"Gerber" is a
file format commonly used in the
PCB industry. Most
PCB CAD software (such as
Lavenir,
Mentor, and
Valor) is capable of
outputting data in this format, which is recognized by a large percentage of
industrial photoplotters.
Gerbers are different from the competing Autoplot format in that they are comprised of two files. One of the files (the actual "Gerber file") contains the 2D coordinates of features on a single z-plane. The other file, known as the "environment" or "d-code list," defines the shape and size of those features. The default file extension for a Gerber is .gbr, though many programs and design companies use other extensions.
Modern multi-layer PCB schematics usually consist of a half-dozen or more Gerbers. These define the PCB's copper traces, substrate, soldermask, solder stencil apertures, silkscreen, and any other applicable photoplot files.
The PCB industry is gradually converting to the newer Gerber274x format, which allows the coordinates and the environment to be saved within a single file. The default extension for a Gerber274x is .gbx, though this can also vary greatly.
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