What are the recommend Entities to use when drawing a PCB in AutoCAD and converting to Gerber with EasyGerb?
S
Simon Garrison
started a topic
over 8 years ago
Once you get used to drafting the PCB drawings with gerber conversion in mind, it will definitely give you the best results, and improve the quality of the PCB's you receive back from your board shop. Here's a conversion guideline we wrote which may be helpful (EasyGerb demos are on the bottom): http://www.numericalinnovations.com/pages/dxf-dwg-conversion-secrets-for-gerber-gds-ii-odb-etc
We also recommend the following when creating your AutoCAD drawing for Gerber conversion:
(A). Build from Top Side view.
(B). Create a separate AutoCAD layer for each: metal (conductive), drill, border, and silkscreen layers.
(C). For pads use "Circle". For Traces use "Polyline with Width". For Drill use Circles. For Silkscreen use Text entity.
It usually takes one or two jobs for someone to get familiar with how to design reliable gerbers (within AutoCAD), and then it becomes a nice easy process moving forward. Large companies such as JPL and NASA use AutoCAD daily to draft unique PCB's (that they can't easily create within PCB layout software); and then use EasyGerb to generate their Gerber and Drill files which are then sent to manufacturing.
Note: After you have completed your next design, feel free to send it to us and I'll be happy to review it and make any suggestions.
Simon Garrison
Once you get used to drafting the PCB drawings with gerber conversion in mind, it will definitely give you the best results, and improve the quality of the PCB's you receive back from your board shop. Here's a conversion guideline we wrote which may be helpful (EasyGerb demos are on the bottom):
http://www.numericalinnovations.com/pages/dxf-dwg-conversion-secrets-for-gerber-gds-ii-odb-etc
We also recommend the following when creating your AutoCAD drawing for Gerber conversion:
(A). Build from Top Side view.
(B). Create a separate AutoCAD layer for each: metal (conductive), drill, border, and silkscreen layers.
Note: Again the sample DWG provided with EasyGerb called "PCB.DWG" will show you the standard way to create.
http://numericalsoftware-update.s3.amazonaws.com/Pcb.dwg
(C). For pads use "Circle". For Traces use "Polyline with Width". For Drill use Circles. For Silkscreen use Text entity.
It usually takes one or two jobs for someone to get familiar with how to design reliable gerbers (within AutoCAD), and then it becomes a nice easy process moving forward. Large companies such as JPL and NASA use AutoCAD daily to draft unique PCB's (that they can't easily create within PCB layout software); and then use EasyGerb to generate their Gerber and Drill files which are then sent to manufacturing.
Note: After you have completed your next design, feel free to send it to us and I'll be happy to review it and make any suggestions.