Gerber Merging Tool / CAM for Linux

Layout Gerbers (GerbView)
1

Hello folks,

I want to ask which programs you use to merge Gerber files. We are ordering more and more PCBs and at this point it makes total sense to merge Gerbers and make panels out of different designs. We do this with pcbnew so far but the possibilites are limited, so I am wondering what everyone is using. Our budget is < 500 USD.

I found the free tool called GerbMerge but it is command line and also very limited in features. A graphical UI would be great.

I am thankful for any suggestions! :blush:

2

What are the limitations? You may be able to overcome them with python in pcbnew.

3

Greg,
there are two main limitations in my point of view: Firstly, if you append a couple of designs or even just try to replicate one design over and over the whole program gets considerably slow. I once made a 20 x 20cm panel (fits exactly in our oven) that had small mini PCBs in a 9 x 8 grid and it took around 1.5hrs to load and any time I wanted to move around anything it took minutes to even select layers.

The second limitation is that it is generally hard to properly select and move around layers in pcbnew. Especially with tight designs, so that you have to zoom in to select the correct edge or corner but then zoom out again to select the whole design.

I think pcbnew is just not the right program for this. It makes more sense to work with Gerber files as a whole.

Does that make sense to you? What would your ideas be regarding python in pcbnew?

4

That makes sense. With python, you may be able to programmatically construct the merge and output Gerber and (possibly) eliminate the need to load it.

It’d be quite an effort and more than $500 of development time to create.

5

[quote=“osterchrisi, post:1, topic:8649”]
I found the free tool called GerbMerge but it is command line and also very limited in features. A graphical UI would be great.[/quote]

source: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/gerbmerge-1-9-4-(a-command-line-tool-to-merge-multiple-rs-274x-gerber-files)/

Wouldn’t the most logical path be, to write a wrapper in python that takes care of the GUI part to control the command line modules?

OT: that this is not more popular is probably because of the need for tools like this mostly coming from professional operations and not the amateur/hobby crowd. With KiCAD attracting ever more professionals though, this will change and a tool like this will appear within the realms of KiCAD.
If the GerbMerge code is any good, maybe it can be used?

PS: there also is a tool by ThisIsNotRocketScience… http://blog.thisisnotrocketscience.nl/projects/pcb-panelizer/ (C#, Mono)