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gerber converter question

does anyone know how to get the x,y&q out of gerber data. W... - Dec 18, 2000 by

What software are you running? ... - Dec 19, 2000 by Travis Slaughter  

... - Feb 13, 2001 by M Cox  

Ian T

#2158

gerber converter question | 18 December, 2000

does anyone know how to get the x,y&q out of gerber data. We have been writing it out part by part but i figured there must be a better way thx for any help

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Travis Slaughter

#2159

Re: gerber converter question | 19 December, 2000

What software are you running?

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lucky

#2160

Re: gerber converter question | 19 December, 2000

WOW, you have a lot time on your hands. Why don't look into a gerber converter.

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Mark Charlton

#2161

Re: gerber converter question | 20 December, 2000

To refrain from advertising here, e-mail me off-line of this forum and I'll give you a vendor that has a wonderful gerber tool that will do exactly what you want.

Mark

markc@smtnet.net

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#2162

Re: gerber converter question | 20 December, 2000

There's a bunch of suppliers [Fabmaster, Unicam, GC-Place, CircuitCam] listed in the fine SMTnet Archives.

You have to be a bit partial to CircuitCam, it's a ground-up product designed for our work by someone from the business, not some cobjob on a product from another part of the industry. As a bonus, they buy banners to support this forum. Thanks Jason.

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Charlie

#2163

Re: gerber converter question | 27 December, 2000

I interested in knowing you location, and if you may be in need of engineering help. This could be a win/win you seem to need help in my area of expertise and I'm considering a change.

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Heather C

#2164

Re: gerber converter question | 27 December, 2000

I am the inside sales manager for Aegis Industrial Software (makers of CircuitCAM). If you would like additional information on our product per Dave F's posting. Please feel free to visit www.aiscorp.com

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M Cox

#5226

Re: gerber converter question | 13 February, 2001

M Cox

#5227

Re: gerber converter question | 13 February, 2001

Don�t you have to digitize each part one by one with Circuitcam. Unicam uses automatic algorithms to find the parts and export the data.

Just wondering

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Jeff D

#19012

Re: gerber converter question | 28 February, 2002

Actually when you use CircuitCAM you do not have to digitize every component. Once one package is digitized CircuitCAM will scan for other pacakges like that on the board. In regards to Unicam, they do not have one, but instead use a third party Gerber package.

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#19022

gerber converter question | 1 March, 2002

Why not give it a bit of "Schmalz" (thinking), load it in a common spreadsheet-SW, write youself a macro to destill all the data you need and do whatever you want with it. You know, in some (many) cases it�s just like shooting with missiles at sparrows spending to much $$. Depends on your actual needs.

Wolfgang, very lucky with Ex***

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M Cox

#19244

Re: gerber converter question | 22 March, 2002

This is the same misinformation half-truth BS I have been hearing from CircuitCam for a long time.

The truth is, Unicam has a product that automatically recognizes the Component and Ref designator, where CC requires the user to input each and every Ref designator one at a time. And yes it is Unicam�s product not a third parties.

Try selling your Aegis stuff under its own merits rather than relying on �Used Car salesman tactics�.

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Alex K.

#19248

gerber converter question | 25 March, 2002

My regards to everyone.

I have to agree with previous message. I've written macro in excel to modify protel pik file to whatever form I need (and I need PCB file for MYDATA) Takes about 5-10min to come up with workable program.

the only problem that rotation of some components is not right. 0805's and SO's do not match eg. 90deg out.

If anyone else had same problem let me know how it can be fixed.

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#19250

gerber converter question | 25 March, 2002

Hi Alex,

rotation is always the problem and that goes with all conversion-SW. Unless you have strict rules for your CAD regarding the rotation it will always be a mess and you have to look at nearly each part individually. Once you have an agreement with CAD or you know the rules and are sure they apply to ALL parts you may come to an as easy as you already have solution even with EXCEL. I haven�t been in that lucky situation yet and had to look for orientation always "manually" but that isn�t that tricky at all. With a bit of experience and knowledge of your machine configuration, which side will that feeder for that specific part be mounted? for example, it wasn�t that much effort to get things sorted out ... and hell, had the programs for one board to be assembled on two machines up in about 20 to 30 minutes. And I don�t think that we can go without a close first piece check no matter what kind of SW was used to create the job.

Take to your local CAD guys for a solution Alex that would be my advice.

Wolfgang

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#19251

gerber converter question | 25 March, 2002

... and , by the way, this was an very old thread and someone just jumped on. So, I guess there was no actual problem at all with this topic, just some noise making I guess.

Me haven�t noticed that, shame on me than ?

Wolfgang

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#19303

Re: gerber converter question | 27 March, 2002

I am not sure why there is an attack on the CircuitCAM product from 'M Cox', especially when he appears to be mis-formed about the operations within its well developed Gerber environment. CircuitCAM does automate the reference designator identifier step without an optical recognition routine, which can be suspect in clustered areas and when some designators are missing from the silkscreen. Relying on that method requires the user to step through each component and verify that the match worked.

The fact is that at one time Gerber was the only way to have digitized information in CircuitCAM. Its Gerber environment is mature and is contained within the CircuitCAM product. It not only is an Aegis developed product, but the programmers for one of its earliest development areas still work at the company.

Sorry if this is a Used Car Salesman tactic and that I used this forum for defense of the company, but it is not fair to Aegis to have the above response archived for later reference.

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#19304

gerber converter question | 27 March, 2002

Have same problem - and we only do our own products designed in house! The design engineers are reluctant to use a database of parts (well, MY database). Rotation will depend on their library In yer protel file you can rotate any component without changing the angle, edit component>rotation reset. That engineers actually do this just proves to me what a mischievious bunch of "little minxes" they really are. What I do is pick a package and >select>same pattern>same rotation. Go through 0,180,-90,90 and check for each pattern. This way you can at least see if there are any weird ones in there and correct before your data generation. Once everything is locked in, even if it is all X degrees out, you can at least use Excel or any text editor to globally change yer rotations. It's a bit painfull I know, but if you spend the time at data generation level you will start to find you are getting close to 100% without tweaking and then one day it'll happen -PERFECT.

Take that! you mischievious bunch of "little minxes". It impresses the sh-t out of the operators and bosses as well.

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Alex K.

#19305

gerber converter question | 27 March, 2002

Thanks for your advise. Unfortunately we are subcontractors and have as many different protels as there products (several hundreds) :( But the ideas are quite interesting. Thanks anyway.

P.S. So what if thred is old??? Some people will find something new to say every time you open one..

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Steve O'Neil - LCI

#19385

gerber converter question | 3 April, 2002

I am no longer with the company, but I used to sell for Valor. Have you looked at their Trilogy 5000 tool with the Valor Part Library? Might be worth a look for you. valor.com

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