Sprint Layout – The Ultimate

Tutorial And Experience

Sprint-Layout is a software tool used to design layouts for either single-sided,

double-sided and even multilayer printed circuit boards (PCB). The software
aims to better help with board design.

With Sprint-Layout you can design your PCB’s quick and easy. The software
comes with everything; a software design tool should need and have, there
are zero restrictions to the software on how you should design your circuit
board.

The sprint layout software is a user-friendly software; I believe this guide can
give you a base understanding of circuit board putting you in the
manufacturer’s shoes, meaning you can start from the bottom or change and
edit already layout or “plot file”.

Sprint Layout
Sprint layout had several tools to draw things like tracks, solder pad, zones,
text labels, SMD pads and many more; it comes along with all functions that
are necessary for board design.

Even the professional feature like the export of Gerber-files (which are
supported by almost every PCB-manufacturer. If you own a CNC milling-
machine) or isolation-milling who have HPGL created for them, are included.

The software construction of sprint layout is made self-explanatory, with the

free viewer-software for Sprint Layout, it is possible for everybody to view or
print your layouts.

Two layers exist (Copper and silkscreen) for each side of the board. You have
the option to use an outline layer for the board contour or 2 additional inner
layers for multilayer boards. Extra features are solder masks, SMD-masks,
automatic ground planes, signal flow test.

The Photoview option gives you a chance to take a look at your board as
if it was manufactured.

This option helps you to find faults on your board. Several components for
through hole or SMD layouts have been predefined in the extensible library.

Lots of options are selectable when printing the design, the component
mounting plan, or the solder mask on paper or film. The software also has an
extensive and comfortable printing option which allows you to print your
layouts or component mounting plans on paper or foil.

You can export your layout to a BMP, GIF or JPG format. These other formats
can be used in document programs like Word or on your homepage for
publishing.

There is an auto-router to connect individual tracks which were integrated into

the software, but we warned, sprint layout is not made for routing complete
boards automatically. The sprint layout will create Gerber and Excellon files
for professional manufacturing of your board.

Sprint Layout 6.0

The Sprint layout 6.0 is one of the latest versions and like with every new
release; you get new features. New features you should take special notices
of include:

1. Bigger Resolution And Accuracy:

Unless other previous versions, you get an increase in the resolution and the
accuracy of the sprint layout by tenfold. You should know this concerns the
Grid settings and the maximum Zoom factor. So there is no problem to design
incredible layout structures.

2. Pick+Place Data:

The sprint layout now can generate and export pick+place files. You need
these files for automated assemblies of SMD boards.

3. Anti-Alias:

The use of the anti-alias technology to noticeably improve the graphic

representation of the sprint layout has been applied in the new software.

4. Multi-Select:

Simultaneous editing of several elements: you can now edit as many items as
you want simultaneously with the properties-panel.

5. Selector:
The new version of the selector is now a more powerful tool; with this tool, you
can find and select specific elements of your layout and edit them
simultaneously with the help of the new multi-select function. A good example
would be how you can pick and edit all pads with a specific shape or drilling.

6. Automatic Capture Mode:

You have a new mode of capture making pads and tracks easy to place, if the
mouse moves closer to the capture-point, the point of the mouse will be
captured and helps you to connect precisely. It is beneficial when some
connections are lying out of the light.

7. Gerber Import:

you have the luxury of a Gerber import which allows you to load existing
Gerber files and convert them to a ready layout inspiring-layout.

8. Rubber-Band:

While moving elements, you have connected tracks that can keep their
connection.

9. Components:

6.0 can now display and manage components including identifier and value.
Even a component-list is available.

10. Thermal-Pad Vias:

you can now define the thermal-pad separated for each layer when/if you use
vias as a thermal-pad.

11. Isolation Milling:

Usually all individual jobs like isolation milling, drilling or cut-out had to be
done in different plot files, but now the isolation milling has been revamped, all
those jobs can now be written in one plot file. So the typical problems with the
origin in various files will be prevented.

12. Grid-Hotkeys:

The key (function key 1-9) on your keyboard are given specific editable grid
values. So you will be able to change between several grid values with just
one keystroke.

13. Rectangle:

You can now draw rectangles (tracks or zones) quickly with the new rectangle
drawing mode.

14. Circular Arrangement:

The specific circular method is a tricky and invidious job. Sprint-layout has
now a special assistant for that. Once you define the necessary parameter,
you will be able to see the result of your parameters in a preview before you
complete the action.

15. New Crosshair:

You have an improved crosshair, which is consistently involved in every
action and can display an additional 45° lines and the numeric values of the
coordinates directly on the crossbar.

2.1 Sprint-Layout Full Crack

Now I guess you are wondering, sprint-layout and sprint-layout Full crack
what’s the difference besides the obvious that the words “Full crack” indicate.
Well like previously stated, Sprint-Layout is electronic software used by
windows system.

One of the versions is the sprint-layout full crack, for the Windows OS that is
easy for everyday use.

This software comes in a clean and neat user interface. It is easy to use and
lets you work more efficiently. There are hotkeys which you can use and
customize for specific functions.

The software specifications for it to work on a laptop/desktop are below:

System Requirements: Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

                                     Memory (RAM): 1GB of RAM required.

                                     Hard Disk Space: 400MB of free space required.

                                     Processor: Intel Pentium 4 or later

2.2 Sprint-Layout Export

You know all about the new features of the sprint layout 6.0, but one of the
most important functions is the Export function and its many types/format of
exporting

1. Bitmap-Export:
This function allows you to create a bitmap(.bmp) that may be used with other
applications. The layers that are visible in the editor are where the bitmap is
created.

2. GIF-Export:

This allows you to create a GIF file (.gif) that may be used with other
applications. The layers that are visible in the editor are where the bitmap
created from, and the GIF format is a compressed format, so you get a much
smaller file than the bitmap.
3. JPEG-Export:

This allows you to create a JPEG file (.jpg) that may be used with other
applications. The layers that are visible in the editor are where the bitmap
generated from; the JPEG format is a compressed format, so you get a much
smaller file than the bitmap.

4. Gerber-Export:

Gerber files are known to nearly all manufacturers because every layer
(solder mask, copper, silkscreen) needs a Gerber file to describe a PCB
completely. You can exchange layout data with manufacturers because the
Sprint-layout produces a standard Gerber-files RS274-X that are widely used.
5. Excellon-Export:

This is used to exchange the drill data of a board with your manufacturer. It
contains all diameter and positions of your drilling.
  6. Isolation-Milling:

This is a particular function to produce PCB’s with a CNC milling machine.

The track and connections will be milled out of the solid copper board. The
production of an isolation-milled board, including the isolation-channels, the
drillings, and the board shape are all supported by Sprint-layout.

Everything gotten will be exported in a plot file in HPGL format (*.plt). This plot
file will then be used by a CNC milling machine to produce the board.
Sprint Layout Tutorial

If you wish to create your own Circuit board Layout with the ABACOM sprint
Layout program, here are a few tutorials and tips, always make use of all the
prescribed standard layers of the sprint layout.

Most manufacturing companies will take care of generating the production

data (Extended Gerber) for you if it’s in its current layer.
 Another thing is the Gerber Export; if you want to make the Garber
export yourself, you can follow these steps:

 1: Choose layer that will be changed to Garber

 2: Then press create Gerber files

 3: The file has been successfully changed to Gerber, then press close

 4: Press the export drill data file (Excellon). This step is to make the
Gerber want to be a hole.


 5: Press ok to complete the drill

 6: Collect each layer file and achieve them into a Rar. Format
 Step 7:  Rename the file and send it to your PCB manufacturer

Among the options, the “Mirror” option should not be chosen in any case and
in regards to the solder mask offset, always make the clearance of the solder
mask to 0.5mm (50µm), as this is the least tolerance that a solder pad allows
for any solder mask to be applied.

Just remember that any more significant value, the components that are fine
pitched will not have an adequate solder mask bridge between the pads.

However, if you feel an uncertainty, you should remember; when in doubt do

nothing or in this case, leave it at 0.00mm, this is optimized by the
manufacturers.
Also for exporting of drilling data, please always choose as the unit of
measurement to be 2.4 inches.

Sprint-Layout Usernote

PRO

• I saw this program as a very advanced drawing program and advanced with
PCB-design in mind. The viewer-software is much more than a viewer: it
allows you to calibrate your printer and print out the PCB-design for home-
manufacturing the PCB. It has Gerber and Excellon support, so also suitable
for professional manufacturing.

• I opted for Abacom’s Sprint-Layout. I have not used Eagle, so I can’t truly A-

B them, but I have used ExpressPCB software (which I loved, just not their
PCB prices).
I found Abacom’s Sprint-Layout very easy, intuitive, their help files return
usable information, and it is straightforward to create/modify device footprints.
A fully functional PCB CAD software that is reasonably easy to learn and use
all while being stable is a bargain

• I’ve also used FreePCB (I have the utmost respect for free, open-source
apps, but I would not say I liked it) and the free version of DIPTrace (the free,
pin-limited version) and still prefer Sprint-Layout.

Also, I received my professional boards yesterday, and they are beautiful and
perfect. Now I’m thrilled with Sprint having gone from schematic to completed
board so quickly and easily for a bargain software package.

• I chose this program because it’s so simple to use (I am fond of simple

things ;), and I also use it for timing diagrams. It allows you to import a
scanned copy: very useful.

Cons

• Abacom also has a Schematic Editor, sPlan, in their product

line: http://www.abacom-online.de/uk/html/splan.html But there is no link
between the Schematic and the Layout-program! Moreover, there are no
plans to do it, such a pity. The auto-router is not very useful.

Conclusion

Now you understand what a Sprint-layout is, you know the latest version and
its new feature, you can start making your very whole board and bring it to us
for manufacturing. Or you can leave us with the exciting job of both designing
and manufacture a PCB for you.