Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] From Gerber/Excellon to finished PCB

ghidera2000 wrote:

>I like the looks of Mach2, but it doesn't import Gerber or Excellon.
>
>

Gerber and Excellon formats are both variants of RS-232D, known as
G-code. Therefore, Mach2 will almost be able to handle the code
unchanged.

The Excellon drill format has suppressed decimal points, and executes a
canned cycle for each hole, so only the hole's location needs to be
specified.
(otherwise, it also has tool change commands.) Any block (line of G code)
that has an X, Y or both coordinates tells it to go to that position and
drill
a hole.

The Gerber format is a lot more complicated, but it also uses suppressed
decimal points. (One uses suppressed LEADING digits, the other
suppresses TRAILING digits.) But, the Gerber format can either go
to a location, draw a line, or flash a spot of the currently selected
aperture. RS-274X has some extensions so you can write with one
'pen', and then later erase with another. That has some complicated
ramifications. But, for the most part, aperture definitions are embedded
in the Gerber file.

>Tried DeskPCB to convert to G-Code but it tosses up "Unknown Gcode"
>errors when importing the gerber and can't seem to understand the
>excellon file. Either I get gargantuan holes in the right places, a
>single gargantuan hole in the wrong place, or no holes at all.
>Apparently this has something to do with DeskPCB having only a
>partial implementation of the 274-X standard.
>
>I also tried the KCam4 demo, it seems to have no problem importing
>either of the files. I cut and pasted its G-Code output to a text
>file then loaded that into Mach2, seems to work fine - though I have
>no machine to actually use the g-code with so I can't tell for sure.
>
>

I'm not sure what you want to do with this. I have some elementary programs
that convert paths in a Gerber to something useful in standard G-code, but
for a very limited subset of things. I do have some programs that convert
Excellon drill files to standard G-code, and use it to drill boards.

>Kcam itself seems pretty nice. Only thing is that the trace
>isolation lines isolated the trace into non-existance - i.e. the two
>inner edges of the toolpath met in the center instead of leaving a
>10 mil trace.
>

Then, your cutter is too big. If it is a Vee-point cutter, you are just
running
it too deep. Try reducing the depth it plunges into the work, and it should
do fine.

Jon