gerberRead

Create PCBReader object with specified Gerber and drill files

Since R2020b

Syntax

P = gerberRead(T)

P = gerberRead([],B)

P = gerberRead(T,B)

P = gerberRead(T,B,D)

Description

P = gerberRead(T) creates a PCBReader object with the top layer Gerber file specified in T.

Note

The PCBReader object reads RS-274X Gerber files. It does not support RS-274D Gerber files.

P = gerberRead([],B) creates a PCBReader object with the bottom layer Gerber file specified in B.

P = gerberRead(T,B) creates a PCBReader object with the specified top and bottom layer Gerber files.

P = gerberRead(T,B,D) creates a PCBReader object with the specified top and bottom layer Gerber files and the drill file specified in D.

Examples

Import and View Top Layer Gerber File

Use the gerberRead function to import a top layer Gerber file.

P = gerberRead("antenna_design_file.gtl");

Extract the metal layer from the file using the shapes function.

s = shapes(P);

View the top metal layer.

show(s)

Create PCBReader Object with Bottom Layer Gerber File

Import a bottom layer Gerber file to layer 4 of the stack.

P = gerberRead([],"UWBVivaldi.gbl");
P.StackUp

ans = 
  stackUp with properties:

    NumLayers: 5
       Layer1: [1×1 dielectric]
       Layer2: []
       Layer3: [1×1 dielectric]
       Layer4: "UWBVivaldi.gbl"
       Layer5: [1×1 dielectric]

Create Antenna Model Using Top and Bottom Layer Gerber Files

Use the gerberRead function to import top and bottom layer Gerber files.

P = gerberRead("antenna_design_file.gtl","antenna_design_file.gbl");

Display the stack.

P.StackUp

ans = 
  stackUp with properties:

    NumLayers: 5
       Layer1: [1×1 dielectric]
       Layer2: "antenna_design_file.gtl"
       Layer3: [1×1 dielectric]
       Layer4: "antenna_design_file.gbl"
       Layer5: [1×1 dielectric]

Modify the third layer in the stack, which is the dielectric layer between the top and bottom metal layers.

S = P.StackUp;
S.Layer3 = dielectric(Name="FR4", EpsilonR=4.4, Thickness=0.8e-3);
P.StackUp = S;

Create the antenna model by calling the pcbStack object on the PCB reader.

pb2 = pcbStack(P);
figure
show(pb2)

Input Arguments

T — Top layer Gerber file

character vector | string scalar

Top layer Gerber file, specified as a character vector or string scalar. The file must be saved with a .gtl extension.

Example: gerberRead("Filetop.gtl");

B — Bottom layer Gerber layer

character vector | string scalar

Bottom layer Gerber file, specified as a character vector or string scalar. The file must be saved with a .gbl extension.

Example: gerberRead([],"FileBottom.gbl");

D — Drill file

character vector | string scalar

Drill file, specified a character vector or string scalar. You can specify either a DRL or a TXT file.

Example: gerberRead("Filetop.gtl","FileBottom.gbl","FileDrill.txt");

Output Arguments

P — Read files

PCBReader object

Read Gerber and drill files, returned as a PCBReader object.

Limitations

Limitations of the gerberRead function while reading a .gtl or .gbl file are:

Command	Description	Comments
TF	File Attributes	Command is ignored and no error is thrown
TA	Aperture Attributes	Command is ignored and no error is thrown
TO	Object Attributes	Command is ignored and no error is thrown
TD	Delete Attributes	Command is ignored and no error is thrown

Cut-ins are not supported. The gerberRead function can read Gerber files containing up to two metal layers.

Version History

Introduced in R2020b