Professional PCB Manufacturing from Your Gerber Files - Fast, Reliable, and Affordable
Converting Gerber files to physical PCBs is the essential bridge between electronic design and manufacturing. Whether you're a professional engineer or hobbyist, understanding the Gerber to PCB process ensures successful fabrication of your printed circuit boards. With professional services like Gerber to PCB manufacturing, you can transform your design files into high-quality boards with precision and speed for any application.
Gerber to PCB conversion is the process of transforming Gerber files (RS-274X format) into physical printed circuit boards through manufacturing. Gerber files contain all the essential information about your PCB design, including copper traces, pads, vias, silkscreen markings, soldermask patterns, and drill holes. Modern PCB manufacturers use these industry-standard files to precisely fabricate boards that match your exact specifications, ensuring every connection, component placement, and design detail is accurately reproduced on the finished product.
Export your PCB design as Gerber files from your CAD software (Altium, KiCad, Eagle, OrCAD). Ensure all layers are included: copper, soldermask, silkscreen, and drill files.
Use a Gerber viewer to verify layer integrity, check drill alignment, validate clearances, and ensure no missing or corrupted data before submission.
Upload your Gerber files to the manufacturer's platform. Receive an instant quote based on board dimensions, layers, quantity, and specifications.
Choose PCB parameters: layer count, board thickness, copper weight, surface finish (HASL, ENIG, OSP), soldermask color, and silkscreen options.
Manufacturers perform Design for Manufacturing checks to identify potential issues, verify manufacturability, and ensure optimal production quality.
Your PCBs are manufactured using photolithography, etching, drilling, and finishing processes. Quality inspection precedes packaging and shipping to your location.
Smartphones, tablets, wearables, and smart home devices requiring compact, multi-layer PCBs with high-density interconnects.
PLC controllers, sensor networks, motor drives, and robotic systems demanding reliable, ruggedized circuit boards.
Engine control units, infotainment systems, ADAS, and EV battery management requiring automotive-grade quality standards.
Diagnostic equipment, patient monitors, imaging systems, and implantable devices with stringent regulatory compliance needs.
Network routers, base stations, fiber optic equipment, and 5G infrastructure requiring high-frequency performance.
Avionics, radar systems, satellite communications, and military equipment demanding extreme reliability and environmental resilience.
Connected sensors, smart meters, environmental monitors, and edge computing devices requiring low-power designs.
Power supplies, inverters, converters, and charging systems requiring heavy copper and thermal management.
LED drivers, display panels, architectural lighting, and automotive lighting systems with aluminum or copper-core PCBs.
Professional audio mixers, amplifiers, digital signal processors, and high-fidelity consumer audio systems.
Rapid prototyping for product development, proof-of-concept boards, and research applications requiring fast turnaround.
University research, maker projects, Arduino shields, and STEM education platforms for hands-on electronics learning.
| Specification | Standard Options | Advanced Options |
|---|---|---|
| Layer Count | 1-4 layers | 6-32+ layers |
| Board Thickness | 0.8mm, 1.6mm | 0.4mm - 3.2mm |
| Copper Weight | 1oz (35μm) | 0.5oz - 6oz (18-210μm) |
| Surface Finish | HASL, Lead-free HASL | ENIG, OSP, Immersion Silver/Tin, Hard Gold |
| Minimum Trace/Space | 6/6 mil (0.15mm) | 3/3 mil - 2/2 mil (0.075-0.05mm) |
| Minimum Drill Size | 0.3mm | 0.15mm - 0.2mm |
| Soldermask Color | Green, Red, Blue, Black, White | Yellow, Matte Black, Purple, Transparent |
| Silkscreen Color | White, Black | Yellow, Red, Blue (depends on soldermask) |
| Board Material | FR-4 Standard Tg | High Tg FR-4, Rogers, Aluminum, Flexible |
| Via Types | Through-hole vias | Blind, Buried, Micro-vias |
A Gerber file is the standard format used to describe PCB design layers for manufacturing. It contains information about copper traces, pads, silkscreen, soldermask, and drill holes needed to fabricate the physical board. The RS-274X extended Gerber format is now the industry standard, replacing the older RS-274D format.
To convert Gerber files to PCB, export your design files from PCB software, verify them with a Gerber viewer, upload to a PCB manufacturer, specify board parameters (layers, thickness, finish), and place your order. The manufacturer uses these files to fabricate your physical PCB through photolithography and chemical etching processes.
You need Gerber files for all copper layers, soldermask layers, silkscreen layers, plus an Excellon drill file. A complete set includes: GTL (top copper), GBL (bottom copper), GTO (top silkscreen), GBO (bottom silkscreen), GTS (top soldermask), GBS (bottom soldermask), and TXT drill file. For multi-layer boards, include internal layer files (G1, G2, etc.).
Standard PCB manufacturing from Gerber files typically takes 5-10 business days. Express services can deliver in 24-48 hours for simple designs, while prototype services usually complete within 2-5 days depending on complexity, layer count, and specifications. Complex multi-layer or HDI boards may require 2-3 weeks.
PCB manufacturing costs vary based on size, layers, quantity, and specifications. Simple 2-layer prototypes (10 pieces, 100x100mm) start around $5-20, while complex multi-layer boards can range from $50-500+ for small quantities. Bulk orders significantly reduce per-unit costs. Factors affecting price include board area, layer count, copper weight, surface finish, and turnaround time.
Yes, you can use free Gerber viewer software like KiCad Gerbview, ViewMate, or online viewers to inspect your Gerber files before sending them to manufacturing. This helps verify layer alignment, check for design errors, measure trace widths and clearances, and ensure all required layers are present and correctly formatted.
Common PCB specifications include: number of layers (1-32+), board thickness (0.4-3.2mm), copper weight (0.5-6oz), surface finish (HASL, ENIG, OSP, Immersion Silver), soldermask color (green, red, blue, black, white, yellow), silkscreen color, minimum trace/space widths, and board material (FR-4, High Tg, Rogers, Aluminum, Flexible).
Popular PCB design software that exports Gerber files includes: Altium Designer, KiCad, Eagle (Autodesk Fusion 360), OrCAD, Proteus, EasyEDA, DipTrace, PADS, Pulsonix, and DesignSpark PCB. All professional PCB design tools support RS-274X Gerber format output, which is the manufacturing industry standard.
Ensure quality by: running DRC (Design Rule Check) in your PCB software, verifying all layers in a Gerber viewer, confirming drill file alignment with copper layers, checking minimum clearances meet manufacturer capabilities, validating file naming conventions, using CAM processing tools, and requesting DFM (Design for Manufacturing) analysis from your manufacturer before production.
Common errors include: missing layers (especially soldermask or silkscreen), incorrect file format (RS-274D instead of RS-274X), misaligned drill holes, insufficient clearances between traces or pads, missing or incorrect aperture lists, inverted polarity on negative layers, incomplete file sets, and outdated coordinate formats. Always verify files in a viewer before submission.
Professional manufacturers employ rigorous quality control processes including automated optical inspection (AOI), electrical testing, and manual inspection to ensure every PCB meets specifications. ISO 9001 certification guarantees consistent quality standards across production batches.
Modern PCB fabrication facilities offer rapid prototyping with 24-48 hour express services for urgent projects. Standard production timelines of 5-10 days allow efficient project planning while maintaining quality. Online instant quoting systems streamline the ordering process.
Volume pricing, panelization options, and competitive manufacturing in Asia significantly reduce per-unit costs. Prototype services eliminate expensive tooling fees for small quantities. Free DFM analysis prevents costly design errors before production begins.
Experienced engineers provide DFM feedback, suggest optimizations, and answer technical questions throughout the manufacturing process. CAM engineers verify files and identify potential issues before production. Customer service assists with specifications and material selection.
Access to HDI technology, controlled impedance, heavy copper, flexible circuits, and exotic materials. Support for complex designs including blind/buried vias, micro-vias, and fine-pitch features down to 2/2 mil trace/space. Assembly services available for turnkey solutions.
Worldwide delivery with multiple shipping options from economy to express courier. Reliable logistics partners ensure safe transit with tracking. Customs documentation support for international orders. Local warehousing in key regions reduces shipping times.
Get instant quotes, professional DFM analysis, and fast turnaround for your next project.
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