free PCB designing software?

[Bananasplit_00]

i kind of find it interesting, and id like to try it out. dosent need to have like 6 bazilion layers or the best auto router in the world, just maybe 3 layers or whatever. have nothing in perticular id like to design or anything i would want to actiually bring to production, just to play around mainly and see if i can come up with something neat. was thinking about designing a VRM i guess? could be pretty fun but idk. im not clueless about this stuff, but im nothing above and amatur with minimal experience. well if anyone know anything id love to try it out  

[Lord Nicoll]

9 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

i kind of find it interesting, and id like to try it out. dosent need to have like 6 bazilion layers or the best auto router in the world, just maybe 3 layers or whatever. have nothing in perticular id like to design or anything i would want to actiually bring to production, just to play around mainly and see if i can come up with something neat. was thinking about designing a VRM i guess? could be pretty fun but idk. im not clueless about this stuff, but im nothing above and amatur with minimal experience. well if anyone know anything id love to try it out  

I'm currently designing a VRM actually, it's a lot lot lot lot harder than anyone realises. For free software, something like Kicad or Altium Circuitmaker, I've never used either and got a free code for Altium designer off a friend, which I'd say is the best but the actual software to buy is cray cray expensive. 

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, Lord Nicoll said:

I'm currently designing a VRM actually, it's a lot lot lot lot harder than anyone realises. For free software, something like Kicad or Altium Circuitmaker, I've never used either and got a free code for Altium designer off a friend, which I'd say is the best but the actual software to buy is cray cray expensive. 

il check them out, i do realize its a lot of work but its going to be pretty fun work IMO  

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

il check them out, i do realize its a lot of work but its going to be pretty fun work IMO  

I know circuitmaker is this cancer like open source all projects are visible social media kinda thing, I saw it and never actually looked at it. In the older days Cadsoft Eagle was the go to for PCB design, but idk if that's still around and also the software was a lot worse than Microsoft access even

[Bananasplit_00]

1 minute ago, Lord Nicoll said:

I know circuitmaker is this cancer like open source all projects are visible social media kinda thing, I saw it and never actually looked at it. In the older days Cadsoft Eagle was the go to for PCB design, but idk if that's still around and also the software was a lot worse than Microsoft access even

thanks for the info and suggestions, really helpfull  

[TheRandomness]

16 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

I'm currently designing a VRM actually, it's a lot lot lot lot harder than anyone realises. For free software, something like Kicad or Altium Circuitmaker, I've never used either and got a free code for Altium designer off a friend, which I'd say is the best but the actual software to buy is cray cray expensive. 

Is the hardest part trying to get all the resistor values for the voltage controller?

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, TheRandomness said:

Is the hardest part trying to get all the resistor values for the voltage controller?

No current balancing between phases is probably the hardest, you have to balance guessing with how many prototype boards you want to make, the resistor values are mostly set by the recommended circuit from the controller manufacturer, they have reference layouts that you can edit if you need to, they're usually in the data sheet. 

[Megah3rtz]

22 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

which I'd say is the best but the actual software to buy is cray cray expensive. 

christ you weren't kidding

 

$7,245 USD for a permanent copy 

[Lord Nicoll]

1 minute ago, Megah3rtz said:

christ you weren't kidding

 

$7,245 USD for a permanent copy 

I got a much older copy, so it's no where near as feature packed and almost useless now. 

[Bananasplit_00]

3 minutes ago, Megah3rtz said:

christ you weren't kidding

 

$7,245 USD for a permanent copy 

thats more money then i have probably spend throughout my life man... like i know they come with lifetime support and stuff and have MASSIVE amounts of stuff, but i havent even erned 7245 USD in my life yet  

[Lord Nicoll]

3 minutes ago, Megah3rtz said:

christ you weren't kidding

 

$7,245 USD for a permanent copy 

 

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

thats more money then i have probably spend throughout my life man... like i know they come with lifetime support and stuff and have MASSIVE amounts of stuff, but i havent even erned 7245 USD in my life yet  

They do offer a free trial though! I think you need to be a business probably though to get it. Based on my bank account with I've had now for 6 years, I've spend €11,483, so not that much more than what the software costs.