What is Gerber?
Gerber is the industry standard file format used to make printed circuit boards. We accept only 274-X format data. 274-D format data has been obsolete for some time and is therefore not accepted. When you extract gerber data from your design file, it translates your single board file into the multiple different files that the NC drill machine, NC rout machine, NC v-groove machine, bare board testers, Direct Ink Jet Printer and the photoplotter require for manufacture.
For a typical 2 layer PCB, the following gerber plot data will be generated:
- Top Copper
- Bottom Copper
- Top Mask
- Bottom Mask
- Top Silkscreen
- Bottom Silkscreen
Depending on how the mechanical information has been described within the design package, the following may also be included:
- Plated drill file
- Unplated drill file
- Mechanical layer(s)
- Board Outline
- Keepout layer
- Paste layer(s)
When submitting files for quote or an order, it is really handy if, at the very least, a simple text file accompanies the data that explains requirements that do not appear in the board file or gerber files. Some customers include a mechanical drawing in the gerber data which tells us everything that is important about what is required for the project. Do not send data that is not required for the manufacture of the pcb.
Important information not often easily identifiable includes soldermask and/or legend colours, panelisation requirements if any, pad finish, board thickness and copper weight, testing requirements….etc. It is also really handy if a special requirement or feature on the pcb such as a slot or cutout is easily found – putting the details on a mechanical layer is a great place for such data.
