[beagleboard] PCB Layout for BeagleBoard

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1

Is there any released PCB layout for BeagleBoard xM? If not, is it
supposed to get ready and released anytime soon? I would appreciate
any link or information.

Thanks in advance.

2

Yes. the PCB files were released a long time ago. You can find them here:
http://beagleboard.org/hardware/design

Gerald

3

Thank you so much. Would you please let me know what software tool I have to use to open these files? I don’t think it’s Protel or Proteus, is it?

–Nastaran

4

They are in Orcad for the schematic and Allegro for the PCB. You can download a free viewer for Allegro from the Cadence website. The files are also available in Altium.

Gerald

5

Thank you very much. I just have one other question. As I know there are 6 layers in BeagleBoard’s PCB, but I just can find one *.brd file. Are all six layers included in this file?

–Nastaran

6

The .brd file is the source file for the CAD program. It has all of the layers in it. The Gerber files are also available and they have inside it individual files for each of the layers.

Gerald

7

Thanks again for your helps Gerald.

Has anybody really used these files to make their own BeagleBoard?
Isn't there any bothering bug? I am eager to use these files for PCB
and assemble my own Beagle board. Do you know if the price of the
resulting board will be comparable to the BeagleBoard or not?

Thanks in advance,
--Nastaran

8

I have no knowledge of that being done. Unless you plan to make a LOT of boards, you will not be able to match the price of the Beagle by building your own Beagle. In fact, you will need to have a stencil made ($400), hire someone to program the SMT machine ($1500), and then hire somebody to assemble the board ($$ varies by quantiry). We are currently building in lots of 5000 boards.

Gerald

9

Yeah, I should guess that. Thank you though.
Can I buy about 500 number of beagleboard if I need to? I guess
somewhere on beagleboard.org I saw that beagleboard did not sell for
any product. So, If I try to implement my algorithm on beagleboard and
it works, what can I do for mass production, I mean 500-1000 numbers?
Any suggestion?

--Nastaran

10

We do not sale baeagleboard in volume except to our distributors. They are not for use in products. I can connect you with the CM and you can work your own deal with them to by an equivalent board.

Gerald

11

Hello,

        This is an interesting point. At some point I may want to base
a product on the Beagelboard xM but I'm looking at much much smaller
quantities of about 50 a year (max). Where do we stand on that - is
the 'no product' thing a requirement of your licensing sales (for
GPL-like reasons for example). My feeling would be to buy in
quantities of 10 and QC them thoroughly - the problem is that we're
far too small to deal with a manufacturer and I need to know if I'm
'allowed' to do what I'm thinking of.

Cheers,

Neil

12

Hello,

   This is an interesting point\. At some point I may want to base

a product on the Beagelboard xM but I'm looking at much much smaller
quantities of about 50 a year (max). Where do we stand on that - is
the 'no product' thing a requirement of your licensing sales (for
GPL-like reasons for example). My feeling would be to buy in
quantities of 10 and QC them thoroughly - the problem is that we're
far too small to deal with a manufacturer and I need to know if I'm
'allowed' to do what I'm thinking of.

I am interested on that too. Well, I think the BB is a little more
expensive than I would have to pay to turn it into a product. I may
redesign the board with only the devices and ports I need in order to
make it simpler and cheaper. And maybe use a more cost-effective DSP
and less memory.
But anyway, if we gather all people interested in BB as an end user
product, we may achieve a considerable volume, but the board features
requirements should be the same.

Regards,

Thiago

13

I think this can be worked and size is not an issue. Contact me direct.

gerald@beagleboard.org

Gerald

14

That is what Open Source Hardware is all about. You cand take the supplied information and do just that.

Gerald

15

Do you know any company that provides and sells high volume of boards based on beagleboard? I mean something like EBV Electroniks?

–Nastaran

16

You can contact me direct.
Gerald