kicad

• 生成Gerber文件
• 查看Gerber文件
• 上传Gerber文件

The vast majority of online PCB manufacturers accept Gerber files. Gerber files consists an industry standard, and virtually every PCB CAD application can produce them. In this recipe, you will learn how to export the necessary Gerber files, package them in a Zip archive, and upload them to a manufacturer. For the manufacturer, we will use pcbway.com, but the process is very similar across the industry.

PCBWay is a quality manufacturer located in China. Apart from competitive pricing, they offer a vast range of customisations. While Oshpark aims for simplicity, PCBWay aims to satisfy every conceivable PCB manufacturing desire.

In Pcbnew, to generate the Gerber files, follow this process: 1. Click on the Plotter button in the top toolbar to bring up the Plot window. 2. PCBWay provides information about which Gerber files to produce and the various settings that you will need to enable. Other manufacturers should have similar information available on their website. There are two sets of files that you must create. The first set contains individual files for each layer of the PCB. The second set contains a file for the drill so that the manufacturer can know how to drill the holes and vias. You can see the main Plot window in Figure 31.1. If you are uploading your Gerber to PCBWay, you can set up your Plot window as in this example. Before you click on the Plot button to generate the files, click on the folder button on the top right corner of the window to change the output directory to a new directory. I usually name directories that contain Gerber files 'Gerber'. Once you set the output directory, click on the Plot button. In the output messages text area, you will see green text indicating that the files were created. Do not close this window yet!

Figure 31.1: The Plot window, where you create the individual layer files.

1. You still need to create the drill files, unless your PCB has no holes. Click on the Generate Drill Files button in the bottom of the Plot window to do that. If you are uploading your Gerber to PCBWay, copy the setting from Figure 31.2, and click on Generate Drill File. This file will be stored in the Gerber directory along with the rest of the Gerber files. You can now Close both Drill and Plot windows.

Figure 31.2: The Generate Drill Files window.

1. Use your file manager and go to your project’s directory. Have a look inside the Gerber’s directory and confirm that the Gerber files are there. Figure 31.3: The Gerber files inside the Gerber directory.
2. Next, you must create a Zip archive that contains the Gerber directory with all the files in it. In Ubuntu, this can be done with a right-click, and by choosing the 'Compress…' option (Figure 31.4). The Gerber.zip files should be in your project directory (or wherever your archiving utility stored it).

Figure 31.4: Create a Zip archive of the Gerber directory.

1. Upload the Zip file to a service like gerblook.org to ensure that they are correct. Gerblook will render the board layers, and you can visually inspect potential issues. You are now ready to order your PCB from an online manufacturer using your Gerber files archive. To learn how to do this with pcbway.com please read the next recipe.
2. How to manufacture a PCB with PCBWay Now that you have a Zip file that contains your project Gerber files, you can proceed with the upload process. PCBWay wants you to provide some information about your board first before you upload the Zip file. You will need to find out your board’s dimensions, how many layers it has, and decide about the board thickness (Figure 32.1).

Figure 32.1: PCBWay requires some information before you upload your Gerber’s.

Follow this process to find out the dimensions of your board and complete the ordering process:

1. Open your PCB project in Pcbnew.
2. Use the Measure Distance tool ( ) from the right toolbar to measure the width and length of your PCB.

Figure 32.2: Use the Measuring tool to find out the dimensions of your board.

1. Type in the length and width values in the form (Figure 32.3). Choose your desired quantity, number of layers and thickness (1.6mm is a good standard value, only change it if you have a good reason for doing so). Click on Quote Now to go to the quotation page.

   Figure 32.3: The PCB prototype form filled in.

2. The Quote page can be overwhelming at first (Figure 32.4). Most of the default settings are safe to keep. The only change that I make is to select the HASL lead-free surface finish since I try to work in a lead-free environment. This page does give you a good overview of the kind of customisations that are possible with PCBWay and why they are worth considering for your project. You can make boards on aluminium or rig-flex boards, with a large variety of thicknesses, solder mask colours, and surface finishes. They even support black silkscreen! When you are ready, click on the 'Add to cart' button (not showing in Figure 32.4, this button is on a side panel). This will take you to the upload page. Figure 32.4:Most default options are safe to keep, except for the surface finish.
3. In the next step, you are prompted to upload the Gerber Zip archive. Figure 32.5: PCBWay upload facility.
4. When the upload is complete, PCBWay’s engineers will check your project to ensure that it is technically valid and manufacturable. You will not be able to check out and pay for your boards until the audit is completed (Figure 32.6). Figure 32.6: Your PCB project is subject to an audit by PCBWay’s engineers before you can checkout.

The audit process usually takes a few hours to complete. If all goes well, you will receive an email advising you that you can complete the checkout. Once paid, you’ll have your boards in a few weeks.