Hi,
I was creating a gerber file for my pcb. Since I am planning to use seeedstudio fusion fabrication services, I saw their tutorial for KiCAD gerber generation here and the actual list of files required here.
But instead of getting “drill_file.TXT” file, I am getting ‘.drl’ file and instead of “board_outline.gml/.gko” file I am getting ‘.gm1’. Do you suppose that these substitute files are the same files as required. Will they work instead.
Thanks,
Arvind Gupta
Your FORMATS are not mismatched - only the names and extensions.
The filenames, and extensions, have no particular significance in KiCAD. They are all Gerber files. (OK, the Excellon Drill File is not a Gerber file.)
One weakness of the Gerber file format is that there is nothing in the file to tell you which layer it represents. Seeedstudio is using the extensions to indicate which layer the file contains. As long as you know which layer is in each file you can change the file names and extensions using your usual file handling tools (e.g., Windows File Mangler, etc).
Make sure you have an actual “Drill File”, not a “Drill Map” file.
Tip: On each layer in the PCB drawing, place graphic text to identify the layer. Place the text outside, but close to, the board outline. If the filenames get switched, or you get a little confused by the colors in your Gerber viewer, the text will tell you (or the board fabricator) which layer you’re looking at. See atch.
Dale
