Edit a silkscreen over a gerber file in Altium

Question

I have some gerber files that are perfect, except the legend. I would like to include some useful information on the top silkscreen.

is it possible to edit a new PCB using a gerber file as background in altium?

Answer 1

If I understand your question, that you want to edit the silk screen gerber without changing the original pcb file, yes, it's possible.

You use Altium's included CAM editor (CAMtastic). Stack Exchange won't let me link the manual section because it's a numeric URL, but you can find it easily.

Of course next time you generate the output job (because of a revision, say), you'll have to repeat the editing, so it's usually not the best way to do things.

Answer 2

You can view or edit any gerber files regardless the CAD system there were generated with. You should use a Gerber Editor. There are few of them in the market.

All you need is edit the silkscreen gerber and include in it the new information. The steps will be something like this:

• Import the silkscreen gerber into the Gerber Editor.
• Edit it (Insert text)
• Save the changes.

For example, you can try with Pentalogix ViewMate. There is a free version. (I have no link with this product.)

Below it's shown a capture. I have imported a silkscreen gerber and, with the menu Insert text, I have added a new text in the layer.