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Signal Integrity & Metallization
Signal integrity and additive manufacturing, particularly metallization, are hot topics in PCB design and fabrication. PCB layouts are carefully engineered to achieve specific electrical and power performance targets.
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What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
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From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
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Ucamco Launches Version 2.1 of Free Reference Gerber Viewer
August 24, 2018 | UcamcoEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Version 2.1 of Ucamco’s free Reference Gerber Viewer is now available.
New features include:
- Support for drill files in NC or Excellon format, which is ubiquitous in fabrication data. Fabrication data with drill files in NC format can now be viewed.
- Support for X2 attributes. With fabrication data in X2 format the layer structure is displayed, and file and attribute functions can be queried. It is now identified which file is e.g. the top copper, or the bottom legend. From all objects one can not only check the aperture size, but also their function, e.g. whether they are a component or a via pad – vital information for fabrication.
The Reference Gerber Viewer provides an easy-to-use reference for both X1 and X2 Gerber files, as a convenient complement to the written specification. It is also an easy tool to review PCB fabrication data.
As the Reference Gerber Viewer is a cloud-based on-line web service there is no software to download, install and maintain - it is always up to date. It is kept simple and easy to learn. It offers the following benefits:
- For developers, it provides a fast way to test Gerber output files and to answer questions about the interpretation of the specification.
- For creators of Gerber files, it provides a reliable way to check the image of the generated files.
- For recipients of Gerber files, it provides an accurate way to validate the input and arbitrate in discussions about the correct interpretation of a file.
Ucamco provides the Reference Gerber Viewer - free of charge - at gerber.ucamco.com and encourages all companies in need of a Gerber file viewing/verification service to offer a weblink to this address.
About Ucamco
Ucamco (formerly Barco ETS) is a market leader in PCB CAM software, photoplotting and direct imaging systems, with a global network of sales and support centers. Headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, Ucamco has over 25 years of ongoing experience in developing and supporting leading-edge photoplotters and front-end tooling solutions for the global PCB industry. Key to this success is the company's uncompromising pursuit of engineering excellence in all its products. Ucamco also owns the IP rights on the Gerber File Format through its acquisition of Gerber Systems Corp. (1998).
For more information, click here.
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Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
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Institute of Circuit Technology Spring Seminar 2026: A Bright Future in Europe
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ACCM Unveils Negative and Near-zero CTE Materials for Large-Format AI Chips
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Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
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