Ron,

Having been in the university environment before (Mark IV project @
SLAC) I can
commiserate with your situation.  I would not start from scratch, I
would do as someone suggested and get the board scanned in (easy to do
as
this is a two sided board).  Then, make that a background layer in
whatever PC-CAD program you have (in PCAD it's a piece of cake - I
sometimes do a pre-layout in ME-CAD then import it and draw over that
layer then turn it off to photoplot.  It does mean laying out the
traces one by one IF you want the vectors for later modifications of
the board.  Otherwise, as was suggested, use the board as the artwork
itself (but then a lot of cleanup work will have to be done as I
suspect you have to deal with a silkscreen layer as well?

Bob L.


----- Original Message -----
From: bvan <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: January 19, 2000 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: [DC] No artwork


:   Ron..
:                 You got yourself into a fine mess, but in my
previous life,
: we did many
:   recreations, up to 14 layer designs.. NOT EASY, but can be done.
:                 Since it is a double sided design, much easier
(assuming you
: have a
:   real live sample board). If not...AUUGGGG!!!
:                 To do it "with intelligence" (the computer,not you),
so you
: can use the
:   database later, if required, recreate the required basic files for
you
: system:
:   board outline, routing parameters (line/spacing/special
traces/etc)
: netlist, positions
:   (using the real board or a manuf. positional file if it exists,
then
: manually replicate
:   the interconnect, using the real board as the guide. You may not
get every
: angle,
:   spacing, etc. exactly, but should be close enough.  Not easy, but
not the
: end of
:   the world. Now, you also have a good baseline for the future. Good
luck.
:
:
: Regards,
:   Bob Vanech
: Bob
:   BVAN Enterprise
: -----Original Message-----
: From: Ron Ryan <[log in to unmask]>
: To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
: Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 2:16 PM
: Subject: [DC] No artwork
:
:
: >We have a need to recreate printed circuit board artwork from an
existing
: >double sided board that was manufactured from hand taped artwork.
: >Unfortunately all we have is the board. Our Cad system is PADS and
: >AutoCad.  Any suggestions?? There are around 100 equivalent ICs.
: >
: >Thanks
: >
: > >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< ><
: >        Ronald J. Ryan
: >Brookhaven National Laboratory
: >Instrumentation Division
: >Building 535B
: >Upton, New York 11973
: >        voice......(516) 344-6068
: >        [log in to unmask]
: > >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< ><
: >
: