Hi, just to clarify, in the Gerber dialog box, in the LHS window I select all the layers I want to generate Gerber data for. What do I use the RHS ‘Plot on All Layers’ for? What Do I need to include in that?
Thanks
No, don’t select anything in that RHS column for normal use. It means that every Gerber file will have the F.Mask and B.Mask layer included, and the fab will tell you there are duplicates.
Leave that RHS column alone until you know when to use it.
In past (90s) our PCB manufacturer wanted to have Edge.Cuts on all gerbers to check if all layer films fit to each other. But now everything is made digitally and I don’t include any layer in RHS window.
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Fantastic - thanks.
Andrew
That’s the only common use case I can think of where you would plot more than one drawing layer in a GERBER file. (Perhaps there are rare cases where you have placed some unique, specialized, information on a KiCAD layer - User layer, ECO layer, Comments, etc - and you need this information in the Gerber files.)
The “Plot on All Layers” feature is more commonly used for creating documentation files - such as PDF - that are intended for human consumption. Sometimes it helps our visual perception if we see, for example, board outlines, silkscreen, or traces superimposed on the other information being illustrated.
I use it to have Edge.Cut at svg outputs to then merge with Inkscape grey copper layer with Courtyard and User Drawings. Edge.Cut allows me to correctly position layers one on another.