Numerical Innovations - Help Center

So let me tell you what I am trying to do.    I design electronics devices here.   I draw the schematics in Altium, and I contract the PCB layout.   My assembly shop orders the bare boards for me, and their manufacturer panelizes the boards.    We get gerber files back after the vendor does this.

What I would like to be able to do in-house is;
read in the drill file from the panel gerbers.delete all the features I do not need (I am looking for a specific set of alignment holes on each device within the panel).add a rectangle between the alignment holes for my programming header.Output a DXF file that a machine shop here in Bend can turn into a test fixture for me.
It seems pretty simple, and in fact, took about an hour for me to create this in PCB123 (a free layout program).    I could also easily do this in Altium, but I am not going to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a seat of their layout tool since I don't do board layout here.  I just want to get a drill file into DXF and edit the darned thing.

Actually the Drill file you sent was "Gerber data", so that's why ACE 3000 couldn't convert successfully.  If you select Import Format: "Gerber" and then proceed you should be able to successfully output a DXF.

We also have another tool called FAB 3000 (which specializes in PCB related data like Gerber & Drill).  Here's a quick tutorial (less than a minute) showing me import your data (using the command called "Open Folder" where FAB 3000 automatically figures out everything in the folder and loads it for you; and then just export to DXF.

http://screencast.com/t/c2yMx5EAUn


Since cost is a concern, we'd be happy to offer you FAB 3000 at a discount (simply contact our sales team  sales@numericalinnovations.com , and chances are we'll be happy to accomidate you).   In addition, FAB 3000 can do full Gerber/Drill editing and also has one of the "best PCB panelization engines" around.  See this quick tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqKZ_6fjKog