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PCB layout file reader
Give it a Gerber, ODB++ or Allegro file. Get its nets, layers and stack listed and ready to use.
PCB layout file reader is a free AI skill for the job "Build and ship software". Give the instructions to an AI assistant that supports the required files and tools, then review its output.
Free · No account · BSD 2 Clause licence · Made by MathWorks · Thinking: low
Made by MathWorks. See the original on GitHub; we copied it as it is, with its licence.
What it does
A circuit board file you can finally open and inspect: its nets, layers, components, pins and copper shapes, listed in MATLAB and ready for analysis. Handy when a colleague or fab house sends a layout and you need to see what is inside before testing it. The skill picks the right reader by file type. Gerber files go through a layer-by-layer import with a stackup you define. ODB++ archives and Allegro board files use the board file reader, which also handles chip packages such as BGA substrates. Once loaded, you query nets and components, pull out metal polygons, or turn the board into a component for S-parameter work. It needs MATLAB and the RF PCB Toolbox.
You give it
- A Gerber, ODB++ or Allegro file
- The layer stackup, if the file lacks one (optional)
- The nets or parts you care about (optional)
You get
- A loaded board with its nets, layers and components listed
- Extracted copper shapes per layer
- A board object ready for S-parameter or power checks
- The right reader call for your file type
Use it when
- A fab house sends you Gerber files and you need to check the copper layers before analysis.
- You received an Allegro board file and want a list of its nets and components.
- You need metal shapes from a layout to reuse in your own design.
- You want to run signal tests on a board someone else designed.
How to use it
- Add it to your AI once: download it and add the folder to Claude, ChatGPT or Codex as a skill.
- Ask for the job in your own words. Your AI opens the skill when it fits.
- It works best when your AI can run MATLAB with PCB Toolbox.