Gerber Files- An Ultimatum Step by Step Guide

Gerber Format

The Gerber files format is an open vector format for storing PCB designs. It is a standard format in the industry to store and accept PCB images that include copper trace layers, solder masks, drill data, etc.

Prior to the development of the Gerber format, there were no standard guidelines to follow for PCB production. The information for the fabrication of PCB consists of different formats. Usually, vector, descriptive, graphic, and textual formats are used to express the data of the PCB in a comprehensive file. 

How to Create PCB Gerber Files

Before starting on the actual Gerber files generation process, it is important to know that different PCB software has individual methods to generate Geber files. In this article, NextPCB discusses three printed circuit board software– Altium designer, Kicad and Eagle.

Gerber File Creation through Altium Designer

To start PCB Gerber file creation with the Altium Designer, you need to add a new OutJob file to your project. Once you are done with adding the OutJob file, you are allowed to configure which manufacturing files you require to generate and the file formats, of course. In this article, NextPCB also has included some images of the following steps to aid your learning process. So, the image below displays OutJob files with several choices available for distinct sets of PCB manufacturing documents. It also includes an option for the Gerber RS-274X files and especially for back-drilled layers of the circuit board. Now, right-click the “Fabrication Output” and however over the Gerber X2 entry to create a new export option for Gerber X2 files.

Source: https://resources.altium.com/p/generate-gerber-files-altium-designer-step-step-schematic-pcb

 

Altium designers offer the generation of multiple Gerber output sets. The “Backdrill Gerber’s” entry and the “Gerber Files” entry in the above image fall under the RS-274X format. These two option creates PCB Gerber files for specific layer sets. However, once you are done with creating a new Gerber output option, it is significant to configure your desired data to expert with these two functions individually.

 

The image below displays a dialogue box that will aid you in selecting units, formats, templates, and export layers. Now to select your desired Units and Format right-click them and select the Okay box at the right bottom end of the main dialogue box. 

Source: https://resources.altium.com/p/generate-gerber-files-altium-designer-step-step-schematic-pcb

So, we can see the above image is consist of five tabs General, Layers, Drill Drawing, Apertures, and Advanced. There are two primary tabs in the above dialogue box The Layer Tab and The Drilling Tab followed by The General Tab.

NOTE: The above image is from the RS-274X version document. But do not worry, the X2 format will offer you the same dialogue box.

The Layers Tab: This tab allows you to select which layers you want to send to the manufacturers. You can select custom layers from here or send all the PCB layers including the Silk Screen layer.

 

The Drilling Tab: This tab allows you to select the drilling configurations of your circuit board. This tab basically contains two layers the top and the bottom. But if you have a multi-layer circuit board whose internal layers contain blind or buried vias. You will have another tab to select their configuration. 

 

The other two tabs remain the same.

 

After this, we will move to NC Drill Files.

Here we select the scale in mm. This dialogue box also provides the option to choose to create two different NC Drill Files for plated and non-platted holes. Then click the Okay box to complete the process.

Now click on the folder and select all the manufacturing documents you want to export. To finish the process of the Gerber File, click on “Generate Content” to complete the process. Never neglect to check the Gerber File before forwarding it. A small mistake at this level can ruin the whole production, which nobody wants. 

Source:resources.altium.com/p/generate-gerber-file

Gerber File Creation through KiCad 

KiCad offers a relatively easier process for Gerber File Generation. All you have to do is to select the desired layers and create a drill file. So, let’s learn with NextPCB how to create Gerber Files through Kicad.

The .Kicad_PCB File

The first step to generating Gerber File through KiCad is to open your desired project. Now, right-click and open the.kicad_pcb template. However, there is another option, select the “PCBNew” tab to open the circuit board editor.

Source: pcbway.com/helpcenter/technical_support/Generate_Gerber_file_from_Kicad.html

 

PCB Model to Gerber File

Now on the top left menu select “File” and then “Plot” and then select the desired layers you want to export. 

Here is a list of essential layers required for a double-layer PCB.

• The top layer with the title pcbname.GTL.
• The bottom layer with the title pcbname.GBL.
• The upper silk layer with title pcbname.GTO.
• The silk lower layer with title pcbname.GBO.
• The solder mask upper layer with title  pcbname.GTS.
• The solder masks the lower layer with title pcbname.GBS.
• The board outline layer with title pcbname.GML/GKO.
• The drill drawing layer with title pcbname.TXT.

Source: pcbway.com/helpcenter/technical_support/Generate_Gerber_file_from_Kicad.html

The Drill File

After the selection of the required layers click on the Drill File button to generate the “Drill File”. Now at this stage select “Suppress Leading Zeros” and “Minimal Header”. Then to complete the process click on the drill file button at the top right side of the dialogue box.

Source: pcbway.com/helpcenter/technical_support/Generate_Gerber_file_from_Kicad.html

File Inspection

This is the second last but most crucial step of generating Gerber Files. It includes checking and inspecting the file if it works appropriately before sending it to the manufacturer. For this step open the “Gerb View” and inspect how your PCB looks.

Source: pcbway.com/helpcenter/technical_support/Generate_Gerber_file_from_Kicad.html

File Compression

It is the last step which includes compressing all the required files in a .zip format file. And there you are all done with generating Gerber Files through KiCad PCB software.

Gerber File Creation through Eagle

Generate Drill Files

The first step to generating Gerber Files in Eagle is to generate a Drill File. To do so navigate to the top-left side of the menu bar and click “File” then “Run ULP”. A dialogue box will appear with a toggle consisting of two options mm and inch. Select mm and press “Okay”.

 

Now, click on” File” and then select “CAM Processor” from the drop-down menu. 

A pop-up window will appear. Select the “Export as Zip” box. Then open the drop-down “Gerber” option from the left side box and select your required layers and then hit the “Process Job” at the bottom right of the window.

Once the process is complete, inspect your Gerber File and it is ready to forward for manufacturing. 

 

Texts and Fonts for Gerber Files

Texts are one of the basic components of the circuit board. They are used to describe components, and logos, draw symbols, and similar work. Texts make it easier to understand a printed circuit board visually. But writing on PCB is not like writing or printing on paper. The circuit boards are silk-screened with liquid ink usually in white colour. Silk-Screening is a complicated and important procedure for the circuit board, Hence PCB manufacturers give some guidelines to take out the “PCB Printing” process as smooth as they can.

To deal with the silk-screening process some manufacturers advise using vector fonts because they are directly exported to the Gerber Files without any changes. However, the “TRUE TYPE” characters may experience some incompatibility issues. This was for the top and the bottom external layers.

PCB designers and producers also have the option to print on the copper layers. However, not all PCB manufacturers provide this service. So it is better to consult your manufacturer before generating the Gerber Files to avoid any unwanted situation.

Importance of Gerber Files

Gerber files consist of all the necessary information about the manufacturing of the printed circuit board, including the placement of components, the size and shape of the board, and the routes that the electrical signals should follow. This information is crucial for the manufacturer, as it guides them to plan the manufacturing process and ensures that the PCB is made correctly and functions as intended.

 

As such now you know what Gerber Files are it is easier to explain that without Gerber files, it would be difficult or even impossible to create a functioning printed circuit board. Because, if we do not have proper Gerber files, manufacturers would have to rely on manual measurements and calculations, which would be time-consuming and prone to error. This could result in PCB malfunctioning or even cause serious safety issues.

 

Hence, Gerber files are incredibly important because they ensure that electronic devices function properly and are safe to use. They are a vital part of the PCB manufacturing process.

Your PCB Manufacturer NextPCB

NextPCB has been offering a one-stop solution for PCB manufacturing, assembling, and testing services for over 15 years. We at NextPCB use the latest technology with every possible approach to carry out complex to high-level Interface Circuit Boards and offer a wide range of PCBs, including metal-core, LED, High-frequency, High-Speed, Waterproof PCBs, and PCB Cameras. 

We at NextPCB offer a standard and customized PCB of up to 20 layers with the desired thickness and are willing to incorporate all unique requirements. 

Geographically we are located in China. But in a decade and a half, we have built a trustworthy relationship with our worldwide clients.

Feel free to contact us if you have anything to conform for your customized circuit boards and Gerber Files. Get in touch with us to learn about our PCB capabilities and to get an instant PCB quote.

 

Conclusion

Gerber files are an essential part of the PCB manufacturing process. They are vector files that contain the necessary information for the production of a printed circuit board. Before the development of the Gerber format, there were no standard guidelines to follow for PCB production. The Gerber format is now the industry standard for storing and accepting PCB images that include copper trace layers, solder masks, drill data, and more.

This article by NextPCB discusses three PCB software, to generate Gerber Files, namely Altium Designer, Kicad, and Eagle. Gerber file provides the manufacturing guidelines to the manufacturer. Hence, it is essential to check them before forwarding them for production, as a small mistake can ruin the entire production process. With the information and instructions provided in this article, you can create Gerber files with ease and ensure that your PCB manufacturing process runs smoothly.

The Article has very little plagiarism because it was a technical guide and I can not change fixed terms like “the RS-274X document” and source links that of sourse other websites used too etc. But if you want me to change it please let me know.

 

Draft

WHAT IS SMT ASSEMBLY?

As nowadays’s electronics designs turn out to be smaller and greater complicated, greater engineers are counting on floor mount generation. After the 1980s, this generation have become the favored PCB meeting generation in electronics production and hasn’t permit up since.

Most additives of the telecellsmartphone for your pocket — whether or not it’s an iPhone eleven or a turn telecellsmartphone — have been in all likelihood made through floor mount generation (SMT). Many of the additives for your automobile or Uber experience nowadays have been possibly made through SMT meeting.

So, what’s SMT meeting, and why changed into there a want to create this generation?

WHAT IS SMT ASSEMBLY: THE BASICS

Surface mounting is a manner to provide digital circuits with the aid of using putting additives at once onto the board’s floor.

SMT meeting is an opportunity to the thru-hollow approach of PCB production, which had its heyday withinside the Nineteen Seventies and 1980s. As electronics production persisted to benefit momentum, a greater green, higher manner have become necessary. SMT meeting changed into born out of this want.

SMT meeting has a huge variety of makes use of. It additionally has some boundaries your layout crew ought to do not forget.

SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGES

Just like with thru-hollow, there are each professionals and cons worried with SMT. Let’s begin with a number of the benefits of SMT meeting:

1. AFFORDABILITY

One of the motives SMT meeting changed into conceived changed into to lessen production prices.

SMT calls for a ways fewer holes to be drilled into the circuit board. This lowers the prices of processing and coping with significantly.

Finally, SMT is greater able to generating excessive volumes, bearing in mind a higher per-unit cost.

2. EFFICIENCY

Another advantage of SMT meeting is that it makes use of circuit board area in a miles greater green manner. Thanks to SMT meeting, engineers can now finagle complicated electronics into smaller assemblies.

In addition to greater efficaciously the usage of the gap on a PCB, SMT meeting is tons faster, permitting producers to growth general output. To positioned this in perspective, some thing that would have taken 1-2 hours to carry out through thru-hollow takes 10-15 mins through SMT meeting.

3. SIMPLICITY

In thru-hollow meeting, lead wires byskip thru the holes to attach additives. Because SMT additives are soldered proper onto the PCB, the general make-up is a ways much less complicated.

4. LESS PRONE TO ERROR

SMT meeting may be very reliant on machines, and now no longer a lot on us humans. SMT is a manner that is much less at risk of blunders due to the fact it is nearly completely automated.

USES FOR SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY

SMT meeting changed into born as a manner to create a higher, greater effective digital product.
One go searching your workplace or dwelling room will display you numerous not unusualplace floor mount generation programs. Basically, flip to floor mount PCB meeting each time you want a product that’s:
Smaller
Lighter
Faster
More effective
While thru-hollow continues to be utilized in sure programs or maybe sure places on a board, SMT meeting has in large part taken over.

DISADVANTAGES OF SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY

As is the case with all production techniques, there are a few negative aspects to SMT meeting. The largest is that it calls for a miles better interest to element than thru-hollow meeting. Even with the manner in large part automated, your layout parameters nonetheless should be met to provide a pleasant stop product. This in large part falls at the shoulders of the fashion dressmaker and the electronics settlement manufacturer.

Trouble also can rise up whilst SMT is used to area additives to a PCB to be able to feature in situations to be able to involve:

Mechanical stress
Environmental stress
Temperature stress

This hassle may be mitigated with the aid of using mixing SMT with thru-hollow techniques to get the blessings of each. That’s proper — you could use each at the equal board!

TAKE YOUR DESIGN INTO THE FUTURE

The apparent and smooth method to any ability downfalls with SMT is to ensure you are operating with a qualified, credible partner. A contractor that focuses on helping with the layout section will endorse you on any ability problems with the usage of SMT vs. thru-hollow.

As you could see, SMT meeting is a massive a part of pretty much each electronics layout nowadays. If you are nonetheless the usage of thru-hollow for your PCB layout, do not forget searching into whether or not or now no longer SMT meeting is the improve you want to assist your product evolve.