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March 1999

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Subject:
From:
Matthew Lamkin <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
TechNet E-Mail Forum.
Date:
Thu, 25 Mar 1999 09:24:10 -0000
Content-Type:
text/plain
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text/plain (143 lines)
RS-274X Nah, your not still sending out that old technology are
you???.... ;-)

<Waffle mode ON>
I too am a great fan of the embedded apertures version Gerber file, it
has a far better chance of being more accurate than relying upon someone
typing in an aperture file correctly.

However I like to go one step further in the data chain with my Gerber
DATA, as (bar one) all the PCB & solder paste screen manufacturers that
I have come into contact with use GC-CAM to do thier panel layouts etc I
find it much
better to send them a CWK/GWK file created by GC-Prevue (thier freely
downloadable Gerber viewer program).

Using GC-Prevue enables me to check that the Gerber files that I create
are correct, make any last minute modifications that I had missed, make
some alterations that my CAD package could not, do my own
step & repeat (helps confirm initial panel sizes), and lots more
besides.

I then save all the Gerber data that my CAD package produced into one
easily viewable file that I then send to the manufacturer who can load
the data instantly without messing, we can both then confer about any
queries as we both have the same data on screen. And its a great boon in
the fact that I can then be sent the stepped & repeated panel to check
and confirm that it suits my manufacturing requirements before even
photoplots are done.
It also enable me to see panels a lot better than a faxed checkplot (its
1:1 & saves a lot of cock ups).

The only problem that I have with this procedure (and I have had it made
a company procedure) is that some of the smaller local fab houses are
still using old DOS based versions of GC-CAM & cannot read my files. so
I have to revert to them thar old extended gerber files. I would rather
that they upgrade as they do lose some work through not fitting in with
this method.

I dont want to be accused of advertising Graphicode products (a cheque
will do GC!), I tried some of the other
Gerber viewers but none of them were as compatable as this (It may be
different for you though).

Now I know that I seem to have waffled a bit off track, the origional
question being about using RS-274X but after
using RS274D for what seemed an eternity of problems and then finding it
suddenly got better when RS-274X came
along and then going one step further I just couldn't help but to share
the benifits of doing this.

As for file compression when sending, .ZIP is the only one for me with
both PKzip & WinZIP being so widespead
why use anything else, Wel actually I do - I use "EasyZIP 98" it does
everything that I did with the others, and this too is freeware.

Before you ask, yes I do actually run software that is paid for. Now all
I want is Linux, "Cadstar for Linux", etc.
(I'm not saying that my boss is tight, but - oh well go on then, yes he
is....)

<Waffle mode OFF>



T.T.F.N

Matthew Lamkin
Printed Circuit Board Draughtsman
Protec Fire Detection PLC
Churchill Way,
Nelson, Lancs
BB9 6RT.
Tel 01282 717393
Fax 01282 717273
Email = [log in to unmask]

Company Web Site = http://www.protec-fire-detection.plc.uk


>-----Original Message-----
>From:  Hiteshew, Michael [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:  Wednesday, March 24, 1999 4:21 PM
>To:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject:       Re: [TN] RS274X format...
>
>> Steve Gregory wrote:
>        <snip>
>        ...yes there may some apertures that aren't
>> loading, but maybe they're not supposed to...for whatever reason. Why
>> there
>> would be apertures in a gerber file that's not supposed to be used I have
>> no
>> clue...but I've had files like that before...
>        <snip>
>
>     Steve,
>        Some of the cad software I've used will try to process data into the
>gerber
>     file that the user has "zero'd out", or given a zero length, width,
>diameter or hieght
>     attribute to. These show up in the gerber anyway, usually as draws or
>flashes of
>     the smallest available aperture. This is possibly what you're seeing.
>        I'd like to use this opportunity to ask how RS274X format is being
>received.
>    Would anyone like to respond as to whether you you find it easier to
>work with
>    compared to standard gerber and aperture table formats?
>        Also, I'd like to ask what data compression format is preferred.
>From the
>    choices of PKzip(file.zip), GNU zip (file.gz), or unix tar and compress
>(file.tar.Z)
>    which would you most like to have?
>
>   - Mike Hiteshew
>
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