[Pcb2gcode-devel] contact

[Lionel S. C. <lio...@gm...>]

Hi folks

I'm new to this mailing list, so let's introduce myself. I'm a french
hardware designer. I practice both power analog and digital electronics
plus a little bit of mechanical drawing. I own a company called Dipole that
designs "stuff" (from lighting systems to low noise cryogenic
preamplifiers). I own a CIF technodrill mill that permits myself to realize
my prototypes on my own.
I used to be involved in ngspice project, and I still am. I focused on tcl
language interface. Now I dream my new company will let me some free time
to design free software, but it does not proves to be true by now.

I tried pcb2gcode. It is not bad. I have some remarks though.

It could be good to split the software in smaller software: One for gerber
plotting, one for gcode generation. This way one can "correct" things on
the image (removing text for example), or print files from other types than
gerber with dedicated software. I especially think about pdf files that can
be obtained with ghostscript and could be milled thanks to a "png2gcode".

It could be good to "smooth" the pcb2gcode output as it is made of very
small pixel-sized vertical and horizontal lines.

It could be good to start thinking about direct (vector based) gerber to
gcode conversion. A first step could be to select the gerber lines of a
particular thickness and report it directly on the gcode output (not the
contour path, the center line). This permits to add text on copper planes
by drawing text of a particular thickness and reporting the thickness to
the vector based "gbr2gcode".

I can do part of the work, but I don't know pcb2gcode by now and I don't
want to break anything. I invite you to answer my email to start debating
about this changes. If you have some advice to give me then, I would be
glad to implement it.

SY

Lionel SAINTE CLUQUE
adresse:
1, rue Paul de KOCK
92500 Rueil Malmaison
Téléphone +33 (0)6 18 04 20 75