PCB layout format...

Hi,
this is my first time to design a layout. I used ultiboard and after i generated gerber files followings were the formats

Top Layer .GBR
Bottom Layer .GBR
Top Soldermask .GBR
Bottom Soldermask .GBR
Top Silkscreen .GBR
Board Outline .GBR
Drill Copper Top- Copper Bottom .GBR
Copper Top- Copper Bottom .DRL

but i checked some company website and they are asking for following format
boardname.GTL Top Layer
boardname.GBL Bottom Layer
boardname.GTS Top Soldermask
boardname.GBS Bottom Soldermask
boardname.GTO Top Silkscreen
boardname.GBO Bottom Silkscreen
boardname.GKO Board Outline
boardname.XLN Drills

can you please explain me how to generate these formats using ultiboard ??

Thanks

Just rename your gerbers according to manufacturers needs.

You must examine what is properly the standards formats generated by ultiboard and which formats such manufacturer works with.
Thereby with that information, you can perform a reliable file conversion, and also allow research for some available tool for automated conversion.


+++

Its just a filename change, as long as you have a list defining what the files are called in relationship to the board structure the manufacturer should be able to work out what is happening.
I use gbr as an extension and a descriptive name, as shown in the top list. Using different extensions for layers is archaic and a pain in the butt, but there are no real defined standards, as long as data is referenced you'll get a board back.

In that case, i wonder how would i change the file name extension for drills. Ultiboard created two files with .drl and .rep extension. But the manufacturer are asking in one file in XLN extension. i thought both .drl and .rep are necessery, no??
I have another issue. my board outline is 30X28 mm. But after i generated the gerber i can see total dimension is larger than that (around 60x40). i have attached the top layer. can you explain how can i reduce that additional space. small dimension is necessery for me. Also what does the circles mean and why they are in 3 corner instead of 4.

Sounds like your drills are in excellon1 format that has the drill hits and a report on their sizes rather than in excellon 2 format where the drill sizes are included in the drill hit file.

As for the size, check your output section and ensure that its doing the output at 1:1 for ALL layers.

A tip - on each layer, outside the board edge enter the name of the layer.
i.e. Top artwork, bottom artwork, top silkscreen etc.
This helps to identify them and is good practise.

Mattylad said:

Sounds like your drills are in excellon1 format that has the drill hits and a report on their sizes rather than in excellon 2 format where the drill sizes are included in the drill hit file.

As for the size, check your output section and ensure that its doing the output at 1:1 for ALL layers.

A tip - on each layer, outside the board edge enter the name of the layer.
i.e. Top artwork, bottom artwork, top silkscreen etc.
This helps to identify them and is good practise.

Click to expand...

hi, i added some text outside my outline but it still coming inside the outline when i create gerber,...



so i don understand where the additional space outside the outline coming from.....is that default ? if so how can i change this setting. someone who use ultiboard may help me.....

do you really want to change the extension to .GTL,.GBL etc? your PCB fabricator can read *.GBR extension also... You may rename the file extension. Different softwares generate gerber files with different extensions...

You only need it once per layer.
Usually bottom left corner about 5mm away from board edge is fine.

I think there must be something wrong with how you are outputting the data, look again at what you are doing, check and double check everything.Ensure you are using 1:1 output not a scale.

And as for the supplier - tell them that they either use ALL .gbr extension (apart from drill files) or get stuffed!
You are the customer and are paying for their service.

Hi,
The problem is solved. It is through this :
Options -> Global Preferences -> PCB Design -> Show Global Fiducial Marks (uncheck)

It was checked by default and i had no idea what did it mean, so did not change this.

@Mattylad, And for the extension, I think you are right. The company is supposed to accept any files and not only specific files. I will knock them regarding this.