| Getting a DXF or DWG file from gerber files . - Click HERE for Original Thread |
| ashok |
I have a set of Gerber files and want to convert them to a DXF or DWG file showing all the pcb details like pads , component outlines , part numbers etc.
Do I need a Gerber Editor to do this ? These are full fledged software I guess and not available in the freeware domain. This is just a one off job .
Waht would be the most user friendly and accurate software for this application ?
Thanks.
Ashok. |
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| setmenu |
Pain in the butt isn't it!
Check this thread out from a while back :
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/show...4507#post864507
My way sounds a bit convoluted but gerbermagic converting to pdf at least gets it away from those pesky gerbers.
I have not needed to do this in a while so a newer version of the software may be able to do more.
Good luck. |
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| ashok |
Thanks Setmenu.
That's of great help. I'll try out that software and see what I can get . Hopefully the software has been upgraded.
Will post my results if I do get it working for me.
Thanks.
Ashok.
:) |
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| Ron E |
| if you can print to pdf or ps or eps you can use gsview and pstoedit to make a dxf. Accuracy can suffer a bit, so ymmv. |
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| gootee |
| quote: | Originally posted by ashok
I have a set of Gerber files and want to convert them to a DXF or DWG file showing all the pcb details like pads , component outlines , part numbers etc.
Do I need a Gerber Editor to do this ? These are full fledged software I guess and not available in the freeware domain. This is just a one off job .
Waht would be the most user friendly and accurate software for this application ?
Thanks.
Ashok. |
If you only need good graphical renderings of the Gerber files, then the best, easiest, cheapest, fastest way I know of, to get them, is to upload the Gerbers to the freeDFM utility, at http://www.4pcb.com . (But if you need them to stay in a vector format, I don't know if this will help you.)
During their regular business hours, at least, this will result in the freeDFM utility automatically emailing to you, usually within minutes, a set of links to PDF files that contain the images from your gerbers. And they have very high resolution.
And if they are actual PCB files, you'll get quite a bit of other good information about the layout, especially if there are any manufacturability problems.
I actually used the freeDFM images to get the images that I used to create the documentation (assembly diagrams, component-layout diagrams, etc) for a commercial project. It was way better, and also easier, than coaxing the imagery out of my "Easy-PC" layout software (Number One Systems).
(In my case, I also had 4pcb.com manufacture the boards for me. It's funny how 100 pcbs costs about the same as 5 or 10. Per-board pricing goes well below $2.00, for, say, 250 boards, IIRC, for most typical boards. You'll get a quote, too, with the freeDFM results. Try changing the quantities and see what it does to the pricing! [BTW, their service and quality are both truly excellent!])
- Tom Gootee
http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html
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| ezkcdude |
| So, what if you need to go from dxf->Gerber? Do you guys know a free method of doing that? |
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| gootee |
| quote: | Originally posted by ezkcdude
So, what if you need to go from dxf->Gerber? Do you guys know a free method of doing that? |
You might want to try going to http://groups.google.com and searching for DXF Gerber. I got lots of hits but didn't have time to look through them.
- Tom Gootee
http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html |
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| ezkcdude |
Thanks, it looks like a lot of dead links, though. |
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| DJ Exprice |
One word:
Cenon |
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| ezkcdude |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ Exprice
One word:
Cenon |
Thanks! That was a million dollar suggestion.
:D |
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| DJ Exprice |
You have Mac OS X?
I do. Gotta  it*. ;)
(Mac OS X AND) |
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