Provided by: pcb2gcode_1.1.4-git20120902-1.1build5_amd64 bug

NAME

       pcb2gcode - command-line tool for engraving PCBs using CNCs

SYNOPSIS

       pcb2gcode [options]

DESCRIPTION

       This manual page documents briefly the pcb2gcode command.

       pcb2gcode  is  a  program  that takes the files typically produced by PCB (printed circuit
       board) designing tools, in particular Gerber (RS-274X) and Excellon (an  RS-274C  variant)
       files  as  parsed by gerbv, and produces files that can be used to control a CNC (computer
       numerical control) milling machine. These files are in G code  format  (RS-274D/NGC)  that
       can be read, for example, by the linuxcnc EMC2 system.

       When  these  files  are  executed,  an  engraving bit is used to remove the surface from a
       copper covered circuit board, thus creating isolated areas. In  another  step,  holes  are
       drilled  into  the  board  at  the appropriate positions, and it can be cut out in another
       step. (For each step, a separate output file is created.)

OPTIONS

       These programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options  starting  with
       two dashes (`-').  A summary of options is included below.

       Instead  of passing all options on the command line, nearly all options can be stored in a
       file named millproject. There, options are  given  one  per  line  as  option=value  pairs
       (without  the  two  dashes), and can be separated by blank lines and commented (everything
       after a `#` character is treated as a comment). Options that don't take an argument  (like
       --metric) are entered as option=1 there.

       Unless configured otherwise, numeric values are in units of inch and inch/minute. When the
       --metric option is given, they are in mm and mm/minute.

       --front filename.gbr
              Engrave the front side according to the given file  (typically  used  in  two-sided
              boards).

       --back filename.gbr
              Engrave the back side according to the given file.

       --outline filename.gbr
              Cut  out the board to the shape exposed in the given file. Typically, there is only
              a polygon in this gerber file. Alternatively, this file can contain a  closed  line
              chain (see --fill-outline).

       --drill filename.cnc
              Convert the given file (containing drill sizes and positions) to G-code.

       For  every  option --x that takes a filename, there is an --x-output option that specifies
       where the resulting G-code is saved, defaulting to x.gbr. Instead of  giving  each  output
       file  name,  the  --basename option can be used; the base name will be used as a prefix to
       the default output file names.

       The parameters that define engraving are:

       --zwork unit
              Z-coordinate at which engraving happens

       --zsafe unit
              Z-coordinate for movements between engraving steps

       --mill-feed unit/minute
              feed rate at which engraving takes place (horizontal speed)

       --mill-speed rpm
              spindle speed during engraving (rounds per minute)

       --offset unit
              distance by which the tool movement will be outset from the contours in the  gerber
              file to be engraved

              If  this  distance can't be satisfied because copper areas are too close, a warning
              will be printed and the line will be drawn between the areas. This behavior can  be
              used  to  get voronoi-style (flood-filling) areas; simply set the offset to a large
              value (like 1 inch).

       --extra-passes number
              number of additional isolation passes

              For each extra pass, engraving is repeated with the offset width increased by  half
              its original value, creating wider isolation areas.

       The parameters that define outline cutting are:

       --cutter-diameter unit
              amount by half of which the tool path is outset from the shape in the outline file

       --zcut unit
              Z-coordinate indicating where the outline cutting ends

       --cut-feed unit/minute
              feed rate at which outline cutting takes place (horizontal speed)

       --cut-speed rpm
              spindle speed during outline cutting (rounds per minute)

       --cut-infeed unit
              maximum  Z distance that is cut away in a single pass (positive value; if less then
              zcut's value, there will be more than one pass)

       --fill-outline
              If --fill-outline is given, it is assumed that the  outline  file  contains  not  a
              polygon  but  a  closed  chain of lines. The board will be cut along the centres of
              these lines.

       --outline-width unit
              thickness of the lines that form the outline (if --fill-outline is given)

       Drilling takes another set of options:

       --zdrill unit
              Z value down to which will be drilled

       --zchange unit
              Z-coordinate for movements with the drill head

       --drill-feed unit/minute
              feed rate for drilling (vertical speed)

       --drill-speed rpm
              spindle speed during drilling (rounds per minute)

       --milldrill
              If --milldrill is given, the milling head will be used to drill the  holes  in  the
              PCB.  Holes  up to the size of the milling head will be drilled regularly (possibly
              creating a bigger hole than intended), the other holes are created  by  moving  the
              head in circles using the feed and infeed parameters used in cutting.

       --drill-front
              use  the  coordinates  of the front side for drilling instead of the coordinates of
              the back side

       These options govern the general behavior of pcb2gcode:

       --dpi dpi
              resolution used internally (defaults to 1000)

       --mirror-absolute
              mirror operations on the back side along the Y axis instead of  the  board  center,
              which is the default

       --svg filename
              export the resulting contours to an SVG (scalable vector graphics) file

       The only options that can't be used in the millproject file are the common ones:

       -?, --help
              Show summary of options.

       -v, --version
              Show version of program.

SEE ALSO

       gerbv(1), pcb(1).

       For further information about pcb2gcode, see the project wiki ⟨http://sourceforge.net/
       apps/mediawiki/pcb2gcode/⟩.

AUTHOR

       pcb2gcode was written by Patrick Birnzain, loosely based on an earlier program of the same
       name  by  Jeff  Prothero  (Cynbe  ru  Taren), which in term was based even more loosely on
       Matthew Sager's gerber_to_gcode.

       This manual page was written by chrysn <chrysn@fsfe.org> for the Debian project  (and  may
       be used by others).

                                            2010-11-10                               PCB2GCODE(1)