Can anyone tell me the simplest way to generate a router layout for minimum copper etching ?
I would like to keep as much copper on the board as possible. How can I generate a viewable copper mask for etching from a routing mask ?
From what I’m reading you just want to etch a board and not take off any more copper than absolutely necessary? If so have you checked out filled zones? There should be plenty of references to ground planes but you don’t have to do a copper ‘pour’ as a net. I’m pretty sure you can just leave it as an unconnected fill. Just don’t do the net assignment. Sorry if I misundertand but I’m not sure about the terminology "router layout ".
Maybe you mean something like in this currently ongoing thread: Widen/thicken PCB tracks - aside from zones? (maximise surface area; Voronoi) ?
Yes, that’s exactly it. I think of it as the Cu profile that the mechanical pcb routers would generate. Thanks for the hints, I’ll look them up. Got a heap of learning to do with this one.
Yes, the middle item in the photo is what I’m referring to .Thanks
Flatcam is one option for generating G-Code paths from Gerber files. (Free, Open Source and written in Python so should be fairly platform independent)
Also there is http://copper.carbide3d.com - an online Gerber to CNCprocessor. Again free but you have to upload your Gerber files.
Both of these generate isolation milling tool paths. I have used Flatcam for a couple of small boards with some success. Bigger boards, unless perfectly flat, are more challenging…
I think both of these will only remove sufficient copper to isolate the traces and will leave copper islands even if not specified as fill zones. You might have to experiment to find out.
Here is a fuller list of some alternative software.http://www.ofitselfso.com/LineGrinder/GerberToGCodeIsolationRoutingSummary.php
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The use of router AND etch kinda bewildered me. I wasn’t quite sure which way to go with the answer.
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