eagle) free
● ChiliPeppr (Web based) free
Hobbyist PCB methods - etching
● Tape or marker pen method
● UV transfer method from film
● Laser printer transfer method (direct transfer)
● Spray paint + laser exposure Etching methods:
● Ferric chloride (messy)
● Sodium or ammonium persulphate
● Hydrogen peroxide + Chloric acid (more dangerous)
PCB - Non etching methods
● Removal of copper with knife and solder iron
● Dremel milling (by hand)
● CNC milling and drilling
● CNC + EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) https://hackaday.com/2019/05/13/prototyping-pcbs-with-electrical-discharge-machining/
● Direct laser cutting?
PCB manufacturers
● JLCPCB https://jlcpcb.com
● Seeed Studio https://www.seeedstudio.io/fusion_pcb.html
● PCBWay https://www.pcbway.com
● OSHPARK https://oshpark.com
● Micron-20 Ltd (Bulgaria) https://micron20.com/en