hi
This is my first attempt at creating my own pcb ready for fab. I have attached the picture of my board layout just wondering if anyone can give me some advice of things i can improve on, btw this is a led control the 7667 chip changes the pwm signal to control some buckpucks. i have the ds1307 as the rtc also there is a connector to attach a ds18b20 temp sensor.
Okay, Auto-Router
You may can reduce this layout to the bottom layer only, so etching would be easier. You have to experiment a bit with the positions of the parts and deactivate the top layer in the auto router. After that you can re-route the pathes manually and thicker (0.016 or even 0.024 inch). The auto router can help to find the right traces, but I don't like it very much
On a related note, is there any way to completely deactivate a layer? I know you can set the costs super-high, and that will greatly reduce the number of vias, etc, but I still think there are workarounds and it just uses two layers.
On a related note, is there any way to completely deactivate a layer?
Do you mean so that the autorouter won't use it? In the very first tab of autorouter options, in the drop down box for the "direction" of the layer you don't want, choose "N/A"
just wondering if anyone can give me some advice of things i can improve on
Is that the actual crystal you are using? I've never seen a 32.768kHz crystal in that shaped package. Normally they are a barrel shape, about 2mm diameter 10mm long, with tho leads at one end. The package for that shaped crystal is included in eagle - I don't have it installed here at work, so I can't point it out directly, but if you picked the crystal in your file from the "crystal" library, I think the watch crystal is a few more down in the list of packages within that library.
I also concur that this could EASILY be made single sided, and therefore made at home using toner transfer very cheaply if you are so inclined. If you do want to get it professionaly made anyways however, I would include a random assortment of through holes to be used as a prototyping area, and maybe a few LEDs or pushbuttons