DesignSpark PCB
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DesignSpark PCB is the World's Most Powerful Free of Charge PCB Design Tool
Free from practical constraints on board size, pin counts, layers and output types, DesignSpark PCB can be used for schematic capture, PCB layout and generating manufacturing files. Multi-page schematic designs are supported, gerber (extended) outputs allow the designer to choose who will manufacture their board. DesignSpark PCB supports the importing of Eagle design files and libraries. See the Eagle import tutorial for further information. A comprehensive standard parts library is supplied, this can be amended, copied, added to etc as required. Sophisticated New Part Creation Wizards make it easy to design new parts from scratch or by using standard symbols and footprints. Please be encouraged to share your designs, libraries and tips so other users can benefit from your experience. Bill of materials reports can be generated at any time, these will give RS order numbers where appropriate. Use the download link below to get your installation of DesignSpark PCB and see the QuickStart Guide for installation and activation instructions.
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- 102417 views
- 92 comments
Martin Keenan
Hi Kenny,
DesignSpark PCB was created for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 in both 32 and 64 bit variants. It does not support native MAC, Unix or Linux operating systems.
FAQ - which operating systems??
Like every feature of DesignSpark PCB we will consider all requests for extra features from our users - if there is a huge demand for a Mac version this is certainly something we will investigate.
Please see the other FAQ's for DesignSpark PCB
Thanks for your question!
Martin
Level42
Here's my vote for a Mac version too !
quisam2342
Here's my vote for a Mac version too !
tsarna
I currently use EAGLE on the Mac, but would be interested in switching if the Mac was supported.
KennyMillar
Will there be a Apple Mac version?
manth@tin.it
It could be useful to have DesignSpark PCB working with MAC.
dogsbody
Would love to see a Linux version too please :-)
Parulksh
Hi
For Linux, one can use wine in ubuntu to run windows software.
Regards,
Parul
auser
Hi,
I use only native software. So I can be sure, that the software still works after the latest updates.
Mark Cundle
...we're working on a Linux version guys, we'll let you know when done!
wdbstaff
Excellent, just about to add my voice to The linux requests
andre.valle ...
Why it is free ?
How long it will be free ?
Martin Keenan
Great Questions!!!
Why is it free? It is free because RS aim to remove a barrier to innovation and provide engineers across the globe with a powerful design tool free of charge.
For how long? We have no plans to charge for DesignSpark PCB.
Thanks for your interest, be sure to share your libraries, tips and brilliance with other engineers on DesignSpark.com !!
Cheers,
Martin
ve7it
I am all for a linux version. I currently use eagle with the PCB-GCODE plugin ULP to make PCB using a mechanical milling process. This makes eagle the killer app for me. It would be great if Designspark PCB could support a mechanical etching feature similar to the eagle/pcb-gcode combination. I will download designspark PCB and see if there is a way to run it under wine or mono.... perhaps someone has already tried this??
cheers
Lawrence VE7IT
gt4020
Hi all.
Great software, thank you. I'm trying it for a while, all is ok but i found an important problem:
there is no possibility to move separately the reference and the value of components in PCB section. This is a big problem because if i want to create a silkscreen with both references and value, i can't position them well (for example value in the center of the component and reference near it). Another feature must be the possibility to choose to print and/or show component value with a unique setting (like orcad that has two layers for it: assembler layer an silkscreen layer).
I hope you can solve this problem, in any case great work.
Thanks,
Giovanni
Martin Keenan
Hi Giovanni,
This is not a problem, you can see solution here
Enjoy
Martin
HeWe
Hi,
this free programme has a lot of commons to my well known and used EASY PC from Number one!!!
BUT: trying to load EASY PC files (version 11) (schematics or pcb) gives a failure note.
Is it a wanted feature???
Marco Zaccari
Compliments!
this software is very easy and powerfull!
airis
¿Seria posible que se plantearais la posibilidad de hacer una version del programa al español, o alguna actualizacion que lo cambie de idioma?
(se que el ingles es el idioma ,por excelencia , del tecnico o ingeniero electronico pero no a todo el mundo se nos da tan bien como pretenden los diseñadores de estos programas, y no por ello creo que nos merezcamos este ,por decirlo de alguna forma, aislamiento)
por ello me veo motivado escribiros y proponer este planteamiento.
no se si vuestro programa tiene ruteado de pistas , utilidad muy demandada por muchos de nosotros (yo al menos no la he encontrado todavia)
y otra utilidad muy interesante (me gusta aportar ideas) es la de cargar o hacer un esquema en el programa y que él mismo (el programa) realize una "simulacion" previa pero viable de la placa con todos sus componentes segun el esquema electronico cargado, de forma que bajo unos retoques de nuestra propia mano y segun nuestros requerimientos , modifiquemos la placa simulada y obtengamos la definitiva con sus pistas ya definidas para posteriormente hacer real la PCB y poderla montar.
Muchas gracias y espero no molestar ni hacer enfadar a nadie con mis ideas que solo son para poder seguir avanzando con la te nica de la tecnologia.
espero vuestra respuesta (al ser posible en español)
un salud y felicidades por el programa.
Martin Keenan
Buenos días: en primer lugar, quisieramos agradecerle sus comentarios. Estamos estudiando la viabilidad de disponer de una versión multilingüe de la aplicación que brinde un mayor soporte a aquellos ingenieros que no dominen el inglés. Sin embargo, nuestro principal objetivo es poder ofrecer DesignSpark PCB de forma totalmente gratuita y con el mayor número posible de funciones y posibilidades. Por ello, tratamos de buscar el mayor equilibrio entre las dos opciones. Si finalmente resultara viable, próximamente podríamos disponer del sitio en varios idiomas. Por otro lado, le informamos de que no existen funciones de simulación en la versión actual de DesignSpark PCB aunque podríamos incorporar esta función en futuras actualizaciones. Para la creación de nuevos componentes, existe una función de mapeo para asignar los pines para la representación esquemática. ¿Se refiere a esta función? De nuevo le agradecemos sus comentarios y confiamos en haber respondido todas sus dudas. Muchas gracias
cmyk
I´d prefer a mac version
up to now I´m using eagle - I hope spark is easier in designing own libraries...
Ralf, Germany
DaveJS
Like Giovanni I find it unacceptable that the value and reference texts are tied together. Also the fact that the Pin Name and Pin Number text cannot be changed in size (at neither the schematic nor the library edit level).
An A4 printout of the Analogue Circuit example renders the vitally important pin related text almost invisble. As I think most home users will only have access to A4 printers it has to be possible to scale the pin text up to a readable size.
As a generalisation, the default size of all text is way too small compared to the size of the circuit symbols.
Individual and "blanket" text resizing options would be the ideal.
Pretty good first issue otherwise, though!
Dave
Martin Keenan
We can do all of this, see question and answer here
nicolagiacobbe
I am interest too on a Linux version of DesignSpark PCB. I'll keep an eye on the site hoping for some good news.
Gehe
I'm interested too on a Linux version of DesignSpark PCB. I'm an Educator in a School for Technicians and am using currently EAGLE for teaching PCB-Design. I will check out your Software, if it is possible to change.
Good luck for all improvements
George
puppetboyx
I would like a Mac version as that is my favorite platform followed by Linux.
If DesignSpark PCB is not going to be some sort of bait and switch ..... one would expect to see the code FLOSSED. or at least escrowed under a freeware agreement.
I hope DS PCB is written in a language that can be ported to otehr platforms.
Best
auser
Just run it in Wine, nerds.
hjohnson
And if you don't want to run it in raw Wine, just use Crossover by Codeweavers. I just ran the installer and registration function, and it seems to work fine.
Vincent
Nice. Just downloaded it.
Vaguely similar to Number One systems, Easy-PC!
quisam2342
It's made by the same company, Number One.
tronixstuff
Linux version please, would like to try something other than Eagle and KiCad :)
pedro volguein
i need user the soft for speek
Martin Keenan
Guys,
to resize the text used on a component, highlight the text you wish to change (not the whole component, just the text), press s to edit the style.
See the question here for more info
Cheers,
Martin
Arcovox Systems
Hi,
Nice work!
I'll give it a try on my next project.
One point I detected:
The distance in the menu's between items is huge. (almost java-like :-) ). Can you make this a bit shorter? (Removing the blanc lines probably will do.) I always use a trackball for PCB work, and it's really an attack on my thumbs if you need to frequently scroll through those menu's...
Regards,
Peter.
Grumpy Mike (not verified)
Count me in as some one wanting a Mac version.
OliverTeut
This is my vote for a mac version!
christian.h
One more vote for a Linux version!
Regards,
Christian
gege2005
Yes, bring us a Mac version. It's not so hard after you compile for Linux.
I hope the component library management is not as crazy as Eagle one.
micare
Is english too difficult to translate in french ?
Thanks for the job.
LStacey
Are you requesting a French translated version?
micare
Yes, indeed !
lm1
Yes for me also!
gege
My vote for a Mac version.
cs2010
For all Mac users:
Just downloaded Design Spark and it installed, activated and ran fine on my iMac using Codeweavers Crossover 9. (I used a Win XP bottle).
Chris.
moki
Linux version please! I am currently using Kicad and Eagle light. Thanks for making this freely available at no charge!
Moki
Dupont Audio
Please give it the feature to import schematics, PCB designs and libraryes from Number One's own Easy-PC........
Jan Dupont
haderli
Hola a todos,
Estoy probando el programa, lo instale ayer.
Después de lo poco que lo he probado, me da muy buena impresión en general.
Una opción que le echo en falta y yo personalmente uso mucho es la de hacer zoom dibujando una ventana tanto en la zona de esquemas como de placas.
Otra cosa que veo un tanto molesta es tener que definir las clases de conexiones (net classes) para poner añadir conexiones, creo que debería activarse automaticamente al crear un esquema nuevo.
Saludos a todos,
Martin
paganbouy
I'm converted (from eagle - quite literally :-) ) Great software - keep up the good work!!
HackedGadgets
Looks like great software, I have the same concern as a commenter above who is asking how long it will remain free. But I like the response. I will have to give it a try on my next design.
jmejia
+1 for OSX and/or Linux support. If it were available for a platform other than Windows I would switch from Eagle right now!