Clone PCB from scanned image

[tonewill]

I had an idea to create a clone of an old PCB from a scan taken of it. I have scanned the track side of the board and played around in photoshop using colour selection and smoothing, but I'm sure that it would be possible to get much better results with much less manual touch-up work needed with the right know-how.

Anyone tried this or know of a tutorial somewhere?

[Peake]

This is exactly how I am attempting to clone some Moog and Buchla modules. It is possibly the worst possible method to use Real caveman stuff. Someone will now chime in with streamlined, modern technology and a good chuckle at my expense. Best luck! (Be sure to put corner markers and possibly even a thin edge outline for board cutting.)

However, if the transfer methods allow for good double-sided results, it will have been worth every moment spent.

[julian]

Ive created tool paths (for isolation milling) from scanned pcbs before.

I did not personally do the scanning but i believe that they were scanned (or possibly even photographed) and then printed onto paper, retouched using a physical pen, and then rescanned again.

I then used a trace function to create a tool path for milling the copper from the bare board to leave the traces, but for other reasons the board was never produced.

Obviously this is only possible on single side boards without removing all the components!

[parasat]

julian, when you say "trace function," is this part of your CAD/CAM software (and if so, what are you using)? Or is it a module in another program, or something you wrote yourself?

Enquiring minds want to know

[Sebo]

Hi:
I did a PCB copy of my DR-110 that way, scanned it, then used Photoshop
treshold funtion to convert it to a monochrome kind of pic, then I worked
it by hand. I set a layer with the original scan set to 50% opacity to guide
me, and turn it on and off as I need it, and to verify is an exact copy.
I etched the PCB but never find the time to drill it, so is laying around unfinished
(as many other projects).

[scriptstyle]

the "trace" function may be live trace in illustrator? honestly that would be the direction i would go in after adjusting my levels in photoshop, then i would select all the black, invert, delete, save as .psd import into illustrator trace and expand. then make adjustments.

[drapdap]

hello guys...

i'm doing this method quite confortably since a while. (mind you i'm livin from doing graphics and animation.)
let me tell you that tracing these is a complete waste of time, i've been there, done that, tried setting up things in photoshop or gimp,
do equalising, do color selection, get it just about right, than try to trace it with flash, or inkspace, (i'm not too fond of illustrator at all) but there will be always smaller or bigger errors which you have to deal with by "hand". So why not work clean from the start, make a layer for you new pcb and draw over the traces. It doesn't need to be a scan, a good quality picture works too, i just free transform them until they don't distort the size.
Usually i give them better resolution (300-600 dpi) then go over the holes with creating a circle with a hole on a seperate layer, selecting it, and then move a copy of that over each component hole for a start. Same for the ic's, i just have these pre-saved, right size component drawings in a pdf-file...
my Wacom-tablet is my best friend for joining the dots, but with the photoshop selection tool you can get pretty far too, looking quite pro.

But anyway, i just wanted to tell you that from experience, this is a lot better method, almost the same, but better than try to clean a dirty scan, that's really caveman stuff, it eats time.

Attached is a redrawn Serge 1973 TWS (kit), from Ken Stone's site...
http://www.cgs.synth.net/synth/serge/tws.html
Strictly for edjucational purposes.
This was one of the first boards i did this way, looks still shakey, i do a lot better now, but that didn't stop me from building a working copy of this.
(I hope it's ok to post, dear Admins, this is old stuff, and up on Ken's site anyways...)

Now is there somebody with a good picture of the Serge Wavefolder?

róbert

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Serge_TWS_0.6_PNP_A4.pdf
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Filename:	Serge_TWS_0.6_PNP_A4.pdf
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[Peake]

[drapdap]

[Peake]

Hi, just the 901a/901b so far; when they're ready I'll post them (I have Moog Music's kind permission, and no one is manufacturing them so there is no conflict of interest).

Note that these use 1/2W resistors, so the boards are huge and the spacing very, very kind to those who hand-draw clone PCBs

The artwork is ready but I lack any knowledge of how to "select" the specified 2N 4058s (probably voltage matching). Cheers!

[TekniK]

drapdap -> i did redraw the ringmod from kens site that way.

[tonewill]

Thanks everyone, I think you're right, re-drawing the tracks is the way to go.

[etaoin]

By the way, I've redrawn scans using Abacom's Sprint Layout, which might be the only pcb design program that let's you use transparent scans. It probably easier than something like photoshop since you can use the parts library to get the right footprints. And a lot cheaper than photoshop as well...

[Peake]

[drapdap]