Self Learning Kicad as I design a FDC/IO card

[RickyDean]

Well last night I started taking the plunge into trying to design a FDC/IO card, in Kicad, on the order of a Corcomp FDC to begin with, but transitioning over to the SMC super IO chips I have. Just getting the outline was a feat for me, I could've done this with Autocad in an hour or less, but this took me till 2am last night and an 1 hour this morning, to figure out the details of the outline. Still some tweaking to do before adding via's, traces, and so forth. This won't be a copy of an CC card as I'm going to add buffers and rearrange the footprints, maybe adding the ability to use both 1773 or 2793 chips or similar. I'm going to have shoulder surgery in the next two weeks, due to a work related incident that tore a tendon loose and 3 more barely holding on on my right shoulder. Workers Comp is trying to say it didn't happen, but I'll be fighting it. But I'll need to do something while I'm recuperating, so I thought this may be a good time to teach myself something useful. 

 

[GDMike]

2 hours ago, RickyDean said:

Well last night I started taking the plunge into trying to design a FDC/IO card, in Kicad, on the order of a Corcomp FDC to begin with, but transitioning over to the SMC super IO chips I have. Just getting the outline was a feat for me, I could've done this with Autocad in an hour or less, but this took me till 2am last night and an 1 hour this morning, to figure out the details of the outline. Still some tweaking to do before adding via's, traces, and so forth. This won't be a copy of an CC card as I'm going to add buffers and rearrange the footprints, maybe adding the ability to use both 1773 or 2793 chips or similar. I'm going to have shoulder surgery in the next two weeks, due to a work related incident that tore a tendon loose and 3 more barely holding on on my right shoulder. Workers Comp is trying to say it didn't happen, but I'll be fighting it. But I'll need to do something while I'm recuperating, so I thought this may be a good time to teach myself something useful. 

 

So sorry about that arm of yours. Get well soon.

The software will probably get easier the more you use it in the more tricks you find out, it's probably like everything else it's just going to take time.

[+FarmerPotato]

Frustrating in KiCad: Poly lines for the edge cuts (or anything). I try to put the top left at round numbers, if not 0,0. On each segment, I edit properties to make sure they are straight. You can also do this with a text editor on the .sch file!

 

Save your edge outline in a file by itself! Or convert it to a Footprint (I forget how I did that, maybe copy-paste?)

[RickyDean]

10 minutes ago, FarmerPotato said:

Frustrating in KiCad: Poly lines for the edge cuts (or anything). I try to put the top left at round numbers, if not 0,0. On each segment, I edit properties to make sure they are straight. You can also do this with a text editor on the .sch file!

 

Save your edge outline in a file by itself! Or convert it to a Footprint (I forget how I did that, maybe copy-paste?)

Yes, it was a job getting this outline dealt with, but this should do the trick, maybe some small changes here and there. Got most of the IC's represented in the schematic, except the MM2114N sram and the two PAL12V6 chips, may have to go ahead with GAL16V8 chips instead.

[+FarmerPotato]

Re: GAL16V8: (some of?)  these are reprogrammable, unlike PAL.  The chip still in mass production is the ATF22V10C starting in  DIP24 (I use the PLCC).  TL-866 does them. One of those might absorb the two 12V6. 

(22V10 has 10 I/O and 12 input only. So can't do  12 outputs.)
 

 

 

 

[RickyDean]

2 hours ago, FarmerPotato said:

Re: GAL16V8: (some of?)  these are reprogrammable, unlike PAL.  The chip still in mass production is the ATF22V10C starting in  DIP24 (I use the PLCC).  TL-866 does them. One of those might absorb the two 12V6. 

(22V10 has 10 I/O and 12 input only. So can't do  12 outputs.)
 

 

 

 

Understood, I just don't have enough knowledge yet, to make that happen, but it might be something that I'll pick up on. Right now between other things going on, I'm just trying to get the basics down on creating this board. The idea at this point is to recreate the CC FDC board, but with a twist, having locations to put a WD1773 or a WD2793, so if one becomes hard to find for replacement, the other can be substituted without a daughter board. Then if this works, I will then plan out and try to  build a board with a multi IO footprint, to use the SMC FDC37C5665 and try to get as much of the functions working as I'm able. I'm not retired yet, though this shoulder damage I suffered recently at work may change my mind. My old mind has to absorb new input and try to put that into use. But don't stop giving input, I appreciate the knowledge here on this forum and will try to use what information I get, here in this, and other endeavors. 

[+FarmerPotato]

OK, probably better to stick with two PAL chips. If they are far apart. 
 

But do get an EEPROM/EEPLD eraseable! For instance PALCE16V8 is still made and cheap. Or ATF16V8C is current. 
 

[RickyDean]

3 minutes ago, FarmerPotato said:

OK, probably better to stick with two PAL chips. If they are far apart. 
 

But do get an EEPROM/EEPLD eraseable! For instance PALCE16V8 is still made and cheap. Or ATF16V8C is current. 
 

Yes, that is part of the plan to use Gal's or the ATF's to replace the Pal' and not worry about locking them. I did find a site that made model set of the MM2114N sram, https://componentsearchengine.com/part-view/MM2114N/Texas Instruments. So now I have this, I can add to the schematic without making my own.

[+FarmerPotato]

The 2114 1Kx4 will be upwardly compatible with any static RAM. For instance the super-common 6264. Just ground the unwanted address pins. It's just as period correct too!