How to Create a Zip File (Compressed Folder) First, open File Explorer and locate the files or folders you’d like to compress and combine into a Zip file. Windows refers to a Zip file as a “compressed folder,” so the terms are interchangeable in this case. We’ll be using a group of image files as an example, but you can zip any type of. In the following table, you can find a list of programs that can open files with.pcb extension.This list is created by collecting extension information reported by users through the 'send report' option of FileTypesMan utility. The product name, description, and company name are taken from the version information of the.exe file.The 'Actions' list is taken from the context menu items added.

Accepted File Formats

At PCB Prime, we can accept a variety of file formats to manufacture or assemble your printed circuit board. A list of accepted formats is listed below. Click the link to take you to a more in-depth explanation of each option. We'll be glad to answer any questions regarding the accepted file types or review the files you have if you aren't sure.

TIP: To ensure nothing is lost, please .zip all relevant files into a single .zip or .rar file.

Bare PCB fabrication

PCB Assembly (PCBA)

In order to assemble a PCB, we need the same files that are needed to fabricate the bare board (see above), plus information regarding what components will be placed on your board and where. The following files are needed.

• Photos of a correctly assembled board (top and bottom, if available but not required)
• Any Special Instructions (if applicable)

Stencils

To manufacture a stencil, we will need the paste layers for your array in Gerber format, preferably RS-274X format. We will send you a check plot so you can confirm everything looks correct before we start your order.

Gerber RS-274X

This is the most current Gerber format and is widely viewed as the accepted industry standard. All modern PCB layout tools will output in this format, older tools may be limited to the obsolete 274D format. 274X (extended) format is preferred since the aperture definitions for interpreting the width, size and shape of the features are embedded within each file as opposed to the original Gerber RS-274D format which relies on generating a separate aperture list for each file. Click here to see an example of an aperture file.

TIP: When submitting files in either Gerber format, we also need a CNC Drill file (see below). Depending on your layout software, this may automatically output when exporting your Gerber data, some software packages require this to be exported as a separate step.

TIP: Be careful not to use free layout software distributed by PCB fab (fabrication) shops since they will NOT output Gerber format, you'll be locked into using their service to manufacture your boards.

When outputting RS-274X Gerber format, there will be a separate file generated for each 'layer' of your circuit board. An important point to understand is there are two different ways the word 'layer' is used in the industry. When discussing the different files that comprise your PCB, each file is considered a layer. Top solder mask layer, top copper layer, top silk screen layer, CNC drill file, etc.

When discussing the specifications of your design on a technical level and for costing purposes, the number of layers refers to how many copper layers your design has. A '4 Layer' board can consist of many different Gerber, drill and fabrication files but in this sense, only contains 4 different layers that contain copper.

TIP: After exporting your Gerber and CNC Drill files, zip them together into a single zip file. We can also accept .rar compressed files. Add any fabrication notes or pictures to the zip that need to be included. Any of these standard formats are acceptable. TXT, PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, CSV, PPT, PNG, JPG, DWG, etc.

By zipping your files into a single zip, this eliminates the chance that one or more of your files to become separated and lost.

There are dozens of different PCB layout tools on the market which use their own unique naming scheme for Gerber files. Gerber file extensions for some of the most popular PCB layout tools are compared below. Download Gerber File Extension Comparison (PDF)

CNC Drill File

The CNC (Excellon) drill file is the file used to program the CNC drill equipment responsible for drilling the holes in your design. This is a different file format than Gerber. This file is output as simple text and can be read in any text editor such as Notepad, WordPad or Word.

TIP: The most universally accepted format to export your drill file in is: Excellon Format, ASCII Odd/ None, 2.4 Trailing Zero Suppression, English Units, No Step and Repeats.

ODB++

Stands for Open Data Base, the '++', an homage to the C++ programming language, was added in 1997 when component descriptions were added to the output content. With this data standard, there is no need to create a separate CNC Drill file or netlist. The goal of ODB++ is to embed information that is normally found within a fabrication drawing, directly into the file structure. This format is gaining popularity and we have no trouble manufacturing from this format.

The output created with ODB++ is very complex, it creates a myriad of folders and subfolders. Please compress your ODB++ output using a compression tool. For ODB++ files, we recommend 7-Zip, and use either the .tgz or .tar file extension. Standard .zip or .rar compression is also acceptable.

DWG

DWG is a proprietary file format used by CAD systems such as AutoCAD. These tools are not ideal choices for creating PCB layouts and were not designed for this purpose, but some simple designs can be created using these tools. We have successfully converted some DWG files into Gerber RS-274X/CNC Excellon format and manufactured from these files. We need to review them on a case by case basis to see if your file can be converted.

PCB Express (.pcb) This is a proprietary format created from PCB Express's 'Express PCB' software line. As of this writing, we have a tool that can convert this into standard RS-274X/CNC Drill format. We strongly recommend against using 'free' fab shop software for layout since the software will only export a proprietary file format only they can open, forcing you to use their service making the software anything but 'free'.

Files Needed for PCBA (Assembly)

BOM (Bill Of Materials)

This is most commonly called a BOM (Bill Of Materials). A BOM should always be in XLS or XLSX format since this is a common, easy to use flexible format. Each line in the BOM corresponds to a unique component on your board. Click here to download an XLSX example.

The following information is required:

1. PCB Part Number—So we know which board your BOM is for.
2. Assembly Type—Let us know if you need RoHS assembly or Leaded. We don't want to assume.
3. Line Number—This makes it easy to reference different lines in the BOM when discussing your design.
4. Ref Designator—The corresponding Reference Designator as printed in the silk screen on the PCB. Without this, we can't be sure where to place the part. Make sure your board's reference designators are clearly marked.
5. Qty—The total number of components for this line item used on one (1) PCB.
6. Internal Part#—Many organizations create internal part numbers for their designs. This is perfectly fine, of course we don't know what your internal part numbers mean so this is listed only for your benefit so there is a cross reference between your part numbers and the official manufacturer part numbers.
7. Mfg Part Number—Manufacturer's Official Part Number. This is what we search for when ordering your part or researching for data sheets. Make sure your part numbers are complete. The omission of even 1 character can make a big difference in what part shows up in search results.
8. Description—This is a double check to make sure the manufacturer part number matches what you are intending to use. It also aids in expediting the initial quote process so we can quickly see what types of components need to be installed.
9. Notes—Any comments you have for this item. Maybe you already have a hard to find part in stock and you're planning on sending it to us when placing the order. Maybe there's a part you want to install yourself or it's not needed on this version. Special care is needed to orient the part correctly or if you already know the best source for purchasing this part.

XYRS / Pick and Place (PNP) / Component Placement List (CPL)

This file is critical when assembling your board. It gives information about the location, rotation and side of the board the part is located. Click here for an example. Your PCB layout software generates this file, this information is not found in Gerber data. This file can be in .TXT, .CSV, .XLS or .XLSX formats.

The file goes by many names, but they all refer to the same file type.

• XYRS (XY coordinates, Rotation of the part, Side of the board the part is on)
• PNP (Pick and Place)
• CPL (Component Placement List)

Critical Information found in this file.

1. Reference Designator
2. Layer or Side of board the part is located
3. X Coordinate for the center of the part
4. Y Coordinate for the center of the part
5. Orientation, expressed in degrees

Other information that may be included but is not required since this is a file used to program the pick and place equipment and excess information is ignored.

6. Part Number
7. SMD, Yes or No? Is the part a surface mounted device or a thru hole?
8. Footprint type
9. Comments showing part values or other notes

Solder Paste Layers

In order to place solder paste in exactly the correct location of your PCB, a stencil is needed. A stencil is a flat stainless steel sheet that has openings laser cut into it to correspond to the surface mount pads on your PCB. The stencil can be anywhere from 2-15mils thick depending on how much solder paste needs to be deposited. The average stencil is between 4-5 mils thick. The thicker the stencil, the more paste will be applied to the board. Stencils are cut using the paste layers from your Gerber data as reference. Paste layers look the same as solder mask layers except they omit any apertures that are not needed for automated pick and placement such as thru hole components.

Even if we are not assembling your board for you, we will step-and-repeat your paste layers as part of our tooling process if they are included in your file set, even though they are not used for the bare board fabrication process.

Many people share .pcb files without attaching instructions on how to use it. Yet it isn’t evident for everyone which program a .pcb file can be edited, converted or printed with. On this page, we try to provide assistance for handling .pcb files.

2 filename extension(s) found in our database.

How To Open Pcb File On Mobile Home

.pcb - Microsoft PowerPoint Data

The PCB other files are related to Microsoft PowerPoint. PCB file is a Microsoft PowerPoint Data. PowerPoint stores all the changes that you make to its menus and toolbars in a PCB file.

Application:

Microsoft PowerPoint

Category:

Other files

Mime-type:

application/mspowerpoint

Magic:

- / -

Aliases:

-

Microsoft PowerPoint Data related extensions:

.accda

Microsoft Access Add-in

.glk

Microsoft Office 2007 Groove Synchronization Shortcut

.act

Microsoft Office Assistant Actor

.acp

Microsoft Office Assistant Preview

.tgk

Terragen License Key

.tgp

Terragen Plugin

.pcb - SmartCAM Custom Control Panel File

The PCB data files are related to SmartCAM. PCB file is a SmartCAM Custom Control Panel File. SmartCAM is a suite of Computer-Aided Manufacturing and CAD/CAM software applications that uses toolpath modeling to assist CNC machinists in creating computer-numerically controlled (CNC) programs that direct CNC machine tools.

Application:

SmartCAM

Category:

Data files

Mime-type:

application/octet-stream

Magic:

- / -

Aliases:

-

SmartCAM Custom Control Panel File related extensions:

.cgt

SmartCAM Code Generation Template

.jof

SmartCAM Job Operations File

.mcl

SmartCAM Macro File

.pm5

SmartCAM Process Model File

.set

SmartCAM Connection Settings File

.smf

SmartCAM Manufacture File

Naturally, other applications may also use the .pcb file extension. Even harmful programs can create .pcb files. Be especially cautious with .pcb files coming from an unknown source!

Can't open a .pcb file?

Open Pcb File Online

When you double-click a file to open it, Windows examines the filename extension. If Windows recognizes the filename extension, it opens the file in the program that is associated with that filename extension. When Windows does not recognize a filename extension, you receive the following message:

Windows can't open this file:
example.pcb
To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to use to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select one from a list of programs that are installed on your computer.

To avoid this error, you need to set the file association correctly.

• Open Control Panel > Control Panel Home > Default Programs > Set Associations.
• Select a file type in the list and click Change Program.

How To Open Pcb File On Mobile Phone

The .pcb file extension is often given incorrectly!

According to the searches on our site, these misspellings were the most common in the past year:

cb, cpb, lcb, ocb, pb, pbc, pc, pcf, pcg, pch, pcn, pcv, pdb, pfb, psb

Is it possible that the filename extension is misspelled?

Similar file extensions in our database:

.pch

Visual Studio Precompiled Header

.psb

Navicat Backup File

.pcf

Calyx Point Point Data

.ocb

Origin Code Builder Object

.pdb

TealPaint Image Database

.psb

PowerDivX Subtitle

Operating systems

DataTypes.net currently supports the following operating systems:

Windows XP/Vista, Windows 7/8, Windows 10, CentOS, Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, iOS, Android

.pcb File

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If you have useful information about the .pcb file format, then write to us!

Pcb File Converter

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