Gerber files play a vital role in both as translators and connectors between PCB manufacturers and design engineers. Manufacturers can easily understand the concepts of design engineers. Help them provide you with reliable and perfect products. It also ensures an efficient and effective production process. With the help of this article, you will know about the importance of Gerber PCB manufacturing.
What is the importance of Gerber files in PCB design?
A PCB design engineer must create a unique Gerber file. There is some reason behind it.
It may not be easy for you to ensure that you and the PCB manufacturer choose to use a specific software application when the manufacturer’s design software differs from your application. You need to create the Gerber file yourself; verification and conversations can slow down the overall process.
But it’s safe to create unique uses. Changes in the software used may cause some errors, therefore, to get the goods in a timely manner and ensure reliability. You need to create a Gerber PCB file.
As a PCB design engineer, you must know how to create Gerber files with your own efforts. Gerber information is related to the given options.
- Conductor class
- silkscreen layer
- Solder mask layer
Additionally, the two layers will have the same design data; your Gerber PCB files must be created separately to avoid the confusion. The steps for creating a Gerber file are different for PCB design software.
These are the importance of Gerber PCB in manufacturing.
Generating Gerber files in PCB design
After creating a design and analyzing it over and over again, you need to create your own Gerber file to send to the contract manufacturer. However, at this stage, you rely on your PCB design software. There are old and broken software applications. This requires you to go through several steps to set up and configure files, but the CAD package has cut down on your efforts.
You have to create individual Gerber files for every layer available on the board, so while your board has six layers in the design with four signal layers. The software needs to display these layers separately.
Before submitting files, you need to verify that you have set the standards, formats, and unit perfectly. They must maintain compliance with manufacturing and design standards.
You need to create an NC file for another Gerber file. It sends instructions to the punching system associated with the circuit board house. The file is similar to a Gerber formatted file, which contains information about drill sizes and vectors.
Document after Gerber file
When you think about sending files, you must provide Gerber PCB layout documentation and other production files related. You have to do it in such a way that the manufacturer creates the design according to your instructions. The accompanying drawings and fabrications are also valuable.
One of the most innovative ways to downsize is to work with a trusted manufacturing partner. You can look for professional engineers and designs to get the best service from them. It will also help you learn more about PCB design.
Usual formats of the Gerber file
Rs-274-D
By Gerber Systems Corp, Rs-274-D is one of the oldest formats in a Gerber file. However, with the alteration and recent advancement this format has gotten more polished than its typical form! In this format the file is represented in numerical control format
RS-274-X of X-Gerber
This format uses the ASCII command that is interpretable as well. For 3D vectors it is the best-reliable format, aka Extended Gerber.
Gerber X2
For the advanced level CAM software applications, Gerber X2 Gerber file format is used
