The dxf for pcb engraving with v bit is having double line track which can be directly engraved on copper. But sometimes need to do pen plotting on copper directly and do chemical etching. For this, we need dxf with a single line ( width will come from pen tip thickness). How to get this type dxf for pen plotting.
Convert it from gerber to dxf?
How can you convert a gerber file to DXF?
I had some success by exporting F.Cu gerber, import it into gerbview, convert it to a kicad_pcb file but using a different layer (F.SilkS), open the new file in pcbnew, plot it as DXF and disable the first DXF option (plot by contour, no idea what the correct English translation is).
But this isn’t very straight foreward, is there a better way?
Regardless of how, @Prav you should keep in mind that your request will result in a file where everything has the same width, including all track and all pads and vias.
You will have to find a other way when you want that the PCB looks like how you design it. Maybe you could use a other input format than DXF? What format does your plotter understand? What exactly are you trying to do?
Since kicad does not have a cam editor, it will probably not work without an intermediate converter or format … Altium, cam 350 can do this without reference to the project and to the board … Example of converting gerberas to dxf in the archive … You can select any layers.
1.zip (618.2 KB)
For etching, Select the ‘Plot’ icon and set it to PDF (not DXF).
The Lines are thick because that’s the way I designed them in the PCB layout but, you can set as you desire…
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