Chapter 10 - Artwork Development and Board Fabrication

Abstract

This chapter discusses developing artwork for the board design in detail. It describes taking the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design from the CAD stage through fabrication. A simple design example shows how to produce the artwork (Gerber) files for a PCB design. For most designs and most manufacturers, the artwork and drill files provide enough information for them to fabricate the board. But, under certain circumstances, users may also need to generate an NC route path file for the milling operation used to cut the board from a larger panel or for cutting slots or irregularly shaped drill holes in the board. Along with the components and routed traces, the board contains four mounting holes. The two on the left side of the board are the ones included on the schematic and are component symbols with plated padstack holes. PCB Editor is then used to review the artwork files before they are sent to a manufacturer. PCB Editor is also used to generate a drawing (dfx) file that can be opened and edited with many drawing applications, so they can be 3D modeled to review form, fit, and function. While most board houses follow certain fabrication standards, not all have the same fabrication capabilities. There are also differences in design submission policies and minimum order and billing practices. The chapter also describes how to create a custom report that can be used for pick and place machines during the assembly process. There are many types of pick and place machines, each with its own programming and setup requirements.