Gerber Tips

B.E.C. can accept Gerber files in the following format: Protel 99SE, DXP,Altium Designer 6 or Gerber RS274-X.

Files in other formats will cause delays as B.E.C. seeks customer specification on layer identification.

Please use the following layer name and file extension

File Name	Extension
Top Layer	GTL
Bottom Layer	GBL
Top Overlay	GTO
Bottom Overlay	GBO
Top Solder Mask	GTS
Bottom Solder Mask	GBS
Border for Routing	GKO or GM1
Internal Track layers (Positive)	G (1=Inner layer 1, 2=Inner layer 2, etc)
Inner Planes (Negative)	GP (1=Inner layer 1, 2= Inner lyer 2, etc)
Plated Holes Drill File	TXT
Unplated Holes Drill File	NPT
Plated Slots	GM2

Please note: When naming layers please only use each number only once per file. Eg: G1, G2, G3, etc.

See notes on defining the border in Rout Rules

Drill files should be Excellon format no. 2 with sizes included in the header. 

The preferred format for drill and gerber files is Imperial, 2 integer digits, 4 decimal digits, absolute type with no zero suppression. 

Gerber files should be RS274-X . If other formats are used, the file format, integer and decimal digits, aperture table, absolute or relative, metric or imperial and zero suppression settings must be supplied. Additional charges apply for formats other than RS274-X to cover the addional time required to manually enter aperture tables. 

Files should not be mirror imaged and should be plotted as viewed from the top of the board. 

Layer files should be generated with a common datum point at 0,0 for all layers. ie do not use auto centre or similar features that place different offsets on different layers. 

Plated slots should be defined as a track with the same width as the slot width. The length of the track is defined by the start and finish of the X and Y coordinates of the Gerber track. No other markings or dimensions should appear on the PLATED SLOTS plot.