PCB Isolation Routing Software

[Michael_Schembri]

The application will take a PCB file generated by KICAD and create paths isolating all nets i.e. isolation routing for PCBs.

The software processes Kicad 5.2 PCB files into gcode.
Usage more on Github site - https://github.com/micsche/kicad-laser-min.

Each track is colorized and dilated. Track dilations continue until they meet. The resulting edge between the two dilations is the isolation contour path. The contour path is then converted to Gcode. Appended to the final Gcode are drill holes, which maintain original sizes.

[paulvdh]

The screenshot reminds me of “openvoronoi”.

Some time ago I had a brief encounter with FlatCam, which has quite a lot of settings, but I have not gone as far as actually trying to route a board with it.

BlackCoffee uses CopperCam, but it’s windoze only, so an instant failure there for me.

[BlackCoffee]

I smell coffee (I heard my name)…

I’m using CopperCam (as @paulvdh said). But, I use it on a Mac and run it from “Wine”

This is Wine info (from this link):

“Wine (originally an acronym for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”) is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on several POSIX-compliant operating systems, such as Linux, macOS, & BSD.”

but, there are different flavors of Wine and I use this one.

In fact, the setup was mindless - I just clicked the CopperCam.exe and it installed without me doing anything. Now, CopperCam boots with one click, like any other app on the Mac.

Been running it several years and never a problem… And, CopperCam is wonderful for my needs…

[Michael_Schembri]

@BlackCoffee

CopperCam

I developed this, because I tried to use visolate, without any success. So i developed my own.
Wanted to make a pipeline straight from kicadpcb to grbl. Also, wanted to reduce amount of laser
travel, so the end result are not tracks but net-areas.