As with many devices nowadays, most of the cleverness of the PCBBOX is embedded in its software. The machine comes with a virtual software container called ColiBri. This container houses all of the software modules for specific tasks. The standard PCBBOX includes the PCB software module, which provides all the capabilities and features users need to make PCBs. Depending on their needs, users can subsequently purchase additional modules, write their own modules, or make use of free software to be made available by user groups. In this way, users can assemble a library of software modules that transform the standard PCBBOX into a machine optimally tailored to needs of the lab or shop where it is used.
ColiBri and other software supplied by Colinbus is designed to conform to the Windows 7 Office Fluent user interface, which makes using the packages intuitive.

Everybody has their preferred drawing package for designing PCB layouts, and the files generated by these packages must be imported. This is fast and easy − simply select the file you want, and the layout is displayed on the monitor. If you are working with a layout for a multilayer board, each layer is assigned its own colour, and you can hide or show individual layers as desired.

After the complete PCB layout has been imported, you can start the computation of the routing paths. When it comes to path computation, the PCB module is one of the fastest CAM packages on the market. In the accompanying screen shot, all layers except one have been hidden, along with the tracks in that layer.

The basic process of routing a PCB consists of isolating individual tracks from the rest of the copper. However, for some designs it is desirable to remove all residual copper (unnecessary copper) to obtain a result similar to boards made using conventional etching. The PCB module allows you to choose where to remove residual copper and how much to remove − such as over the entire board (as in the accompanying screen shot) or within selected areas, such as areas where soldering would otherwise be difficult. The software determines which routing bits it can use for copper removal and proposes the most attractive strategies. For example, large areas may be removed with a 3-mm bit, while narrow strips may be removed with a 0.1-mm bit.

The ideal alternative: spike removal

Regardless of how clever the strategies may be, removing residual copper takes time. The spike removal function is actually intended for removing objectionable spikes of copper, which are tiny leftover bits of copper that may come loose when the board is cleaned and cause shorts. Colinbus has expanded this function to allow users to define how much material to remove and what to remove. This is a very handy tool for advanced users, since it allows the routing process to be accelerated and improved.

The upper screen shot on the left shows a PCB without spike removal, while the lower screen shot shows a PCB with spike removal. In the latter case, you can clearly see that the operator asked for more than just removing small leftover bits of copper. If you examine the image closely, you can see that copper is removed in locations where the operator though the clearance between the tracks or pads was too small. You can also see that all right-angle routed corners have been rounded off − a option that is often used for HF circuit boards. For the sake of clarity, the original design is shown here in green, the routing paths are shown in red, and the residual copper is shown in black.

Navigation bar

Residual copper removal is performed on both sides (component side and solder side) of the board illustrated above. The wide blue line marks a routing path cut to allow the PCB to be removed from the panel, which is why there are also two breakout pins at the left and right edges.

The navigation bar is located at the left side of the window. In the screen shot shown here, five different PCB layouts have been loaded. You can use the navigation bar to show or hide layers and operations for each PCB layout. You can also select which PCBs you want to have made right away and have them be transferred to the production environment. There rest of the PCBs are assigned the status "ready for production". The status of all PCBs (fabricated or queued for production) is also monitored here.

After all the routing paths have been generated, you can fabricate the actual PCB. In the accompanying screen shot you can see the machine table (grey) with a piece of unmachined PCB material on the table surface. Naturally, you can use PCB material with any convenient dimensions. The control panel of the PCB router is on the right in the screen shot. This strategic panel is never in the way, since it appears only when it is actually needed. The navigation bar is located at the left side of the window.

The integrated environment of the PCB module makes your job especially convenient. After generating the routing paths, you specify which PCBs you want to fabricate right away. In the example shown here, there is only one PCB. As you can see in the screen shot at the left, it appears automatically in the production environment. This eliminates the need for transferring files, which is always a potential source of problems. Both layers are show in this screen shot. The top layer will be routed on the visible side of the board, while the bottom layer will be routed on the other side after it is flipped over.

All selected PCBs appear in the production window. The user can rotate and flip the PCBs as desired to make the best use of the available panel area. All types of PCBs can be arranged on the same panel: single sided, double sided or multilayer. Look carefully at the last three screen shots − you can see how the control panel disappears when its is not needed.

It’s very easy to make several copies of the same PCB. Simply specify how many boards you want to make in the X and Y directions, and the software does the rest. This is only one of many features available in the production environment. Other features are described in the detailed user guide.

The screen shot above shows how the tracks on the PCB should be routed. This visual representation of the PCB gives you a clear idea of what the result should look like. Problems during the routing process are rare, but with any mechanical process it’s always possible for something to go wrong. The most commonly occurring problems are broken drill bits and prematurely worn routing bits. The PCB module gives you all the tools you need to remedy any problems that may occur. For example, you can select specific holes to be drilled again or tracks to be routed again, so there’s no need to discard work already performed. If the machine is fitted with a camera, visual inspection of the PCB is very easy.

Like all ColiBri modules, the PCB module is very powerful and has many functions and features that make things easier for designers. What we have described here is only a small selection of the available features. To learn more, we recommend viewing the demo videos.