DesignSpark PCB
DesignSpark PCB Version 3.0, the World's most powerful Free and easy to use Design Tool
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DesignSpark PCB version 3 - Wired by RS
DesignSpark PCB version 3 updates
Free from practical constraints on board size, pin counts, layers and output types, DesignSpark PCB circuit design software can be used for schematic capture, PCB design, layout and generating manufacturing files. Multi-page schematic designs are supported and gerber (extended) file outputs allow the designer to choose who will manufacture the board.
DesignSpark PCB supports the importing of Eagle CAD design files, circuit diagrams and libraries (See the Eagle import tutorial for further information). A comprehensive standard parts library is supplied, which can be amended, copied and added to as required and sophisticated part creation wizards make it easy to Design new parts from scratch or by amending standard symbols and footprints. Bill of materials (BOMs) reports can also be generated at any time; these give RS Components order numbers where appropriate.
DesignSpark PCB is offered completely Free of Charge and fully featured. This is not a cut down version of an expensive product or one with a time limitation on license. (There are no intentional limitations on designs). There are unlimited schematic sheets per project, up to 1m squared of board size and no limits on layers, which allow you to get your creativity flowing without restraints.
DesignSpark PCB allows you to generate all the files required to take your project from circuit diagram to layout schematic to a circuit board built project. Gerbers (Extended RS-274-X), Excellons, BOMs, component lists and positions are possible along with DXF (import and export) and IDF for interfacing to mechanical CAD software tools.
Whether you are a professional designer making money from your designs, an electronics education professional, a student or a hobbyist seeking an easy to use, professional standard, unrestricted schematic capture and PCB layout tool, then DesignSpark PCB is right for you!
Version 3 Feature Updates
Spice Simulation Interface
DesignSpark PCB software can now be interfaced to free industry standard Spice simulators to carry out circuit simulation. DesignSpark PCB Circuit Design Software currently supports four simulators: LTSpice, LSSpice, B2Spice and TINA.
Design Calculators
You can select tracks or vias (vertical electrical connection between different layers of conductors in a PCB) in your design and perform basic electrical calculations such as…
1) Width of a track required for a given current.
2) Impedance of a selected track.
3) Optimum copper density to use.
4) Approximate temperature rise on a track.
5) Resistance of a via given its physical characteristics.
These useful calculators produce approximations of actual circuit performance to aid the decision process in completing a successful PCB layout. Also available is a standard scientific calculator.
Grouping
This feature allows multiple items in your circuit diagram to be associated together so that they act as one ‘unit’. Once defined, groups can be used to assist in selecting related portions of your circuit. Perform group functions from the Schematic to the PCB to enable simpler identification and handling of specific elements of your design.
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Use the download link below to get the latest installations of Design Spark PCB CAD Software and also see the quick start guide for installation and activation instructions.
Please share your designs, libraries and tips with us, so other users can benefit from your experience,
Please make any suggestions to DesignSpark PCB, if you are stuck and need some help answers, please check here, if someone hasn’t already answered your questions then simply ASK!
» DesignSpark PCB selected screenshots
» DesignSpark PCB Library files
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- 270 comments
SebastianK
Hi,
here are my own blog:
http://www.exodusamps.com/Exodusamps/Hardware_Stuff/Hardware_Stuff.html
Have a fun!
Sebastian
Pete Wood
Nice mention thank you! Please feel free to share any of your DesignSpark PCB designs as DesignSpark "Knowledge" with us to share with the community.
SebastianK
Great software!
Library management very similar to Pulsonix, some Schematic and PCB tools too ;-)
Give us please Mac OSX&Linux versions, please......
Best regards,
Sebastian
nichole turner
I liked the way you have designed this site. Great work. Keep up the good work.
trebor21
Is this opensource software? I would install it if there was an opensource Linux/Ubuntu version available.
Pete Wood
You can run DesignSpark PCB on Linux Ubuntu under the Wine Application
dendrogram
I came to this site via the Raspberry Pi purchace and RS. R Pi is intending to run under Linux, so it makes sense to encourage the new R Pi community with this design SW for PCB's, as its just the sort of thing I would want to do anyway. Bring on the Pi and Linux version
Jon
dendrogram
I have a MacBook 13" intel, 2gb ram, coreduo... Runs beautifully with lots of software, but can't run OSX Lion. If you make a Mac version, please don't make it 64 bit only, include the 32bit Snow Leopards that can't run Lion.
Thanks
dendrogram
I have a MacBook 13" intel, 2gb ram, coreduo... Runs beautifully with lots of software, but can't run OSX Lion. If you make a Mac version, please don't make it 64 bit only, include the 32bit Snow Leopards that can't run Lion.
Thanks
tenuki
I took the time to register for one purpose only. Please get this software off Windows. I don't care if it's mac, linux, bsd, beos. I'm sophisticated enough to figure out how to run it on any free operating system (or the cheap mac os x with unix/bsd underneath I choose to run and host other oses on). Why people continue to develop open source free software on Windows is beyond me. You want me to shell out 350 bucks for my operating system so I can run your free software. What are you smoking? Join the open source / free software movement for real please.
nick12ab
>You want me to shell out 350 bucks for my operating system so I can run your free software.
No one expects you to do that - Windows 7 Home Premium is $119 from the official Microsoft store and possibly cheaper elsewhere - you don't need the most expensive edition of Windows available in order to run DesignSpark. You could also get a cheap laptop off ebay which runs Windows and is still powerful enough to run DesignSpark. Windows comes bundled with many new computers now anyway.
>or the cheap mac os x
And that requires a Mac.
nertohmot
I see what you are saying, and more or less agree, but what I just don't get is why DesignSpark is not implemented on a open source framework like Eclipse. (http://www.eclipse.org/) A lot of the goodies are already there (SVN/git, Verilog/VHDL, editors, debuggers, compilers, ticketing, collaboration tools, ...) and can be build upon, what is more is if it is done the right way, you immediately get it for all OS'es ! (Windows/Mac/Linux/...) to make it even more beautifull, the community can add things that they need themselves, and submit it to DesignSpark for inclusion if it is liked ! (DesignSpark can grow more quickly more mature with less effort)
Cheers,
SkyPirate
Hello
I am a first time user of DSPCB. Here is my experience of installing DSPCB on a clean offline Windoze 7 machine.
Firstly the install process stopped when, from what I can tell from other posts, a familiar error screen was displayed. After trying a few things it was apparent that the installation process was not going progress any further until it could find a valid copy of the “support.txt” file from URL “//designspark.eu/data”. A train trip and walk later I was once again on the net and obtained the above mentioned file. I will shortly head home (another walk and train trip) and continue the install on the offline machine. I will edit this post later to update this offline experience.
I have however completed the installation and eventual activation on this machine (whilst it is offline) to ensure that no more further “net access trips” are required for other installation requirements. Of course there is the activation for the other offline machine but I can live with that. Anyways, the DSPCB start-up process whilst offline is very slow indeed. I have checked the radio button Help > Support > Check For Updates > "Don't check automatically, only from this dialog", and even cleared the URL from the address textbox, though this does not seem to make any difference. This too was noted in other posts, for earlier versions of DSPCB I guess by the post dates, as doing “diddly squat” and the solution was to make tea, drink it, and make some more while it starts.
Has this issues of slow start up of DSPCB on offline machines been resolved? Is there a work around? Or should I diversify the selection of tea that I keep?
Anyways, I look forward to have some fun with this product soon.
Brian Swatton
Keen for Ubuntu version here too please
Pete Wood
DesignSpark PCB works well under Wine on Ubuntu, http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=11887
CommanderJtkirk
A Mac version is really needed, a really big group of users, corporate and university students, use this platform. Dont miss the opportunity of target more audience.
spookydeedee
Hi all,
I second this.
No need to bother with emulators on the mac, we need native support, period!
Folderol
I find the libraries generally a nightmare to negotiate. Quite often I resort to picking anything with the right pin geometry then overwrting my own text.
It would make a dramatic improvement if components could be found by entering the RS stock number.
P.S.
Another vote for a Linux version
thedareguy
Please, build an Ubuntu version!
Mac users: use Ubuntu. Save time, money and ego!
glococo
+1 !
Use serious free software. Choose Ubuntu.
BTW, When a version for UBUNTU will be available ?
thedareguy
or use kicad
TheCorfiot
Can any one help please, I want to use an AD724JRZ (stock no 709-6266) in my design but cannot find the component in any library to add it to the schematic
Thanks
masterbc
Hi!
I'm looking for switch like this: http://www.nowyelektronik.pl/opisy/5277.jpg
In whitch library I can find it (does it at all exist?)
Thank you for this great program, best wishes.
masterbc
noel_pimentel
hi,
can do i edit any of my gerber file in this software? can this software read .gbx .gbr & .phd file.
Help!
daveegg
You cannot import Gerber files into DesignSpark PCB
thedareguy
WTF!
Is it planned in next release?
Aaroneh
A mac version would be excellent
John.Brazier
I also would like to see a Mac version.
Aaroneh
A mac version would be excellent
gyurma
Please make a Linux version!
I know there is a problem in telling "which Linux version?", but as many of us use Ubuntu or Kubuntu, maybe a long term release of these should be preferred.
I think it is still not too late for porting it...
Amdahl
Yes! I prefeer Ubuntu and would love a port to a Linux platform!
Pete Wood
Hi Gyurma
Unfortunatley, right now we only have a PC/Windows version. However, we have lots of members successfully using DesignSpark PCB on Ubuntu and Wine.
regiscruzbr
WE NEED A VERSION FOR MAC...
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
el aress
Fantastic software, but please please please please please release a version for the Mac.
northeastman
We received the same Kaperski alert but ignored it after running a Kaperski virus check on all the files.
Program works OK and no further warnings by Kaperski were issued after the first few runs.
We think this is probably Kaperski just being cautious?
Anyone at DS care to confirm the absence of a worm or key logger virus in DS 3.0?
Northeastman
phenix
I vote mac version
marcus.walther
Tried to install this under Windows 7, and my antivirus (Kasperski) reports that the installation contains the PDM.Worm.P2P.generic trojan. Just wondering if anyone else had come across this? I;m assuming its a false positive due to the fact that it's a new version and Kasperski has not seen many users download it, so it is being very cautious, but would like to understand if anyone else has had a similar experience.
Thanks, MW.
madrid
I just had the same problem. Kaspersky quarantined the setup.exe file after detecting this trojan while installing DesignSpark pcb software onto Windows 7 PC. I dont propose to retry this installation incase it is a genuine virus. Any further reports or advice welcome.
twelveeyedfish
Yep, a Mac version would be very much appreciated. Those huge 27" screen are superb for CAD work like this.
twelveeyedfish
Yep, a Mac version would be very much appreciated. Those huge 27" screen are superb for CAD work like this.
PSblnkd
Erste Erfahrungen mit der 3er Version:
Es gibt nach wie vor nur eine englische Version, obwohl zumindest eine deutsche für das Tutorial vorliegt.
An der Funktionalität hat sich auch nicht sehr viel geändert, wenn man mal
von dem Menü-Punkt "Simulation" absieht. Das habe ich ansatzweise auch
gleich mal versucht, es aber wegen der recht umfangreichen, teilweise
nicht sofort verständlichen Dialoge dann doch abgebrochen.
Hier fehlt ein entsprechendes Tutorial.
Diesmal habe ich mir auch gleich aus den vorhandenen Bibliotheken, die -
wie schon aus der 2er Version bekannt - recht unübersichtlich sind, eine
User-definierte Bauteil-Bibliothek zusammengestellt. Damit sollte die
zeitaufwendige Sucherei nach einem geeigneten Bauteil der Vergangenheit
angehören. Leider brachte diese Maßnahme einige zusätzliche Probleme mit
sich:
(1) Zunächst gibt es beim Einfügen eines Bauteils den Hinweis, daß auf
die ursprüngliche Bibliothek zurückgegriffen wird (hat Vorrang) und
somit ggf. User-spezifische Änderungen am Bauteil nicht berücksichtigt
werden.
(2) Des Weiteren war jedesmal nach Einfügen des Bauteils in die
Schaltung die weitere Funktionalität blockiert, was aber mit dem Trick
eines einfachen Fenster-Wechsels hin und wieder zurück behoben werden
konnte.
(3) Auch an der schon in der 2er Version vorhandenen, m.E. nach
mangelhaften Edit-Funktion von "Verbindungen" hat sich nichts geändert.
Häufig ist es einfacher und weniger zeitaufwendig, einfach die
Verbindung zu löschen und neu zu zeichnen.
(4) Angeblich soll die Vermaßungs-Funktion verbessert worden sein, ich
habe leider nichts dergleichen gefunden.
Grüße aus Berlin
PSblnkd
lz_ufo
Great EDA Software!
I vote for a native Linux (intel) version.
Best Regards.
99guspuppet
I vote for Linux and Mac. I will look at the crossover product.
How does everyone like version 3 simulation ? Is it useful ?
What guarantee is there that this product will remain free ???? And continue to be developed ?
Best
Gus
99guspuppet
Vt12
Seems that something wrong with the grids ;))
Brom
Hi Vit12
Many thanks, could you be more specific please?
Kind regards
Brom
Vt12
Hello! I've just checked: in the Vista Working grid and Screen grid are changed together only (Working grid = Screen grid ). You can change grid as you want, but after closing Grids menu and open again you can see that both values = value that you input last.
On the XP all OK.
Javio
I vote for a LINUX version too.
Thank you very much and congratulations for such an excellent job.
yibbidy
Just installed V3.0 on my Mac using Crossover. I haven't used DesignSpark before but I can report that it works well on the Mac - obviously not a nice as a native app but very useable. I'll have a play with some examples and libraries to give it a good test.
Shaun
Pete Wood
Hi Shaun
That's great!, Please keep us posted on how you are getting on with this! I'm sure that we will have lots of people on the community that would be intereted in how well this works for you.
sw338965
A quand la version française?