gerberWrite
Generate Gerber files
Syntax
Description
gerberWrite( creates a
Gerber file from PCB specification files, such as designobject)PCBWriter
object or pcbStack object.
Note
To create associated files, run any of the analysis functions such as
show, impedance, pattern etc. on the
antenna before running the gerberWrite
function.
gerberWrite(
creates Gerber file using specified RF connector.designobject,rfconnector)
gerberWrite(
creates a Gerber file using specified PCB writer services.designobject,writer)
gerberWrite(
creates a Gerber file using specified PCB writer and connector services.designobject,writer,rfconnector)
[
creates a Gerber file using specified PCB writer and connector services.a,g] = gerberWrite(designobject,writer,rfconnector)
Note
You can only use output arguments if the
designobject is a pcbStack
object.
Examples
Create a patch antenna with FR4 as a dielectric material using pcbStack object.
p = pcbStack;
d = dielectric("FR4");
d.Thickness = p.BoardThickness;
p.Layers = {p.Layers{1},d,p.Layers{2}};
p.FeedLocations(3:4) = [1 3];
show(p)
Use a Cinch SMA for feeding the antenna. Use the Mayhew Labs PCB viewer as the 3-D viewer. Change the file name of the Mayhew Writer services to antenna_design_file.
C = PCBConnectors.SMA_Cinch;
W = PCBServices.MayhewWriter;
W.Filename = 'antenna_design_file';Generate the Gerber-format files.
[A,g] = gerberWrite(p,W,C)
A =
PCBWriter with properties:
Design: [1×1 struct]
Writer: [1×1 PCBServices.MayhewWriter]
Connector: [1×1 PCBConnectors.SMA_Cinch]
UseDefaultConnector: 0
ComponentBoundaryLineWidth: 8
ComponentNameFontSize: []
DesignInfoFontSize: []
Font: 'Arial'
PCBMargin: 5.0000e-04
Soldermask: 'both'
Solderpaste: 1
EnableSignature: 1
EnableConnectorLabel: 1
See info for details
g = '/tmp/Bdoc25b_2988451_1008720/tpb41146eb/antenna-ex85477975/antenna_design_file'
Create a coplanar inverted F antenna.
fco = invertedFcoplanar(Height=14e-3,GroundPlaneLength=100e-3,...
GroundPlaneWidth=100e-3);Use this antenna to create a pcbStack object.
p = pcbStack(fco)
p =
pcbStack with properties:
Name: 'Coplanar Inverted-F'
Revision: 'v1.0'
BoardShape: [1×1 antenna.Rectangle]
BoardThickness: 0.0013
Layers: {[1×1 antenna.Polygon]}
FeedLocations: [0 0.0500 1]
FeedDiameter: 5.0000e-04
ViaLocations: []
ViaDiameter: []
FeedViaModel: 'strip'
FeedVoltage: 1
FeedPhase: 0
Conductor: [1×1 metal]
Tilt: 0
TiltAxis: [1 0 0]
Load: [1×1 lumpedElement]
figure show(p)
Use an SMA_Cinch as an RF connector and Mayhew Writer as a 3-D viewer.
c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Cinch
c =
SMA_Cinch with properties:
Type: 'SMA'
Mfg: 'Cinch'
Part: '142-0711-202'
Annotation: 'SMA'
Impedance: 50
Datasheet: 'https://belfuse.com/resources/Johnson/drawings/dr-142-0711-202.pdf'
Purchase: 'https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/cinch-connectivity-solutions-johnson/142-0711-202/J10154TR-ND/3587681'
TotalSize: [0.0071 0.0071]
GroundPadSize: [0.0024 0.0024]
SignalPadDiameter: 0.0017
PinHoleDiameter: 0.0013
IsolationRing: 0.0041
VerticalGroundStrips: 1
Cinch 142-0711-202 (Example Purchase)
s = PCBServices.MayhewWriter
s =
MayhewWriter with properties:
BoardProfileFile: 'legend'
BoardProfileLineWidth: 1
CoordPrecision: [2 6]
CoordUnits: 'in'
CreateArchiveFile: 0
DefaultViaDiam: 3.0000e-04
DrawArcsUsingLines: 1
ExtensionLevel: 1
Filename: 'untitled'
Files: {}
IncludeRootFolderInZip: 0
PostWriteFcn: @(obj)sendTo(obj)
SameExtensionForGerberFiles: 0
UseExcellon: 1
Create an antenna design file using PCBWriter.
PW = PCBWriter(p,s,c)
PW =
PCBWriter with properties:
Design: [1×1 struct]
Writer: [1×1 PCBServices.MayhewWriter]
Connector: [1×1 PCBConnectors.SMA_Cinch]
UseDefaultConnector: 0
ComponentBoundaryLineWidth: 8
ComponentNameFontSize: []
DesignInfoFontSize: []
Font: 'Arial'
PCBMargin: 5.0000e-04
Soldermask: 'both'
Solderpaste: 1
See info for details
Use the gerberWrite function to generate gerber files from the antenna design files. Send the generated files to the Mayhew writer manufacturing service.
gerberWrite(PW)
The default folder containing the gerber files is named "untitled" and is located in your MATLAB folder. Running this example automatically opens up the Mayhew Labs PCB manufacturing service in your internet browser.
Drag and drop all your files from the "untitled" folder.
Click Done to view your Antenna PCB.
Design a patch antenna.
p = design(patchMicrostrip,3.5e9);
p.Width = p.Length;
p.Substrate = dielectric("FR4");Create a stack representation of the patch antenna.
pb = pcbStack(p); pb.FeedLocations = [pb.FeedLocations;-.007 0 1 3;0 .007 1 3;0 -.007 1 3];
Pick a connector for the feed locations.
C = SMA_Cinchcustom1;
Pick a manufacturing service.
Wr = PCBServices.MayhewWriter;
Create a Gerber file and generate it.
A = PCBWriter(pb,Wr,C); gerberWrite(A)
Create a probe-fed microstrip patch antenna with four ports.
p = design(patchMicrostrip(Substrate=dielectric("FR4")),3.5e9);
p.Width = p.Length;
pb = pcbStack(p);
pb.FeedLocations = [pb.FeedLocations;-0.007 0 1 3;0 0.007 1 3;0 -0.007 1 3];
figure
show(pb)
Pick a manufacturing service.
Wr = PCBServices.MayhewWriter;
Wr.Filename = 'Microstrip antenna-4ports';Pick a connector for the feed locations.
C = SMA_Cinchcustom1;
Create a Gerber file and generate it.
A = PCBWriter(pb,Wr,C);
A.Soldermask = 'neither';
gerberWrite(A) 
Generate Gerber files with no connectors.
Create a microstrip antenna with FR4 dielectric substrate.
p = patchMicrostrip(Substrate=dielectric("FR4"));
show(p)
Create a PCB stack of this antenna.
pb = pcbStack(p);
Create an antenna design file using PCBWriter object.
s = PCBServices.MayhewWriter;
s.Filename = 'patchM';
PW = PCBWriter(pb,s);Set the default connector to false and write the antenna to a Gerber file.
PW.UseDefaultConnector = 0; gerberWrite(PW)
Input Arguments
Output Arguments
Version History
Introduced in R2017b
