-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
XNC Format: Gerber Takes Data Into the Future
May 20, 2019 | Denis Morin, Karel Tavernier, Jean-Pierre Charras, and Marius MatiocEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Gerber is the world’s favourite data exchange format for PCB image data: it’s easy to use, crystal clear, and gives designers and engineers an unequivocal language with which to communicate with each other. And this grand old man of the PCB industry has remained at the forefront, powered by ongoing developments that add capability and functionality without ever compromising its characteristic simplicity and ease of use.
It’s the ideal solution for transferring drill data too, as can be seen from scanning the specification. And many in the PCB industry use it for just this, but the majority are still transferring their routing and drilling coordinates using NC formats. These were never designed for data transfer, and more often than not create confusion and waste time.
Some argue that Gerber files, unlike NC files, can’t be sent to a drilling machine. True enough, but PCB manufacturers never send their clients’ incoming files to their machines anyway. Instead, the data goes through the CAM process and is then altered and output as is appropriate to the manufacturer’s specific production line. For CAD, the question should not be which format is best for the machines, but rather which format is best for input into CAM. As we’ve said, this is undoubtedly Gerber.
So, why are CAD developers and their users still stuck on NC formats? It’s most likely a question of inertia or tradition. Drill information has been transferred for decades using NC formats, principally Excellon (hence the generic use of the name “Excellon” for “NC files”), that are similar to the 1985 IPC-NC349 specification. Also, there’s still a lot of legacy software out there, so NC files will likely be with us for a while.
The Problem With Existing NC Specifications
The problem is that so many NC files are of deplorable quality because the NC format was never designed as a data transfer format. It has always been a machine driver and contains all sorts of information that a drilling machine needs, but that is irrelevant and confusing for data exchange. For example, CAD software will typically ask users to specify whether routing should be achieved using nibbling or slot creation and which drill feeds and speeds are to be used. These are decisions that only the fabricator can make, and yet many CAD professionals will feel duty bound to give some sort of answer, which will inevitably be wrong.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the April 2019 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Stan Rak: Elevating the Ideas and Insights of IPC's Thought Leaders Program
04/25/2024 | Stanton Rak, SF Rak CompanyAs a member of the IPC Thought Leaders Program (TLP), I am responsible for identifying knowledge-sharing opportunities that can generate ideas and insights that strengthen the IPC community as well as create a sustainable and lasting future for its members. I am delighted to highlight some of my recent contributions as a member of the TLP.
Alternative Manufacturing Inc. Awarded QML Requalification to IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610
04/24/2024 | IPCIPC's Validation Services Program has awarded an IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) requalification to Alternative Manufacturing Inc (AMI).
IPC Design Competition Champion Crowned at IPC APEX EXPO 2024
04/24/2024 | IPCAt IPC APEX EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, California, five competitors squared off to determine who was the best of the best at PCB design.
Big Win for Defense Production Act Budget Allocation in FY24 Budget
04/23/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamOne year ago, President Biden issued a determination that chips and packaging are critical for national security. Since that time, much work has been done to continue the conversation in Washington, elevating the importance of the entire chips value chain, and including printed circuit boards and substrates, without which chips cannot operate.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: A Conversation with IPC's CEO: New Venue, Sustainability, and More
04/23/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOBarry Matties hosts Dr. John W. Mitchell, CEO of IPC, on the final day of IPC APEX EXPO 2024. They discuss the new venue in Anaheim and broach a range of topics, from traffic and booth experiences to workforce development, sustainability, and the CHIPS Act. And they offer advice for newcomers as IPC looks forward to an even better show experience next year.