PCB News - Why should the pcb board file be converted to gerber data and then handed over to the circuit board factory for plate making

Why should the PCB board file be converted to gerber data and then handed over to the circuit board factory for plate making

In the electronics industry, as long as the circuit board file processing is involved, most engineers are accustomed to designing the PCB board file and sending it directly to the circuit board factory for processing. The internationally popular method is to convert the PCB board file to a GERBER file. After designing the drilling data and sending it to the circuit board factory, why do we have to "do this too much"?

Because electronic engineers and PCB engineers have different understanding of PCB, the GERBER file converted by the PCB factory may not be what you want. If you define the parameters of the components in the PCB file when designing the PCB drawing, you don’t want these The parameters are displayed on the finished PCB. You haven't explained them. The PCB factory keeps these parameters on the finished PCB. This is just an example. If you convert the PCB file into a GERBER file, you can avoid such incidents.
The GERBER file is an international standard gerber file format. It contains two formats: RS-274-D and RS-274-X. RS-274-D is called the basic GERBER format, and it must be accompanied by a D code file. Describe a picture completely; RS-274-X is called the extended GERBER format, which itself contains D code information. Commonly used CAD software can generate these two format files.

Drilling data can also be generated by various CAD software, the general format is Excellon; of course, PCB can not be made without drilling data.
Gerber file suffix meaning
GTL-toplayer top level
GBL-bottomlayer bottom layer
GTO-TopOverlay Top screen printing layer
GBO-Bottomlayer bottom silk screen layer
GTP-TopPaste top surface paste (for laser template)
GBP-BottomPaste bottom surface paste
GTS-Topsolder top solder mask (also called anti-tin layer/green oil, negative film)
GBS-BottomSolder Bottom Solder Mask
G1-Midlayer1 Internal wiring layer 1
G2-Midayerr2 internal wiring layer 2
…
GP1-InternalPlane1 internal plane 1 (negative film)
GP2-InternalPlane2 internal plane 2 (negative film)
…
GM1-Mechanical1 Mechanical layer 1
GM2-Mechanical2 Mechanical layer 2
…
GKO-KeepOuter forbidden wiring layer
GG1-DrillGuide Drilling guide layer
GD1-DrillDrawing drilling layer
GPT-Top pad Master
GPB-Bottom pad Master Bottom pad Master

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