Introduction

For a variety of reasons, package designers would like to take a Gerber file, and identify and extract all of the metal associated with a particular net or group of nets. Members of the net should be generated by detecting touching or overlapping metal, poly and vias to build connectivity. Gerber file sets routinely have multiple layers of metal; metal layers are interconnected vertically by vias; small "openings" in the dielectric between the metal layers.

Artwork's NETEX-G program uses boolean operations to collect connected traces, flashes and polygons into an "electrically" connected set. In addition to the actual Gerber file, NETEX requires a technology file that defines the "stackup" i.e. the conductor and via order.

Unlike other programs that have attempted this task, NETEX-G is extremely fast because Artwork is using advanced algorithms developed for the IC world where file sizes are two orders of magnitude larger.