PCB Gerbers not understood

[treez]

Hello,

I have recently layed out a PCB for mounting a current transducer on and sent the corresponding gerber file (RS274X) and drill file to a PCB manufacturer.

However, the PCB manufacturer has said that the gerber and drill file that i sent him is not understandable.

Here is a view of the PCB...


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It is a single sided PCB

The PCB manufacturer has emailed me to say......

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"i need you to answer this question about your data. what layer is it ? top or bottom and how is it viewed ?"
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I do not understand what this means..can anybody help me to work out what this PCB manufacturer needs to know?

I have layed out the PCB and then clicked on the menu to say "create gerber and drill files"......i thought that the PCB software package did all the rest (?)

-I cannot understand why the PCB manufacturer is having trouble interpreting the gerber and drill files.

I suspect the PCB manufacturer is asking if it is viewed from copper side or substrate side (?)
-If so, it really doesn't matter which way round as the current transducer will be mounted fine with it either way.

I cannot understand when the PCB manufacturer asks me "what layer is it?" .....surely when i clicked on "create gerber" all layer information was put in the gerber text file(?)

Any thoughts at all on this would be massively appreciated.

Regards.

 

[Skogsgurra]

It depends a lot on what CAD package you are using.

The very popular - and free - Eagle system has a funny way of dealing with drill rack data. Other systems are sometimes equally "funny" in one respect or the other.

Google your system and find fora where it is being discussed. If there's a quirk - there's a forum. Has worked very well when I had similar problems.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[geekEE]

Generally a fabrication drawing (fab drawing) is also sent to the house that will be making the PCB. This would include information like the layer stackup, dimensions of the PCB, material, thickness, plating, and so on. You say that this particular PCB will work whether it is mirror-imaged or not, but that is not generally the case, so it's good that they asked.

Glenn

 

[BobM3]

"..and how is it viewed?" - He might be wondering if it is an xray view through the board or viewed directly.

 

[itsmoked]

They need the following information thru the gerbers or otherwise.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[GonzaloEE]

The guys just don't know how to stack up your layers. You don't want your connector holes on the left and the text overlay on the right.
Many manufacturers will provide at least some PDF with their allowed photoplotter apertures, NC drill sizes, track widths, etc., along with their conventions on layer alignment and Gerber formats.
I guess most s/w assume all layers are X-ray viewed from top (or 'component side', from the all-thru-hole days), such that you can flag which layers are mirrored.

I suggest adding some reference marks in all layers for proper alignment:

 

[treez]

Hello,

My PCB package is PCB Wizard. [Version: 3.60 (01 Dec 2005)]

The package produces three files when you click to produce gerbers....one of these files is a "setup information" file
(enclosed below)....-the other two are the drilling file and the gerber file. i am not sure if this "setup" file got sent to the PCB manufacturer as my email program strips off this attachment and doesn't let me see if i have sent it or not.

My PCB (in the first post above) has no silk screen , no lettering or markings, no solder mask....it is literally just copper on top of substrate with holes in it....and it would be fine whichever way it is viewed.

please find here the "setup information" file produced by my PCB Wizard package....

I am wondering if the information that the PCB maker wants is in this file?..........

"Setup information" file....
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PCB Wizard Gerber Export
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Created : 10/06/2008 21:03:50
Source : PCB Wizard 3.60 (01 Dec 2005)
Design : C:\my PCB WIZARD\THE CT.pcb
Title :
Author :
Company :

RS-274X (extended) Gerber export.
2.3 format, inches, absolute.
No zero supression.
Aperture table defined in Gerber file.

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File: "C:\Users\andrew\Desktop\ct 100608 gerberdrill\THE CT.gb1240424"

Board outline layer
Bottom copper (solder side) layer
Top copper (component side) layer
Silk screen (component outline) layer

D-Code Type
D10 Circle .005
D11 Circle .413 Hole .098
D12 Oval .157 .059 Hole .028
D13 Circle .906 Hole .866
D14 Circle .040
D15 Circle .157 Hole .039
D16 Oval .197 .138 Hole .039
D17 Circle .079 Hole .079
D18 Circle .118
D19 Circle .020
D20 Circle .002

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File: "C:\Users\andrew\Desktop\ct 100608 gerberdrill\THE CT.drl"

Drill hole layer

T-Code Size
T01 .028
T02 .039
T03 .079
T04 .098
T05 .866

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End of report.
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...any thoughts at all would again be very gratefully appreciated.

 

[GonzaloEE]

Hi. Sorry if it's too late for any answers. Your setup is OK.
Sometimes I've had some ridiculous problems with PCB manufacturers, most of them easily fixed after a phone call, or clearing things with some hand drawings sent by email. You're the customer and these guys are sure these service issues doesn't help their business (specially with big orders)

Also ask for support to your s/w vendor, Google for any user forums or online tutorials on your s/w.