To transfer this data it must all be included in separate files and documented appropriately. There also isn’t any accompanying netlist, layer stack, drill, or component information in the Gerber data. Individual Gerber files could be miss-named and switched around or missing altogether causing confusion for the PCB manufacturer. It doesn’t have any way to identify which board layer is which without using a file is naming convention, and there isn’t any other design data included except for the image information. With the addition of aperture information at the top of each Gerber file, the extended Gerber or RS-274X format has been an excellent method of creating PCB editor images, but there are some limitations with it. It communicates through a series of codes what shape should be flashed or drawn, and where those flashes and draws should be located in order to create an image. What’s in a Gerber File Format?Īs the standard data format for building printed circuit boards, the Gerber file format has been in service for a long time. The answer you are looking for is Altium Designer. Fortunately, there is one PCB design system that can provide you with the best design tool available, and can output data in the latest file formats.
To get the best results from your PCB manufacturer you need to be able to send them the most complete information possible, and that means having design software that is equipped with these new data formats. The problem though is that a lot of PCB design systems are not yet compatible with these formats. To provide solutions for those limitations there are now new data formats such as Gerber X2. This data is the standard used all over the world, but it has its limitations. Getting manufacturing output files out is a breeze with the right CAD software.įor over 30 years the printed circuit board design and manufacturing industries have relied on Gerber files to transfer PCB image information from design to manufacturing.