Generating Gerbers
As an electronics hard ware engineer, when you’ve finalized your design, the last step before sending it off to the PCB manufacturer is to generate Gerber files. Why need to send Gerber file instead of the original files? The PCB manufacturer may not have the software you are using, so they can not out put the files they need or they out put Gerber files with mistake generated from software but they can not be noticed. The China PCB manufacturers usually use Genesis and Cam350 to edit the working Gerber, RS-274X defines each layer clearly for them, avoid misunderstanding and mistake. In a way, Gerber files are kind of a “universal language” for PCB designs. Gerber files – note the plurality – each describes single layers of the PCB. One gerber might describe the silkscreen, while another defines where the top copper is. In all, we’ll generate seven gerber files to send to the PCB manufacturer.
CAM Processor
Before we get too much further, you’ll need to download another definition file: SparkFun’s CAM file.
Then, load up the CAM processor by clicking the CAM icon –
From here, go to the File menu, then go Open > Job…. In the file browser that opens, select the sfe-gerb274x.camfile that you just downloaded. Now the CAM processor window should have a series of tabs: “Top Copper”, “Bottom Copper”, “Top Silkscreen”, etc. Each of these tabs define how to create one of the gerber files. Now all you have to do is click Process Job. If you haven’t saved recently, it’ll prompt you to.
The gerber generation process should be pretty quick. Once it’s run its course, have a look in your project directory, which should have loads of new files in it. In addition to the board (BRD) and schematic (SCH) files, there should now be a .dri, .GBL, .GBO, GBP, .GBS, .GML, GTL, .GTO, .GTP, .GTS, .GKT and a .TXT.
Gerber File Extension
Bottom Copper GBL
Bottom Silkscreen GBO
Bottom Soldermask GBS
Top Copper GTL
Top Silkscreen GTO
Top Soldermask GTS
Drill File TXT
Drill Station Info File dri
Photoplotter Info File gpi
Mill Layer GML
Top Paste GTP
Delivering the Gerbers
The process of sending gerber files varies by PCB manufacturer. Most will ask you to send them a zipped folder of select files. So zip those gerbers up, and get ready to assemble your very own PCB! If you need PCBs recently, give SysPCB a try. Simply send you Gerber files to sales@syspcb.com.
