Gerber file review

[BlueLdr]

Hopefully this isn't frowned upon here, could I pester someone to take a look at my Gerber files before I place an order? I generated them from KiCad using the default settings, so I'd assume they're okay. But this is my first time doing this, and I don't really know what a good set of Gerber files is supposed to look like. So I'd greatly appreciate another pair of eyes

The project and Gerber files are available here: https://github.com/BlueLdr/summer-kicad

[bluelagoon]

Alright I just downloaded all your individual gerber files placed them in a zip folder and plugged the zip folder into the JLCPCB
New Order for PCB page

https://cart.jlcpcb.com/quote/

You can do the same and this can then verify if your gerber files are correct or not.
There is no further obligation of purchase, it is just a sure way to easy check your gerber files to find out if suitable and verified for pcb production.

Press on the button at top of page on the jlcpcb order page that says "Add Gerber File", then find the zip folder on your computer that contains all your gerber files in the one zip folder and submit. From there the production service will tell you if your files are good to go, and shall also give you a visual display of your pcbs as designed ready for production, the visual files can be downloaded for inspection. You can even scroll down the order page and select different color pcb's to get a visual of what it would look like in another color.

Anyhows, good news is the files look good and were verified at JLCPCB.
see the pics as per your gerber files output at the jlcpcb site -

[FiveseveN]

There's also a fully featured Gerber Viewer right there in KiCad: https://www.kicad.org/discover/gerber-viewer/

[BlueLdr]

From there the production service will tell you if your files are good to go.

So it's safe to assume that if the production service accepts the files, they're good? No need for manual checking against my schematic/pcb design?

There's also a fully featured Gerber Viewer right there in KiCad: https://www.kicad.org/discover/gerber-viewer/

I did use this to look at the gerber files, but again, this is my first time, so I don't know how to identify any potential errors just by looking at it.

[bluelagoon]

So it's safe to assume that if the production service accepts the files, they're good? No need for manual checking against my schematic/pcb design?

Not necessarily, The PCB fabrication service will produce your boards whether you have a correct circuit in place or not.
All that verifying the gerbers does is confirm your files are acceptable to go on and produce from according to the circuit layout you have placed down. So like if you have placed down a perfect or non perfect reproduction of lets sat an Ibanez TS-9 then this will be produced at the PCB fab house, But this does you no good if what you had actually intended your circuit to be a Boss CS-2 Chorus.
So obviously yes you need to check your circuit that you have put onto your PCB design against your schematic, and by means of any kicad software verification methods to tell you that all your traces are connected.

I don't use Kicad, I use Diptrace, and there is within Diptrace a Verification feature that checks for design rule errors, and also checks for Net connectivity for all your traces with components supposed to be on the same net, to verify if they are connected as should be.
Surely Kicad has some similar feature.

[BlueLdr]

So obviously yes you need to check your circuit that you have put onto your PCB design against your schematic, and by means of any kicad software verification methods to tell you that all your traces are connected.

I don't use Kicad, I use Diptrace, and there is within Diptrace a Verification feature that checks for design rule errors, and also checks for Net connectivity for all your traces with components supposed to be on the same net, to verify if they are connected as should be.
Surely Kicad has some similar feature.

Yep I've done all that in KiCad, I'm confident the circuit is accurate. I just don't know if there was some setting I missed in the Gerber generation or something like that.

I guess judging by the previews, the only parts that are in question are the solder mask and paste layers.




The solder paste layers are empty, which is fine because I'm hand assembling/soldering everything myself, and it's all through-hole. The solder mask is filled in over all the pads and nothing else, and since the mask is a negative, only the pads will be exposed on the physical board.

Is this all correct, and the desired result?

[bluelagoon]

From what I can see from the JLCPCB preview of your board, and if you are happy with the accuracy of the circuit placed on the board, then I think you are set to go.

But even if after production it fails by some slight degree of inaccuracy, don't be too upset, it happens a lot, and then after tracing out the glitch you are able to make required amendments. Quite often if there is some small mistake, the circuit can be reoriented to correctly represent a working PCB with usually some simple modification of cutting and splicing to correct.

Also if you had in mind at doing a large run of the same circuit for commercial purposes, then sometimes if there are doubts on the board accuracy, its a good idea to start with the minimal purchase run of 1 to 5 boards fabricated, just so you can then verify the accuracy of an assembled board, before committing to a larger amount of fabricated boards.

This then allows to fix any issues found in the first run.

[bluelagoon]

One more thing for a small run of a board like yours say minimum 5 pieces with no SMD components to be placed, would cost pretty minimal, so not a lot to sacrifice by just submitting and getting it done, without fretting any further. And from what I see and your confidence in the circuit, There should be no reason it wont work as planned, and if so that it doesn't, there not a whole lot spent, and you can get back to the drawing board and get it right the next time.
Also its often not to difficult as mentioned earlier to correct small errors on boards that are slightly inaccurate.

Would recommend JLCPCB for Good price and postage worldwide and ease of use as a PCB fabricator.

Good Luck with it.