PCB Manufacturing Help Needed - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 11:25:15 am
content: Hi AllI have sent gerber files to a company to manufacture PCBs and they have come back with this" Our engineer checked your gerber file. And, it's a working gerber.But, we also need your original gerber file for production "should the working gerber be all they need or can I convert these into manufacturing files ?

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 11:31:14 am
content: The question doesnt really make sense with the limited context,Are you sure they are not asking about a layer you have forgotten to add?In general the gerber files you provide is what you want made and is the "Production Gerbers"As they are asking for gerbers it also sounds like they are not asking for the original design files, but for a clarification, or something that was not included. e.g. providing 2 silkscreen layers, but 1 copper layer may confuse a board house even if its a single sided PCB

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 11:47:20 am
content: HiThanks for the replyI modified the original gerber to remove the some of the silk screen, could this be causing the problem ?

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 11:49:47 am
content: I would say yes, I do not know how you modified it, but it may have changed that one file to not be supported by there software.Can you edit it in the design files, and re-export itIf not, can you give them the original and ask to edit it to what you desire? (There tools allow them to edit your files, you may even be able to ask for an edited copy back)

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:05:36 pm
content: Here's what I have These are in .txt all of them.2rlblbobsdrlkoko2tltotsViewmate deluxe was used to import, remove a bit of text from the silk screen and saved again.in altium & viewmate opens the files and you can see everything layers etc fine but what is the "original file" they're after? because all i have is the files listed above.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:24:55 pm
content: Again, can you not edit the silkscreen in your cad package, If your using a cheap pcb fab, a number of them use an older non genuine copy of software that has compatibility bugs that cad manufacturers have worked around on export. while it may show fine for you, it may be garbled on the software they use for internal production.

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:28:26 pm
content: I'm getting in touch to ask them what software they're using as it could be that reason or they just don't understand thatthe "b" is bottom, "t" is top; "o" is overlay, "s" is soldermask, "l" is copper layer, "ko" are keepout, the drl/2rl are likely NC drill files ("excellon")

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:31:37 pm
content: You would make an excellent politician, So many questions dodged for an X/Y issue.

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:45:38 pm
content: I'm sorry I didn't mean to avoid answering any questions, i'm just a bit clueless. The files were made by a third party who i no longer have dealings with and I'm a bit over my head.When you say edit silkscreen do you mean remove one of the layers which you said might be confusing them?I appreciate the help a lot.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 12:50:02 pm
content: That silkscreen layer you edited may have added data that is not supported by there software, or may have been flagged simply because it was different from the others,When i say they can edit it, I mean they can tweak your silkscreen if that is the issue, they already do it to add things like an identifier to your board. e.g. remove that bit of text(my spidey senses tells me this is a creators name or a copy-write, but I'll overlook that for now)

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 01:07:07 pm
content: Nothing like that, totally above board but my company name was on it and as I'm sending to china I wanted to keep it low key.

author: chris2006
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 01:12:40 pm
content: You explanation makes sense especially if I edited using the newest software. I will find out what software they use and if not i'll just have to hope the unedited gerber files are correct.

author: vipcircuit.com
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 28, 2018, 08:30:42 am
content: Hi, factory usually needs the original gerber files to do compensation and optimization,such as your original design line is 6mil, if the file you sent to supplier is 6.6mil, it means is a working gerber( used for production),suppliers will be confused,because they don't know what steps and changes have been edited. Every manufacturer's engineering is different,so must use original gerber( design gerber) to do.

author: Gibson486
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2018, 01:43:09 pm
content: Just give them the unedited files and tell them what your intent was. They have the ability to edit gerbers on their own.