When I finished my project I went to OSHpark to order PCBs. They advertise that they accept KiCad board files and so do not have to produce Gerber files. I got a message back that my KiCad version 9.0 they can not do, yet. So I have to supply Gerber files.
I did a Jobset in which I implemented export PCB Gerbers and export Drill data. These are then put in an Archive (zip) file. Along the way I run “Generate”, getting the white on blue check mark, and “Save Jobset”. Okay, I think I am ready to enter this Jobset compressed Gerbers to the OSHpark website. When I click on their download entry box there is a small window that opens up with a list of downloadable files–my Jobset file is not listed. Therefore, how do I manually do a transfer of this Jobset file from KiCad to OSHpark? Thank you.
I can get Gerber files all day long, and put the Gerber files in a file. The problem is how to zip the file containing the Gerber files. Nobody seems to want to explain in a straight forward process how to do that. I am using KiCad 9.0 on a desktop running Ubuntu 22.04 OS. Can someone explain the process? Or refer me to an on-line tutorial how to do it? Thanks.
I kept doing a search for how to do a .zip file using Ubuntu 22.04 and finally found a website that explained it. I was then able to produce a .zip file of my Gerbers and then load it to OSHPark and order boards. The process was a little bit like pulling hen’s teeth and it took hours to figure it out, but finally I got it to work.
–Regards and happy hunting.
Many Linux graphical file managers allow to right click a directory and “Compress…”. Generally when not using a script (or, in v9, a jobset) that’s always worked for me when delivering Gerbers to PCB houses.
I also wouldn’t implicitly trust a vendor’s KiCad import pipeline to produce the exact same geometry as the Gerbers (or other export formats, like IPC-2581, which is even less subject to interpretation). They could be using anything at all in that pipeline from horrible batch files to obsolete KiCad versions to a room full of rushed people doing it manually, and you get very little visibility into what that process spits out. Gerbers are a simple format that is mostly well understood (excluding aperture macros!), And easy to pre-check in KiCad or other tools. And also easy to prove after the fact that you sent the right thing in the event of a mistake in manufacturing. And if/when you reorder the boards, they’ll be virtually the same (modulo changes in CAM350 or their internal post-processes).
Just as you wouldn’t ever send a Word file to a printers and expect any kind of consistent outcome (no matter what their advertising copy promises, you’ll be the one arguing the toss about whether the kerning is correct or not), but you’d send a standardised “baked” format like print-ready PDF (P = portable), EPS (E = encapsulated) or so on.
Maybe this is a good reason to wait a bit longer before upgrading KiCad versions.
Back (in December?) I ordered from OSHPark using my KiCad 8.0.X files. I now understand that there is a bit of added risk in ordering that way (as opposed to using gerbers) but I was completely happy with the boards.
FWIW I upgraded from 8.0.9 to 9.0.1 a couple of days ago, but I do not expect to be ordering any boards during the next few weeks at least…