Gerber To Centroid - Index

While CAMCAD can easily generate component centroid data from intelligent ECAD files, sometimes only the gerber artwork is available. The following is a reverse engineering procedure to create centroid data from Gerber.

Note: If you do have the intelligent ECAD data available, generating centroids is a fast operation.
Summary:

CAMCAD can reverse engineer gerber data to create centroid data. This means, users can incrementally add intelligence to gerber "flat" data. The steps to add intelligence allow users to create components utilizing gerber graphics, and then place these components down on the board at the proper locations. Finally, users can create a centroid report that contains useful component placement information.

Step 1		Import The Gerber Data Files .This step introduces Gerber files into the CAMCAD document. Estimated time: less than 1 minute
		Save a CAMCAD *.CC File
Step 2		Type the Gerber File As PCB Design After step 1, you will have Gerber data loaded into CAMCAD. In Step 2, you use the CAMCAD File List and change the Type field from UNKNOWN to PCB Design. Estimated time: less than 1 minute
Step 3		Turn on Layers Appropriate For The Top Surface After step 2, you have data loadaed into CAMCAD, and CAMCAD understands the entry in the file list is a PCB Design. In Step 3, you toggle the layers ON which are relevant for working with top side components. Other layers can be confusing and should be turned off. Estimated time: less than 1 minute
		File Save
Step 4		Group Geometry Elements Together & Generate Geometry After step 3, just the appropriate layers turned on to start reverse engineering top surface components. In Step 4, you will actually start to build components out of the data. You will select the elements that make up the geometry, and will create a new geometry. By using the Snap functions in CAMCAD, you will make the origin of the geometry directly over a pin of that geometry. . Estimated time: less than 1 minute
		File Save
Step 5		Turn New Geometry Into Type PCB Component After step 4, you a new geometry in CAMCAD. In Step 5, you will use the Geometry List to tell CAMCAD the new geometry is type PCB Component. Estimated time: less than 1 minute.
Step 6		Edit Geometry To Define Pins After step 5, you have a geometry in CAMCAD that is type PCB Component. In Step 6, you will edit the new geometry to define the pins of that componenot. The goal is to add pin names and to classify the pads of the pins as Type Pin. Estimated time: less than 1 minute.
Step 7		Add SMD Attribute In CAMCAD Navigator After step 6, we have a PCB Component in CAMCAD with pins named correctly. In this step, we add a little more information about the geometry in the CAMCAD Navigator. Estimated time: less than 1 minute.
Step 8		Place and Define Instances Of Component On Board After step 7, we have a very well defined component in CAMCAD. In this step, we add instances of this PCB Component on to the board, using Snap functions to make the placement accurate. We also name the inserts with unique reference designators. Estimated time: less than 1 minute per insert on the board.
		File Save
Step 9		Repeat For All Components On The Board After step 8, we have inserts of a component on the board. The process that created that component should be repeated for all the components on the top surface of the board. When complete, the process should occur with the bottom side information. Note: Bottom side components should be placed on the top and then Mirroed using the Mirror property in the query dialog. . Estimated time: less than 1 minute per insert on the board.
Step 10		Generate Centroids After step 9, we have inserts of components on the top and bottom of the board. In this step, we use the Centroid dialog in CAMCAD to generate centroid information for each component. Estimated time: less than 1 minute
Step 11		Generate Centroid Report After step 10, we have centroids for each component. The final step is producing the comps.csv report, which contains centroid information. Estimated time: less than 1 minute

Estimated Times for Different Boards

Note: estimated times are conservative. Normal or skilled users will be faster than the estimated time.