What is a Gerber File?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAccording to Wikipedia, a Gerber File, also called the Gerber Format<\/strong>, is a dedicated file format used to specify the design formats for a Printed Circuit Board. The Gerber Viewer PCB format is usually in the form of an open, ASCII, and vector format.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is common for the PCB manufacturer<\/a> to make provisions for an online, free Gerber viewer, which you can use to maximize the outcome of the circuit board designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/swimbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Gerber-Viewer-PCB.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Relevance of the Gerber Viewer in the PCB Industry<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nHave you ever wondered why most circuit board manufacturers hit hard on using the Gerber Viewer to ascertain the content of the Gerber File? Do you know why the Gerber File is even required in the first place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below are some of the top reasons why the Gerber Viewer is important for PCB fabrication<\/a> and design:<\/p>\n\n\n\nIndustry Standard<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Gerber Viewer, is first of all, an industry standard in the PCB market, in the sense that it is the de facto standard<\/strong> that helps to specify important images and sections of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome of these image specifications include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Drill data<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Copper layers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Legend and;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Solder mask<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Importance of Gerber Viewer in PCB Fabrication<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe fabrication processes of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) can be scaled if the Gerber Viewer is used to streamline the process. At the core of the viewer\u2019s relevance in this regard is the fact that it helps to fine-tune the fabrication data for the boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRequest PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe Gerber Viewer PCB Formats and Extensions<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are two (2) major generations or formats of the Gerber Viewer. These are generally classified into the Extended Gerber<\/strong> and the Standard Gerber<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is important to mention that the Extended Gerber format is the one being used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a breakdown of how these two generations of Gerber Viewer PCB formats work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. <\/strong>Standard Gerber<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThis used to be the core or primary Gerber Viewer format, until 2014 when it was revoked. During the time of use, the Standard Gerber Viewer format<\/strong> was a simplified ASCII format that comprised of XY coordinates and commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAt the time of use, the Standard Gerber format was a subset of the Electronic Industries Association RS-247-D specification and was quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The revoking of this format was because of the introduction of the advanced Extended Gerber format in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/swimbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/6-Layer-PCB-2.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n2. <\/strong>Extended Gerber<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Extended Gerber Viewer format<\/strong>, launched in 1998, became an advanced variant of the Standard Gerber and is still in use till this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne of the hallmarks of the Extended Gerber\u2019s success is the extension of the graphics format in 2014. This extension allowed the Extended Gerber format to support the addition of meta-information or additional metadata to the graphics objects or to the image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below are some of the attributes of the Extended Gerber format:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Superimposition<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe Extended Gerber format has a human-readable ASCII format, which consists of the streams of commands that generate an ordered stream of graphics objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is important to mention that this format also allows for these graphics objects to either be negative or positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Either way, the final image can be created, only if these graphics objects are superimposed in the right order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is common for the PCB manufacturer<\/a> to make provisions for an online, free Gerber viewer, which you can use to maximize the outcome of the circuit board designs.<\/p>\n\n\n Have you ever wondered why most circuit board manufacturers hit hard on using the Gerber Viewer to ascertain the content of the Gerber File? Do you know why the Gerber File is even required in the first place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are some of the top reasons why the Gerber Viewer is important for PCB fabrication<\/a> and design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gerber Viewer, is first of all, an industry standard in the PCB market, in the sense that it is the de facto standard<\/strong> that helps to specify important images and sections of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of these image specifications include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fabrication processes of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) can be scaled if the Gerber Viewer is used to streamline the process. At the core of the viewer\u2019s relevance in this regard is the fact that it helps to fine-tune the fabrication data for the boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two (2) major generations or formats of the Gerber Viewer. These are generally classified into the Extended Gerber<\/strong> and the Standard Gerber<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to mention that the Extended Gerber format is the one being used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is a breakdown of how these two generations of Gerber Viewer PCB formats work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This used to be the core or primary Gerber Viewer format, until 2014 when it was revoked. During the time of use, the Standard Gerber Viewer format<\/strong> was a simplified ASCII format that comprised of XY coordinates and commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time of use, the Standard Gerber format was a subset of the Electronic Industries Association RS-247-D specification and was quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The revoking of this format was because of the introduction of the advanced Extended Gerber format in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n The Extended Gerber Viewer format<\/strong>, launched in 1998, became an advanced variant of the Standard Gerber and is still in use till this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the hallmarks of the Extended Gerber\u2019s success is the extension of the graphics format in 2014. This extension allowed the Extended Gerber format to support the addition of meta-information or additional metadata to the graphics objects or to the image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are some of the attributes of the Extended Gerber format:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Extended Gerber format has a human-readable ASCII format, which consists of the streams of commands that generate an ordered stream of graphics objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to mention that this format also allows for these graphics objects to either be negative or positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Either way, the final image can be created, only if these graphics objects are superimposed in the right order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Relevance of the Gerber Viewer in the PCB Industry<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Industry Standard<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Importance of Gerber Viewer in PCB Fabrication<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Gerber Viewer PCB Formats and Extensions<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. <\/strong>Standard Gerber<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n2. <\/strong>Extended Gerber<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Superimposition<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/swimbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-1.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n