Egg Timer PCB - Activity

Introduction

This exercise goes through the transfer of a file from Yenka to real-PCB to create artwork for producing a PCB.

Task 1: Drawing the Egg Timer Printed Circuit Board


Egg Timer

  1. Open your Yenka Egg Timer file.
  2. Press the 'Create tracks' button on the PCB toolbar.
  3. Click on the 'Quick' button in the options dialogue box. The components will now be placed on the 3D PCB. Click on 'Ok' when the PCB is finished.
  4. Use the pan, zoom and rotate buttons on the PCB toolbar to examine the 3D PCB.
  5. Again press the 'Create tracks' button on the PCB toolbar.
  6. This time choose the 'Open real-PCB' option
  7. Real-PCB will now open.


    Imported Circuit

  8. On the toolbar at the top of the screen there is the 'Display' drop-down menu. Select 'Real Life'. The screen will look like the image below.


    Real View

  9. Select 'Artwork' from the 'Display' drop-down menu, . The screen will look like the diagram below.


    Artwork View Final Layout

  10. The artwork is now ready to be printed on acetate.
  11. This circuit should complete the artwork automatically, due to changing the space between components. If it does not route automatically, click and drag the tracks that are near the problem links and in the tools menu auto-route the links.
  12. Save the file.

Teacher Summary

  • There are various ways of making the artwork for each circuit. By setting the minimum distance to 8 mm some extra board space may be used, but more of the connections will be done automatically.
  • The logic family used to design the circuit is 74 HC.