How to import Gerber to generate AutoCAD PCB inspection drawing from Fusion 360 export

[svendb]

Goal: Create drawing in AutoCAD from externally created Gerber files for incoming PCB inspection use.

Since there is no ability to import Gerber file data into AutoCAD (to my knowledge), I’ve installed Fusion 360 and Eagle. Fusion 360 is part of our subscription package. The Eagle version installed is 9.6.2 free which doesn’t look anything like the Eagle 7.5.0 Professional tutorial here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OArHgvbQAhs

I don’t have the time to do a deep dive into Fusion 360. Just need a program that will open the Gerber files and permit export to DWG (DXF acceptable if that’s all I can have).

We are not interested in designing PCBs, just need to be able to generate a clean readable paper inspection drawing. I currently have our contracted PCB designer exporting DXF from Altium, but this is a less than ideal band aid work around.

Assistance greatly appreciated.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @svendb ,

I hope you're doing well. The best you're going to be able to get is a DXF from Fusion 360 Electronics and you'll have to jump through more hoops to get it. We have a gerber importer, but you would have to import each gerber file individually into electronics and then from there export a DXF.

Fusion 360 has a drawing environment which would be awesome for this. That would sidestep the AutoCAD step entirely.

In Fusion 360 Electronics run the import-gerber ULP to bring in the gerber files. Once all the files are in you could create a 3D PCB, switch to the Drawings environment and generate the drawing with the views you need. 

Let me know if this sounds interesting to you.

Best Regards,

[svendb]

Hi jorge,

Thank you for responding. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like fusion 360 is what I'm looking for. I've been using AutoCAD since release 9. I'll get by with with the Altium DXFs as that sounds quicker than creating a whole drawing in a program I have no familiarity with. I tried unsuccessfully to find import-gerber ULP in Fusion 360. I see remarkably few commands of any kind for that matter.

If anyone knows of a good program for opening Gerbers that does a good job exporting to DWG or DXF I'm interested.