What You’ll Need

Before getting started, make sure you have the following:

• Autodesk Eagle software (version 7.7 or higher)
• An Eagle board design that is ready for manufacturing
• A free Autodesk account to access the Fusion 360 Manufacture workspace

Step 1: Open Your Eagle Board Design

Launch Eagle and open the .brd file for the PCB design you want to manufacture. Double check that the design is complete, has been thoroughly reviewed, and is ready for fabrication.

Step 2: Run a Design Rule Check (DRC)

It’s always a good idea to run a Design Rule Check before generating manufacturing files. This automated check will flag any potential issues like overlapping traces, insufficient clearances, missing vias, etc.

To run a DRC:

1. Click the “Tools” menu and select “DRC…”
2. In the DRC window, select “Load…” to load the DRC rules for your PCB manufacturer
3. Click “Check” to run the DRC
4. Address any errors that are found before proceeding

Step 3: Run a Electrical Rule Check (ERC)

Next, run an Electrical Rule Check. This will check the schematic for any electrical issues like unconnected pins, shorted nets, etc.

1. Click the “Tools” menu and select “ERC…”
2. In the ERC window, click “Check”
3. Fix any reported ERC errors in the schematic and re-run ERC until it passes

Step 4: Generate CAM Files

With the DRC and ERC checks completed, you’re ready to generate the Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) files for your board. The CAM Processor in Eagle is what allows you to export Gerbers and drill files.

1. Click the “File” menu and select “CAM Processor”
2. In the CAM Processor window, select “gerb274x.cam” from the “Open” menu to load the default CAM job
3. Click “Process Job” to generate the Gerbers

Eagle will create the following 9 Gerber files:

Filename	Layer
.GTL	Top Copper
.GBL	Bottom Copper
.GTS	Top Soldermask
.GBS	Bottom Soldermask
.GTO	Top Silkscreen
.GBO	Bottom Silkscreen
.GKO	Board Outline
.GPT	Top Paste
.GPB	Bottom Paste

It will also generate an Excellon drill file (.TXT) containing the drill hole information.

Step 5: Review Gerber Files

Before sending the Gerbers off to your manufacturer, it’s a good idea to visually review them to check for any issues. Autodesk provides a free online Gerber viewer called CircuitHub.

1. Go to circuithub.com/gerber-viewer and sign in with your Autodesk account
2. Drag and drop your zip file of Gerber files
3. Carefully review each layer, checking that pads, traces, and vias look correct
4. Check that the drill file aligns properly with the copper layers
5. Verify the overall board dimensions are as expected

Step 6: Send Files to Manufacturer

With the Gerber files reviewed and ready to go, the final step is to send them to your PCB manufacturer for fabrication. Most manufacturers will ask you to upload the Gerber and drill files in a single zip file.

In addition to the Gerber/drill files, your manufacturer will likely need some additional specifications from you such as:

• PCB Quantity
• Number of Layers
• Board Thickness
• Copper Weight
• Solder Mask Color
• Silkscreen Color
• Surface Finish
• Castellated Holes
• Electrical Test

Fill out your manufacturer’s order form, upload the zip file, and place your order. Congratulations, you’ve successfully converted your Eagle design to Gerber format and ordered your PCB!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Gerber files?

Gerber is the standard file format used by PCB manufacturers to describe the copper layers, solder mask, silkscreen legend, and drill holes of a printed circuit board. It was originally developed by Gerber Systems Corp. in the 1960s for driving their vector photoplotters and is still the industry standard today.

Why do I need to generate Gerber files?

PCB manufacturers need Gerber files in order to fabricate your circuit board. While you could theoretically just send them your Eagle board file, Gerber is the lingua franca that allows designers to work in many different PCB CAD tools but still send standardized manufacturing data to fabricators.

What is the difference between Gerber RS-274D and Gerber RS-274X?

Gerber RS-274D, also known as Standard Gerber, is an older Gerber format that did not include aperture definitions in the file itself. Gerber RS-274X, also called Extended Gerber or X-Gerber, is the current Gerber standard. It incorporates aperture information in the file so the CAD data is self-contained. Always use RS-274X unless your manufacturer requests otherwise.

Do I need to generate Gerbers myself or can my manufacturer do it?

Most PCB manufacturers much prefer to receive Gerber files from their customers rather than native CAD files. While many manufacturers could generate Gerbers for you from an Eagle .brd file, it introduces the possibility for errors in translation. It’s best to generate the Gerbers yourself, review them carefully, then send them to your fab.

What other manufacturing files are needed besides Gerbers?

In addition to the Gerber files describing the copper, mask, and legend layers, your PCB manufacturer will need a drill file, typically in Excellon format (.TXT file extension). This file contains the location, size, and plating information for all the drills holes and vias in the board. The CAM Processor in Eagle will generate this file alongside the Gerbers.

Conclusion

Converting an Eagle PCB design to Gerber files for manufacturing may seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this guide and carefully reviewing the generated files, you can ensure that your manufacturer will have everything they need to accurately fabricate your circuit board.

The basic process is:

1. Complete your Eagle board design
2. Run both a Design Rule Check (DRC) and Electrical Rule Check (ERC)
3. Generate Gerber and drill files using the Eagle CAM Processor
4. Visually review Gerbers and drill file to check for issues
5. Send all manufacturing files to your PCB fabricator

By taking the time to generate accurate, high-quality Gerber files, you’ll avoid potential delays in manufacturing and bring up of your electronic device. You’re now ready to generate Gerbers with confidence for all your Eagle PCB designs!