Getting a Gerber File produced

Thread Starter

easilyconfused

Joined Mar 25, 2015
16
Hi, I'm a total newbie and I've nutted out a simple op amp circuit on my breadboard (eventually)

Now I want to get half a dozen pcb's made. Where can I go to have a Gerber File produced ?

Please don't suggest doing it myself with Eagle etc, because I've had a look at various software, and, at this stage it is beyond me

Appreciating your help
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Hi, I'm a total newbie and I've nutted out a simple op amp circuit on my breadboard (eventually)

Now I want to get half a dozen pcb's made. Where can I go to have a Gerber File produced ?

Please don't suggest doing it myself with Eagle etc, because I've had a look at various software, and, at this stage it is beyond me

Appreciating your help
Do you have a schematic of your circuit? Post it here. Maybe someone will offer to whip one up.
 

Thread Starter

easilyconfused

Joined Mar 25, 2015
16
Thanks for your reply GopherT

I didn't post in order to score a freebie. I genuinely need to find a place that can produce one for me.

I'm obviously doing something wrong, because my breadboard circuit works but when I try to solder up a prototype board I cannot get it to work properly.
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
If you provide a schematic and bill of materials I can get you some boards made/designed for a cost..
I can make the gerbers and I have a very low cost (but high quality) circuit board fabricator that I use all the time.
PM me if you want to move forward.. Include a link to the schematic and bill of materials in the PM.
I'll give you a quote on getting 10 boards made.

Note: I will not check your schematic for you.. so if its not right and the boards don't work.. that would be your problem.. not mine
Might want to be dead sure that the schematic is correct/usable.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Thanks for your reply GopherT

I didn't post in order to score a freebie. I genuinely need to find a place that can produce one for me.

I'm obviously doing something wrong, because my breadboard circuit works but when I try to solder up a prototype board I cannot get it to work properly.
I didn't say it would be free. Note that to get a Gerber file, whoever makes that also has to convert your schematic to a PCB layout and then generate a gerber file.

You will need a clear idea of how big you want the board (smaller is cheaper), exactly where on the PCB you want the input & output connectors and the model numbers of those connectors and the pin assignments.
All the sensors, and displays and power connectors must be known as well.

There is only so much room on the board and the mechanical fit is a key constrain in how the board is layer out. You don't want the display upside down or the power cord coming into the top of a device that hangs on a wall.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
Post the schematic and the bill of materials and I'd be happy to do it up in Altium for you as soon as I get a chance.

In order to get Gerber files you need to first have a layout. If you plan on doing this again you'd be better off learning the software used to design your own. It may be beyond you right now, but this forum (and the rest of the internet) is here to help you learn how to use it.
 
There are plenty of free pcb cad programs around.
Try a few and stick with the one you find easiest.
There is always a learning curve with any cad software.
 

kubeek

Joined Sep 20, 2005
5,794
Now I want to get half a dozen pcb's made. Where can I go to have a Gerber File produced ?
So do you already have the gerbers, or at least the board designed in some software and you are looking for a pcb manufacturer?

Or are you looking for how to make the board design?
 
Gerber is a file format. To produce the PCB multiple files are sent to the manufacturer each specifying a different part of the process.

For a single sided board, you would need a minimum of:

The outline and any cut outs file
The silk screen
The drill file (it''s not Gerber)
The component side

and a file that contains manufacturing instructions. Usually this is sent in ZIP format. The extensions of the layers may be fixed by the manufacture. Some board manufacturers accept, say Eagle files directly.
 
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