What does the GERBER file contains?

[sivakumar_tumma]

What does the GERBER file contains?

Please don't give some documents, let me know the files and their usage only..

 

[raka200]

machine gerber file

Hi!!!

Gerber file contains instruction for numerical command machine to plot a mask for your PCB.

There is 2 parts : the aperture definition, and the instructions.
The aperture definition describe the different tool (or pencil) use to draw your PCB.
It comes back from the old time when there was a turret on the machine, populated with the different tool used for a design.
For example if the trace width on your pcb is 12th, there will be a aperture definition for a round shaped pencil of 12th diameter. There is also a definition for the pads.
The second part describe the board itself.
It is coded command like :
take the 1st pencil
draw a line
take the 2nd pencil
draw... etc

for gerber 274X format, the 2 part arre in the same file
for gerber 274D format, there are 2 files, one for the definitino of the tool, one for the instructions.

Here are some usefull link :

**broken link removed**
Gerber description

For a PCB, there is also 2 others files : the drill description, and the board mechanical description. the language used are quite the same...


Hopes it helps you...
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[fsahmed]

Re: GERBER file

Simply put, if u r using an automatic machine to make ur pcb, gerber files tell the machine how to do it.

 

[circuitpeople]

GERBER file

Another way to think of Gerber files is as images, somewhat like a JPEG or BMP. They carry information that tells your fabricator where copper (or solderpaste, nomenclature ink, or holes in a stencil) should be for a particular layer of a circuit board. You generally need multiple gerber files (and a drill file, usually Excellon format) to define a complete PCB:

- One for each layer of copper
- One each for top and bottom solder mask
- One each for top and bottom (if used) silkscreen (aka. legend, or nomenclature)
- If you're having stencils made for SMT placement, you'll need one Gerber file for each stencil

Lot's of data, indeed. If you're interested in looking at images of your Gerber files simply upload them to https://www.circuitpeople.com. A free online viewer can be found at the site.