An option has been created for Gerber RS-274X files and specificallt for backdrilled layers. The image below shows an OutJob file with multiple options enabled for different sets of manufacturing documentation. Once this is created, you can start configuring which manufacturing files you need to generate, as well as the file formats you want. To get started generating Gerber files, add a new OutJob file to your PCB project. However, once you've setup the options in your OutJob file for your project, you can regenerate manufacturing deliverables whenever you want. Some of these documents can be generated quite easily from an OutJob file in Altium Designer, while others require a few steps to setup. Information in mechanical layers, such as a drill table, stackup diagram, and any dimensions.Drill hit locations, which are can be delineated by plated vs.Pad locations for application of solder paste.Although they aren't visible above, they include many important pieces of information: These other layers include more information than is shown in the above image. Note that there are additional files for other layers, which will be generated when you create your Gerber files. Here, only the silkscreen layer and copper features on the top layer are visible.Ī preview of what our final PCB Gerber file will look like. The image below shows two layers from the above PCB layout. When you generate Gerber files, information in each layer will be saved in its own file, and these files can be loaded into a new CAMtastic document for inspection. The image below shows the PCB layout above translated into Gerber files and viewed in the CAMtastic viewer. Pick-and-place files for automated assembly.STEP files for importing your board into a mechanical design program.
From here, you can create a host of deliverables for your PCB, including: If we want to generate Gerber files for this PCB, we need to add a new OutJob file to the project. We only have features in 2 layers on this board (1 silkscreen layer, 1 top PCB layer), as well as vias on some nets.įinalized op-amp PCB layout with vias and silkscreen visible. The finalized layout is shown in the window below. In an earlier post, we focused on creating a schematic for a simple active amplifier, then we created a simple 1-layer PCB layout from this schematic. In this article, we'll guide you through this process and show some example tasks you might need to perform to generate Gerber files. Altium Designer helps make the process for generating Gerber files quick and easy without forcing you to use an external program. When you're ready to create your Gerber files, you need the right set of CAM tools that can take data from your PCB layout. These files are used by PCB manufacturers to prepare stencils for photoresist exposure and subsequent etching. In addition, in electronic products with both analog and digital circuits, the printed boards often separate their ground lines to form an independent grounding grid, which can also be used as a basis for identification and judgment.Once you've got your PCB layout finished and you're ready to start preparing for manufacturing, one of the critical steps is to generate Gerber files. When the factory is wiring the printed circuit board, in order to prevent self-excitation and anti-interference, the ground copper foil is generally set to the widest ( high-frequency circuits often have large-area grounded copper foil), the power supply copper foil is second, and the signal copper is used. The power and ground lines can also be found from the three-terminal regulator pins. Taking the power supply circuit as an example, the negative terminal of the rectifier connected to the secondary of the power transformer is the positive pole of the power supply, and a large-capacity filter capacitor is generally connected between the ground and the ground, and the capacitor casing has a polarity mark. Correctly distinguish the ground, power and signal lines of the printed board.