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 Manufacturing Outputs
 Exporting files for quote from board house
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markpsu

USA
67 Posts

Posted - 13 Dec 2012 :  13:51:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hello, I'm new to PCB design\Easy-pc. I have just finished my first design, and now I need to send a quote package to a board house. When I attempt to go through the plotting and printing process the only output I get is one notepad type file. I've found a quote package from a previous order to use as an example. This package includes the following 2 DXF files, a Gerber file for every layer, and a PDF with instructions, pictures representing finished product etc.. Now I assume the PDF was put together manually, but the others appear to come from easy-pc. Can someone explain to the noob how to generate these files through the plotting\printing functions? I have played with the options, but haven't had any luck. Is there a tutorial of some kind?

Regards,
Mark

edrees

United Kingdom
766 Posts

Posted - 13 Dec 2012 :  14:09:23  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Mark, it'sa little daunting to begin with.
Output>Plotting and Printing, >New Job >Gerber.
Layer/Plot Types = All. Tick Include NC Drill and drill Ident plot.OK.

The next window shows all your layers in the design, so tick/untick as required. Then go to Output/Layers/Settings/Position for EACH plot. Then Run.

Check your Gerbers with Viewmate free Gerber viewer (http://www.pentalogix.com/viewmate.php)

Good luck!
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markpsu

USA
67 Posts

Posted - 13 Dec 2012 :  18:32:21  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the reply edrees. OK, so today I decided to take the completely insane approach of reading the manual word for word through the entire output section. To my amazement this did in fact help. I have generated Gerber files, and a DXF file. I'm still not sure how to get the screenshots of what a finished product would look like for the PDF, but I can get a quote with what I have.

I discovered what my problem was.

When plotting I did not have preview on, in addition my files were super small (not visible) and off in a corner. After, clicking preview I centered and fit my plot. This did the trick. I'm not sure why no file at all was created the first time, but after I did this everything worked as it should.
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nigle

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 14 Dec 2012 :  10:25:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by markpsuI'm still not sure how to get the screenshots of what a finished product would look like for the PDF
Go to File, Print and then select PDF in the Output To section. Untick All Colours Black, select the required layers and off you go.
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markpsu

USA
67 Posts

Posted - 18 Dec 2012 :  14:34:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I can plot a PDF, but I saw an RFQ that had some good images of the board. I discovered that it was done with the "Irfan" view in easy pc. I think the person must have played around in there to get a finished look and then taken pictures somehow (probably just screenshots). I'm still trying to figure that out. Has anyone used the “Irfan” view to take screenshots before?
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