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What's a good utility to convert gerbers to DXF/DWG?

The reason I ask: I'd like to create gerbers to give to mechanical engineers for use in SolidWorks to look for interference due to solder fillets on pads and other interferences. I'm using PADS Layout and it has a DXF export but the output is messy and the export utility offers few options to control the DXF output.

A gerber to DXF conversion utility could provide enough flexibility and control what goes into the DXF.

I'd welcome insights or suggestions to close the EE / ME gap - methods to get realistic models of PCBs into 3D cad.

Meanwhile, I'll try a free trial of ViewMate Pro.

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Another answer suggested an excellent solution for:

those who looking free way to convert gerber to dxf can try gerbv and pstoedit

install gerbv and pstoedit first convert your gerber to ps through gerbv and >then using pstoedit export it to dxf

gerbv -x ps mygerber.GTS  
pstoedit -f dxf output.ps mydxf.dxf

remember pstoedit need ghostscript to work

But an important improvement to the pstoedit is to add the -mm option so that the file generated will be in mm and not in pxls. In my case I made it into a ps2dxf.BAT file that is: 

pstoedit -f dxf:-mm %1.ps %1.dxf

and a name.ps file is converted with: ps2dxf name

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  • \$\begingroup\$ If you're on linux and get an error that mentions Error: /invalidfileaccess in --run-- and Last OS error: Permission denied then you can "fix" this (there are probably security implications, do some reading at ghostscript.com/doc/current/Use.htm#Safer) by setting an env var. We'll use the GS_OPTIONS env var to pass params to ghostscript to bypass that security measure: GS_OPTIONS=-dNOSAFER pstoedit -f dxf:-mm output.ps output.dxf \$\endgroup\$
    – Tom Saleeba
    Commented Nov 14, 2019 at 21:03
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DeskPCB from IMService does this. It's intended to convert gerber to g-code for isolation milling, but dxf is an output format. It is not free and I don't know the current price, but by way of comparison it cost me $90 back in 2007.

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CAM350 from DownStream Technologies does that.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Rumor has it that CAM350 is really expensive (up-front cost and annual maintenance). The website doesn't list pricing which tends to confirm the rumor. \$\endgroup\$
    – JimFred
    Commented Oct 21, 2012 at 21:26
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Pentalogix ViewMate Pro ($500 or free and un-crippled for 30 days) will export gerbers and drill files to DXF, HPGL etc.

It also has DXF import and some manipulation capability (Move layer XY position, delete or move elements etc).

DXF export options: separate file per layer or all layers combined, Export as polygons, filled or unfilled.

Update:

  • CAM350 from DownStream Technologies does that.
  • A colleague recommended LinkCad, $2500 USD.
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I love Diptrace. Great as a gerber viewer, board creater, etc. I use PADS Layout at work but prefer Diptrace at home.

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Try GerbView ... it is not free but not expensive.

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those who looking free way to convert gerber to dxf can try gerbv and pstoedit

install gerbv and pstoedit first convert your gerber to ps through gerbv and then using pstoedit export it to dxf

gerbv -x ps mygerber.GTS
pstoedit -f dxf output.ps mydxf.dxf

remember pstoedit need ghostscript to work

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