Reverse engineering a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a complex and important process that involves measuring a circuit board and recreating it in another software. This can be difficult, especially when the original files are inaccessible. In this blog post, we will discuss PCB reverse engineering tools and how to select the right one for your needs.
Hardware Tools for PCB Disassembly: The tools commonly used for disassembling PCBs include pliers, screwdrivers, heat guns, soldering irons, and solder suction tools.
Testing Tools for PCB: Testing tools are primarily used to test circuit boards, electronic component models, power supply current supply, and impedance testing. They include DC power supplies, magnifying glasses, circuit testers, and impedance testers.
Scanning Tools for PCB: Scanning tools are used to convert the PCB into a picture for subsequent reverse engineering work. The main tools include scanners, computers, printers, and calipers.
Grinding Tools for PCB: Grinding tools are mainly used for grinding PCBs and include grinders, sandpaper, impellers, and corrosives.
PCB Software:
- QuickPcb2005: QuickPcb2005 is a professional PCB design and cloning software that improves the efficiency of PCB work. It also supports the calling and export of various components.
Main Features:
- Place pads, holes, lines, arcs, vias, components, FILL, POLYGON, and text.
- Each element attribute setting, grid setting.
- CTRL key automatically snaps to the center of the grid and element.
- SHIFT key to select, de-select, cut, copy, delete, rotate, mirror, and repeat functions.
- 32 layer setting function, zoom display.
- Arbitrarily set the origin.
- Design accuracy: 1mil.
- Comes with B2P format, can read BMP, JPG pictures, and can automatically read BMP resolution.
- Call PROTEL2.5-2.8 format component library file.
- Output PROTEL2.5-2.8 format file.
- PMPCB: PMPCB is a PCB reverse engineering software with a colorful interactive interface. It supports a variety of systems, runs fast, has powerful functions, and is easy to operate.
Main Features:
- Supports any operating system above Windows 2000.
- Supports Altium Designer software.
- Supports regional proofreading.
- Supports calling BMP, JPG image format.
- Supports intelligent dual-channel drawing.
- Supports scroll wheel to zoom in and out.
- Supports keyboard mapping, good news for notebook users.
- Supports brightness, contrast, black and white, negative, horizontal mirror, vertical mirror adjustment functions.
- Using a unique operation method, it supports calling 4000DPI, the length and width are 10000+ pixels, and the size of 300M pictures can be transferred in seconds.
- Supports the function of dragging the basemap synchronously with the right mouse button.
- Supports the middle mouse button to quickly refresh the basemap function.
- Supports the function of quick adjustment of transparency.
- Supports the function of making components with one key, free your hands from now on.
- Supports basemap custom offset fine-tuning.
- Supports mm and mil as drawing units.
- Supports mm to mil conversion tool.
- Common system tools are integrated for easy calling.
- BMP2PCB: BMP2PCB software converts BMP pictures to PCB files, and the transferred PCB files can only be opened with PROTEL software.
Features:
- The resolution in the X and Y directions is the resolution of the corresponding scan.
- The color of the reserved area refers to what color in the picture is to be output as a wire.
- The BMP image format does not require full color conversion for monochrome.