Improve the Design and Quality of your PCBs
PCB designers tend to concentrate their attention on electronic parameters. While keeping an eye on the large variety of components available in the market, selecting the most appropriate ones, and updating their component library is important for the design, they should also pay attention to the production capabilities of their PCB Manufacturer.
We highly recommend following some basic guidelines given below before you finalize your data package.
Data Package
- All copper layers
- Solder mask and legend layers
- Board outline or mechanical layer
- SMD paste layers
- Carbon layers
- Peel-off layer
- All in Gerber RS274-X format
- Drill file in Excellon-1 or 2 format with embedded tools list
If possible, avoid sending data in Gerber RS274-D format as it is an obsolete format. If sending data in Gerber RS274-D format, make sure of including the aperture file along with the apertures used in the design.
It is not necessary to send PCB Design data such as Original CAD data, Graphicode GWK files, PDF files, Word files (doc), Excel files (xls), parts lists, placement, and assembly information.
Use a Gerber viewer to check the data before sending it to the supplier. Provide clear and easy-to-understand file naming. Avoid long file names, and use readme files if necessary. Ensure all data is in full-scale (1:1 ratio), with no scaled data. Avoid apertures with zero size (0.00 mm, 0 mils) in Gerber files. Avoid zero-sized tools (0.00 mm, 0 mils) in Excellon files. Use the same offset for all Gerber and Excellon data (preferably zero offset). Use the same units (mm or inch) in Gerber & Excellon files as the CAD software. Ensure the same resolution (grid) for Gerber & Excellon data. Maintain top-to-bottom data for Gerber layers and drill data (text on the top side should be readable, and text on the bottom side should be non-readable).
Wherever possible, check the generated output data (Gerbers & Excellon) with a Gerber viewer before sending to the supplier for PCB production. Make sure to include all instructions and/or other necessary inputs needed for fabricating the boards in the Gerber and Excellon files.
Use clear and easy to understand file naming and try to avoid long file names. Make sure it is easy to determine the layer function from the filename or else add a readme file for file identification. Avoid file names that are too long.
Do not provide scaled data. All data must be in full-scale, that is 1:1 ratio.
Make sure that Gerber files do not contain any apertures with zero-size (0.00 mm, 0 mils) and that Excellon data does not have any zero-sized tools (0.00 mm, 0 mils).
Use the same offset for all Gerber layers and Excellon drill data. Preferably use zero offset.
Use the same units (mm or inch) in Gerber & Excellon output files as in the CAD PCB design software. This will eliminate conversion or rounding errors.
Use the same resolution (grid) for Gerber & Excellon data to allow for a perfect match.
Make sure that data supplied begins from the top of the PCB and follows through to its bottom. Never mirror (or transform) any data layer, whether image or drill. Viewing a PCB from top to bottom through the board is the universal practice in the PCB industry. This means that when viewing Gerber data, text on the top side of the board (copper, solder mask, legend) should be readable and text on the bottom side (copper, solder mask, legend) should be non-readable (= mirrored).
Want to avoid common exceptions while ordering PCBs?
Designing on Kicad?
Click Here For Guidelines Data Package
- All copper layers
- Solder mask and legend layers
- Board outline or mechanical layer
- SMD paste layers
- Carbon layers
- Peel-off layer
- All in Gerber RS274-X format
- Drill file in Excellon-1 or 2 format with embedded tools list
If possible, avoid sending data in Gerber RS274-D format as it is an obsolete format. If sending data in Gerber RS274-D format, make sure of including the aperture file along with the apertures used in the design.
It is not necessary to send PCB Design data such as Original CAD data, Graphicode GWK files, PDF files, Word files (doc), Excel files (xls), parts lists, placement, and assembly information.
Use a Gerber viewer to check the data before sending it to the supplier. Provide clear and easy-to-understand file naming. Avoid long file names, and use readme files if necessary. Ensure all data is in full-scale (1:1 ratio), with no scaled data. Avoid apertures with zero size (0.00 mm, 0 mils) in Gerber files. Avoid zero-sized tools (0.00 mm, 0 mils) in Excellon files. Use the same offset for all Gerber and Excellon data (preferably zero offset). Use the same units (mm or inch) in Gerber & Excellon files as the CAD software. Ensure the same resolution (grid) for Gerber & Excellon data. Maintain top-to-bottom data for Gerber layers and drill data (text on the top side should be readable, and text on the bottom side should be non-readable).
Wherever possible, check the generated output data (Gerbers & Excellon) with a Gerber viewer before sending to the supplier for PCB production. Make sure to include all instructions and/or other necessary inputs needed for fabricating the boards in the Gerber and Excellon files.
Use clear and easy to understand file naming and try to avoid long file names. Make sure it is easy to determine the layer function from the filename or else add a readme file for file identification. Avoid file names that are too long.
Do not provide scaled data. All data must be in full-scale, that is 1:1 ratio.
Make sure that Gerber files do not contain any apertures with zero-size (0.00 mm, 0 mils) and that Excellon data does not have any zero-sized tools (0.00 mm, 0 mils).
Use the same offset for all Gerber layers and Excellon drill data. Preferably use zero offset.
Use the same units (mm or inch) in Gerber & Excellon output files as in the CAD PCB design software. This will eliminate conversion or rounding errors.
Use the same resolution (grid) for Gerber & Excellon data to allow for a perfect match.
Make sure that data supplied begins from the top of the PCB and follows through to its bottom. Never mirror (or transform) any data layer, whether image or drill. Viewing a PCB from top to bottom through the board is the universal practice in the PCB industry. This means that when viewing Gerber data, text on the top side of the board (copper, solder mask, legend) should be readable and text on the bottom side (copper, solder mask, legend) should be non-readable (= mirrored).
Want to avoid common exceptions while ordering PCBs?
Designing on Kicad?
Click Here For Guidelines