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Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerber.

Posted: 31 May 2017, 23:25
by X10an
I have sent a set of gerbers to Seeeds. I got a picture in return with a square pad that was turned 45 degrees and made shorts to GND. (Gerbers is NOT x2, because Seeeds can not read the newer format)

I have reproduced the error and the pad is indeed turned 45degrees when I view it at the Seeeds "pre-order gerber-viewer". When I upload to OSH everything is in order and the pad is not turned. This can imply that the gerber is indeed not the problem, but the Seeed software is the problem. (in that case I may be at the wrong forum)

Is this a known problem and really a reality in 2017; a fabhouse like Seeeds can not read a good old gerberfile correct? Or does anyone have an valid explanation for this?

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 02 Jun 2017, 02:18
by dtu2
You're not the only one:

http://www.diptrace.com/forum/viewtopic ... pad#p22372

Unfortunately, there wasn't a reply to that post. I'd check with Seeed and post your results here for others that will undoubtedly have this issue.

Jeff

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 02 Jun 2017, 02:35
by X10an
Got an answer from Seeeds...:

Hi Kristian,

Sorry for the late reply,

It seems you are indeed correct about this rotated pad, I myself also cannot find this error. The thin trace is present however,
I suggest you re-upload your files to the website and see if that resolves the problem. The files may have become corrupted on their way to the factory. I have re-activated the upload feature on your account page.

Sorry for the delay,

Yours sincerely,

-- 02 Jun 2017, 15:43 --

My solution is to change the affected pads to round pads befor I upload again. Then Seeeds can spin them until dizziness make the rotaters puke :-)

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 05 Jun 2017, 20:13
by Alex
We checked your Gerber files in three gerber viewers and all them show correct pad position. I think the problem is with Seeeds CAM software.

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 05 Jun 2017, 23:02
by X10an
Thank you Alex, for your reply.
This is what I suspected. That there is probably no problem with the gerbers from Diptrace. Hopefully this will never happen to me again, so in my case this is now a "no brainer". But for Seeeds it should be a concern.

I have been in contact with Seeeds regarding this. The latest reply is this:

" I have analysed the code, but there are no patterns or anything unusual, so it suggests that the problem does not lie with the files. But the online Gerber viewer and the photo plotter are completely independent of each other, so the fact that they both report the same error is very peculiar. I will bring it up with the engineers and investigate with the team. If we ever come up with the solution, we will let you know."

So to round this subject up; Seeeds have a report of this problem from me, and they will hopefully check this out further. They have this gerbers on their hands that will replicate the problem, and it is totally up to them how far they will dig into this. If I ever get feedback from them in this matter, I will reply to this thread for future reference.

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 05 Jun 2017, 23:49
by Alex
We have investigated the Gerber file. The pad shape is defined in the following string:
%AMOUTLINE3*5,1,4,0,0,2.26274,-45.0*%
Shape definition is correct but we suspect that Seeed's software might ignore negative value in shape rotation even though negative value is supported by standard. If you have already contacted with Seeeds you can forward this information to them.

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 06 Jun 2017, 02:32
by X10an
I will do that.
Thank you for this info. Then I feel we have a plausible explanation.

This makes sense because it is possible this component was placed with som copy/pasting where the original was rotated 45 or 225 deg`s. I have then probably rotated it back. I really do not remember exactly, but I`m sure I have rotated on this component (and/or the original component I copyed) under the layout session, possibly also by "Free Rotate".

/Kristian

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 17 Jun 2017, 16:14
by amramsey
I was also affected by this, but at EasyEDA. They admitted that their software was at fault. Their solution was for me to use polygons for the pads instead of rectangles. Their software had no issues once I converted my pin 1 pads on headers. I had never run into this before. I've gone back into my libraries and made that change everywhere on rectangular pads.

The problem occurred on headers where I had rotated them (like you, I don't recall if I rotated it counter-clockwise or clockwise) 90 degrees from how I had made them in the library.

I actually had boards made with the error initially... their tech must have noticed the problem on the top and bottom layers and modified the gerbers so those were correct, but the inner layers were left with shorts. I spent days cutting and scraping my boards to try and figure out what had gone wrong. EasyEDA treated me well though, so all was good in the end.

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 01 Aug 2017, 07:42
by friesen
This one has caught me now, with Sierra Circuits NoTouch PCB service.

Is there no possibility of a workaround from DipTrace?

-- 01 Aug 2017, 15:48 --

Really what needs to happen is that diptrace needs to export this as a gerber primitive 4 rather than 5. I think what happens is that some companies ignore the rotation, and assume that the polygon has more points, or who knows what.

Re: Seeeds gerberviewer turns pad 45 deg from Diptrace gerbe

Posted: 21 Aug 2017, 04:38
by amramsey
Converting your pads to rectangle instead of polygon or square doesn't work for you? Its a quick click in the pad settings....