"Scan" to Gerber?

Maybe these guys?

Ether import a bitmap into Eagle, or import a DXF file. You can convert a pdf to a DWG file, then export a DXF out of Autocad. Or just import the Bitmap into Eagle, fix the layers and create Gerbers.

See...

I could give it a shot if you like. I just need a good scan.

Cheers

I think that's just fiddling with graphics.

What I want is to get to valid gerbers and, from there, rebuild the connectivity map (netlist) and, eventually, schematic.

Thanks, but I'm looking more for a toolset than a "one-off".

Happy Holidays!

--don

Many years ago I recall a package that could rebuild a netlist from a Gerber. Not sure if this is the one though, or if it can accept other formats associated with scans:

Don, I use FAB3000 from Numerical Innovations for my Gerber editor/verifier and it has a lot of options that are geared towards reverse engineering and netlist extraction. I haven't played around with all those goodies, but I do know it will import scans/JPGs and so on. I think they do a full featured 30 day trial and the newer versions have a lot more functionality than the old version I'm running. They also have EXCELLENT phone support and I'm sure if you gave them a call and went over what you were trying to do they would let you know if the software was up to the task.

Yes, this looks like it does the "back end" of the process. But, it expects a "gerber" as inputs. I.e., there's already some connectivity information present in the photoplot file. It doesn't appear that it would be able to take a "bitmap" (e.g., TIFF) and deduce the connectivity from that -- essentially build a gerber from a TIFF. Then, the netlist from the gerber.

But, it looks promising! I will DL their trial if only to see how well it does what it actually does do!

Thanks!

--don

Pleasure, although I know of some who have used this package I haven't myself.

It used to be very popular and I guess still has a loyal following.

Some time ago, I wrote a program that converted from various plotter formats. I know very little about the TIFF format, but there are such a plethora of free programs out there, I'm sure a search will come up with some conversion software that you need.

TIFF is essentially a compressed bitmap. So, not a straightforward conversion to a vector-oriented format (which I think is true of most plotter formats, e.g. Gerber) where they are actually trying to "steer" a marking element (aperture) around a surface.

I think what makes Gerber to netlist/schematic much easier is that you already have the connectivity implicit in the "motions" of the plotter (i.e., if it never goes to a certain (x,y), then there is no connection to the object located at that (x,y)!)

Thanks, I'll investigate (busy trying to finish up "year end" stuff... always too much to get done in too short of a window!)

--don

Hi Jim,

Yes. It seems a pretty common feature of photoplot editors et al.

OK. Trick will be if they can use these for *electrical* connectivity vs. just silk screen legends, etc. And, if they allow them to be "electrical conductors", if they do anything more than letting your "add/remove copper" free-hand.

Thanks! I've bookmarked it and will pursue it once I get some "free time" (another oxymoron :< )

--don