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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Finished boards

From: James <bitsyboffin@...>
Date: 2016-02-29

> I'm curious what software are you using to have the boards made? 

PCB fabricators usually accept Gerber files, which any good PCB cad tool will export.  Some also will accept your actual source files (Eagle in your case), but that's risky if you ask me, you can never know if random Chinese bloke in the factory will generate the artwork correctly if you just give them your sources.  Better to generate the gerbers yourself and check them in a gerber viewer before you send them away.

Usually you would export the layers for a 2-layer board as separate gerber files...

  Board Outline 
  Silk Top
  Silk Bottom
  Mask Top
  Mask Bottom
  Copper Top
  Copper Bottom

and then a drill file for the holes, and slots if any.   Some fabs might allow two drill files, one for unplated and one for plated holes.

What the files are called depends on the fab, usually it's just different file extensions, the following are loosely standardised

  .GTO and .GBO for top and bottom silk
  .GTS and .GBS for top and bottom mask
  .GTL and .GBL for top and bottom copper
  .GML/GKO/GBR/GM1 for the board outline itself
  .TXT for the N/C Drill file of the holes







On Mon, Feb 29, 2016 at 8:53 PM, Bill Verstelle verstelle@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

I'm curious what software are you using to have the boards made? That would be another learning curve for me. Right now I use Eagle cad but I can only do basic work on it right now.  
Bill N7OQ

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 28, 2016, at 5:57 AM, richard@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

I'm really not wanting to start a war, or drag up discussions that have already been fully discussed, so please ignore or delete if this if it's contentious.

I've spent 40+ years in the electronics industry, and made my own home boards through a lot of that, but have you seen the price you can buy finished boards for now?. It really questions whether if it is financially worth making your own. As an example, Pcbway will make 10off through hole plated boards, up to 100mm x 100mm (4" sq), solder resist both sides, legend both sides, routed how you want, for 13 US dollars and quality is excellent. Bigger boards are more expensive, but still rediculously cheap compared to domestic boards. ITead are even cheaper and there are many more Chinese companies making cheap boards of good quality. Only downer is delivery - you've got to wait ~3 weeks or pay 25 dollars for a courier.