On Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 04:28 AM, Jim Pruitt wrote:
Can anyone tell me how to correctly merge 2 GBR files into one file?? I have a project from a web site.? The designer sent me the gerbers but the project lacks a top solder mask.? Also when the designer made the original boards 15 years ago he split the top layer into 2 separate files.? Since the top layer is MOSTLY ground plane (but not completely) I could not figure out why he has a ground.gbr which is the top layer ground plane but also has a compside.gbr for the 3 or 4 runs that do not tie to that top ground plane.? He used a pcb program from that time but I had never heard of it.? As you might guess,? no board house I found would even touch that.? JLCPCB finally told me to go back and put that top layer into one file and then resubmit it.? I have Kicad 6.? The designer did not share his project file or any schematic file.? The gerbers consisted of the bottom layer (solder.gbr) and a solder mask for that bottom layer (mask.gbr) and then the 2 top layer files (compside.gbr and ground.gbr).? I was hoping I could take a text editor (Notepad++) and merge/combine those 2 top layer gerber files but not sure what I am doing or how to do it.? I did some comparison and both files started out with the same 20 or so first items but then some items were different after that.? The board is a 2 layer board for through hole components so no smt parts involved.
Also how can I make the top layer solder mask be created since none was included?? Or is it even possible without having the schematic file and a complete project?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Jim Pruitt
Jim,
If the board
isn't too large and complicated, I'd consider just using Kicad to redraw the board and create new Gerbers from that.? I've done that on a couple of old magazine projects in which the pro
ject files weren't availabe.? You don't need a schematic to just draw a board from scratch.??
I don't know if Kicad allows you to place an image on the board space, but if it does, I'd suggest that you use a Gerber viewer (I use Gerbv) to create an image file (Gerbv can export files to .PNG, .PDF, .SVG, etc.), then draw the traces and pads over the image.? Then, you'd have everything you need for the fab house to build a good board.
Of course, a complicated board makes the task quite tedious, but this might be the best solution in the end.
My $0.02 worth,
DaveM
