gerberRead

Create PCBReader object with specified Gerber and drill files

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: [1x1 dielectric]
       Layer2: []
       Layer3: [1x1 dielectric]
       Layer4: 'UWBVivaldi.gbl'
       Layer5: [1x1 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: [1x1 dielectric]
       Layer2: 'antenna_design_file.gtl'
       Layer3: [1x1 dielectric]
       Layer4: 'antenna_design_file.gbl'
       Layer5: [1x1 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 should be saved as a GTL file.

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 should be saved as a GBL file.

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.

Version History

Introduced in R2020b