Gerber file
A Gerber file is the industry-standard format that describes each layer of a PCB — copper, solder mask, silkscreen, and drill data — as 2D vector geometry. A complete Gerber package is the minimum a fabricator needs to quote and build your board.
What it is
Gerber is an ASCII vector format originally developed for photoplotters and now the universal handover between PCB design tools and fabricators. A complete Gerber export from an ECAD tool produces one file per layer plus a drill file (Excellon format) and typically a netlist for electrical verification.
The current standard is Gerber X2, which extends the older RS-274X format with embedded attributes describing what each layer represents (top copper, bottom solder mask, etc.) and how features should be interpreted. X2 files are backwards-compatible with RS-274X readers but carry extra metadata that streamlines the fabricator's CAM workflow.
A typical Gerber package includes outer and inner copper layers, solder mask layers, silkscreen layers, a board outline or mechanical layer, drill files for plated and non-plated holes, and a readme or job file. Modern alternatives such as ODB++ and IPC-2581 bundle all this data into a single file with richer metadata, but Gerber remains the most widely accepted format.
When it matters
Gerber quality directly affects quote turnaround and lead time. Missing layers, ambiguous drill files, or non-standard apertures force the fabricator to request clarification before quoting — typically adding one to two days. Most modern ECAD tools (Altium, KiCad, Eagle, EasyEDA) export clean Gerber X2 by default, but check that your export includes the board outline as a separate layer and that drill files distinguish plated from non-plated holes.
At Nordic PCB
When you submit a Gerber package for quote, our suppliers verify completeness and run an automated DFM check before pricing the job. If anything is missing or ambiguous, we flag it in the quote response rather than starting production with incomplete data — protecting both your lead time and the final board quality.
Related terms
- DFM
DFM (Design for Manufacturability) is a structured review of your PCB design against a fabricator's process limits — trace widths, drill sizes, annular rings, solder mask clearances, and stack-up choices — to catch issues before tooling starts. A good DFM review prevents rework, scrap, and missed delivery dates.
- Pick and place file
A pick and place file (also called centroid file, CPL, or XY data) is a machine-readable list of every component's position, rotation, and board side. It is one of the three core files — alongside Gerber and BOM — needed to quote and run PCB assembly.
- BOM
A BOM (Bill of Materials) is the structured list of every component needed to build a PCB, mapping reference designators on the board to specific manufacturer parts. It is one of the three core files — alongside Gerber and pick and place — required to quote and assemble a PCBA.
- Stack-up
A PCB stack-up is the cross-sectional arrangement of copper layers, dielectric materials, and bonding films that make up a multilayer board. It defines layer thickness, copper weight, dielectric properties, and is critical for impedance control, signal integrity, and manufacturability.