DXF / DWG to Gerber Conversion Guide

Sep 22, 2026

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Guide explaining how to convert DXF/DWG data from mechanical CAD tools such as AutoCAD into Gerber files preferred by PCB/RF fabricators. It outlines why direct DXF-to-Gerber workflows often produce inaccurate Gerber outputs and manufacturing “holds”, then introduces Gerber fundamentals and the DXF/DWG structure. Emphasis is placed on producing reliable results by simplifying drawings, limiting unsupported entities, and following conversion best practices to reduce errors and speed up production.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Gerber Basics

DXF/DWG Basics

Keep Your Drawings Simple

DXF / DWG to Gerber Conversion Guide Revision Date: December 10th, 2013 Sponsored by Authored by Simon Garrison, Numerical Innovations Notice Regarding Sharing of this Document Changes to this document or any portion of it without prior written permission from Bay Area Circuits and Numerical Innovations is not allowed. Sharing of this report is allowed, however, the report must be shared in full unless quoted with attribution to the author (Simon Garrison) and a link to [www.bayareacircuits.com](www.bayareacircuits.com) and [www.numericalinnovations.com](www.numericalinnovations.com). Questions should be directed to Bay Area Circuits via email: [info@bacircuits.com](info@bacircuits.com). © 2013-2014 Bay Area Circuits, Inc and Simon Garrison. All Rights Reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The information contained in this publication represents the views of the authors only. These views are the authors’opinion at the original time of publication. This information is for educational and informational purposes only. The authors reserve their right to change or update their opinions based upon new conditions. This publication is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert professional advice is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the authors nor their affiliates/partners assume any responsibility for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any and all slights of people and organizations are completely unintentional. Introduction When designing a printed circuit board (PCB) often times the only design software available may be mechanical CAD software such as AutoCAD. Mechanical CAD software packages are able to generate a DXF or DWG file which contains the required data to produce a PCB, however, the DXF or DWG format isnot preferred by PCB manufacturers due to the extra time required to interpret these files and potential for errors to occur. Instead the Gerber file format is preferred and will ensure faster production time and eliminate errors. As a solution, DXF/DWG data can be converted to a Gerber format and Simon Garrison from Numerical Innovations has put together an excellent guide explaining exactly how to do this. We hope you find it useful! Peter Brissette Bay Area Circuits, Inc. By Simon Garrison, Numerical Innovations Printed circuit board (PCB) fabricators prefer Gerber files and many will not accept DXF/DWG data, however, it is estimated that over 10% of all PCB/RF electronic layouts are still designed using AutoCADor other similar CAD tools (ex. SolidWorks, ProE) . Why? The power of AutoCAD is that it supports a wide array of entity types which can be used to construct various electronic designs; from the simplest to the most complex designs including RF/Microwave circuits, MEMs designs, chemical milling artwork or other high-end electronic layouts. Designers generally choose to layout their designs in AutoCAD when existing EDA/CAD tools do not possess the capabilities to meet unique geometrical requirements. The initial approach used by a designer attempting to layout an electronic drawing in AutoCAD typically involves: 1. Layout a design in AutoCAD (using desired entity types) 2. Export to a DXF file 3. Convert the DXF to Gerber data (using any DXF to Gerber converter) Seems simple enough, right? Wrong! This approach usually results in an astonished look on the designer’s face when the resulting Gerber files are nowhere near their appearance in AutoCAD and not worthy of sending out for manufacturing. This has been a mystery which has plagued PCB/RF designers for well over 20 years and the purpose of this document is to provide proper guidelines for DXF/DWG to Gerber conversion thereby eliminating PCB fabrication “holds” and p

FAQs

Why do PCB manufacturers prefer Gerber files over DXF/DWG?

Gerber files are preferred because they streamline interpretation and reduce the risk of errors, leading to faster production. DXF/DWG typically requires extra time to interpret and can introduce conversion issues.

What problems commonly happen with a basic DXF-to-Gerber conversion workflow?

A straightforward workflow often produces Gerber files that do not match the appearance of the original AutoCAD drawing. These discrepancies make the files unsuitable for manufacturing and can trigger fabrication “holds”.

What is Gerber format, and what does it contain?

Gerber format is an ASCII text file containing X,Y coordinates and shapes, including apertures/dcodes. It represents the PCB artwork in a way fabricators can reliably process.

Sep 22, 2026

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