Convert GERBER to PDF

A PDF is useful when a PCB manufacturer, reviewer, customer, or archive needs a human-readable drawing that opens without CAD software. It is also easier to email and print, but it does not replace the Gerber and drill files used for fabrication.

What Gerber is

Gerber is the plot-data format used to describe printed-circuit-board manufacturing artwork. A board normally has separate files for copper, solder mask, silkscreen, solder paste, and the board outline; Excellon drill files are usually supplied alongside them.

Common names include .gbr and .ger, along with layer-specific extensions such as .gtl for top copper, .gbl for bottom copper, .gto and .gbo for silkscreen, and .gko for a board outline. Drill files commonly use .drl, but Excellon drill data is not Gerber data. KiCad, Altium Designer, Autodesk Fusion Electronics, EAGLE, EasyEDA, and other PCB CAD systems generate these manufacturing files.

A supplier usually delivers a ZIP archive containing independent layers rather than one complete board file. The viewer must interpret each file's units, polarity, apertures, coordinates, and layer type, then align the layers for display.

What PDF preserves

PDF is a document format supported by standard desktop and mobile viewers. It is suitable for review, approval, printing, and documentation, and a vector PDF can retain sharp linework at different zoom levels.

The output is normally a rendered view. It does not preserve the editable PCB design, Gerber apertures, X2 attributes, layer semantics, drill-tool information, or manufacturing settings. Use the original PCB project for design changes and the complete Gerber-plus-drill package for fabrication.

How to create the PDF

Using gerbv

gerbv is a free, open-source Gerber and Excellon viewer available for common desktop platforms and Linux distributions. It can combine layers for inspection and send the resulting view to a PDF printer.

1. Install gerbv from its official project distribution or your operating system's package repository.
2. Extract the supplier's ZIP archive, or keep the archive available if your viewer supports opening it directly. Load all layers required for the drawing, not just one copper file.
3. Choose File → Open and select the Gerber and Excellon files. From a terminal, multiple files can be opened with gerbv top.gtl bottom.gbl board.gko holes.drl.
4. Set the correct layer order and visibility. Check the board outline, units, colors, polarity, and drill registration before printing.
5. Choose File → Print, select a PDF printer such as Microsoft Print to PDF or CUPS-PDF, set the paper size and orientation, and save the file.

A PDF printer is preferable to a screenshot because it can preserve vector output and provides page-scaling controls. If the PDF must represent physical dimensions, disable automatic fitting when possible and verify a known board dimension with a PDF measuring tool or a scale marker.

Using KiCad GerbView

1. Open KiCad → Gerber Viewer.
2. Use File → Open Gerber Plot for the artwork and File → Open Excellon Drill File for the holes.
3. Enable the required layers, confirm the outline and drill alignment, then choose File → Print and select a PDF printer.

Some KiCad versions provide SVG export from GerbView. When available, SVG can be converted to PDF with Inkscape using inkscape board.svg --export-type=pdf --export-filename=board.pdf. The exact export menus vary by KiCad version, so use printing when SVG export is unavailable.

Using commercial and online tools

GraphiCode GC-Prevue and Pentalogix ViewMate are established Gerber viewers that can print loaded layers to a system PDF printer. Altium Designer and Autodesk Fusion Electronics can also inspect imported manufacturing data and produce printed or PDF reports, although their workflows and import options depend on the product version.

For non-confidential files, an online viewer such as EasyEDA's Gerber Viewer can load a Gerber package in a browser; use the viewer's print command or the browser's Print → Save as PDF option if direct PDF export is not provided. Check beforehand that it accepts a multi-file ZIP, displays Excellon drills, and includes the board outline. Online services may retain uploaded files, so do not upload unreleased designs or customer data without reviewing their privacy and retention terms.

Quality and compatibility limits

• A PDF made from one copper layer is not a complete board drawing. Include the outline and the relevant copper, mask, silkscreen, paste, and drill layers for the intended review.
• Polarity controls filled regions, particularly copper pours and solder mask. Confirm positive and negative layers visually before exporting.
• Excellon files can use different units, zero-suppression rules, coordinate formats, and origins. If holes are misplaced or incorrectly sized, fix the import settings rather than editing the PDF.
• Transparency, colors, and layer visibility in a PDF printer depend on the viewer and printer driver. Inspect the exported PDF rather than assuming that the on-screen appearance was preserved.
• Vector output is preferable for fine tracks and measurement. A raster screenshot can blur features and change scale when resized.
• PDF page scaling is separate from Gerber coordinates. Add a dimension or scale marker and verify the board size after export; do not use an unverified PDF as the sole fabrication source.
• Keep the original Gerber and Excellon archive with the PDF, because the PDF generally cannot be converted back into reliable manufacturing data.