Gerber files are used exclusively during the PCB manufacturing phase. They contain graphical production instructions for each layer of the board, such as copper traces, solder mask openings, and silkscreen markings. Gerber files provide guidance to the manufacturer on how to produce the board, but they offer no visibility into the original design. Because Gerber files lack essential data like electrical netlists, component parameters, and design rules, they cannot serve as the source for PCB layout and are therefore unusable for further layout design or modification.

Layout design requires not production drawings but design source files or schematic PDF file. These files include the circuit schematic (which shows how each component is connected), the bill of materials (BOM) (which lists all components), and the engineering files (which contain design rules and constraints). With these, engineers can modify and optimize the circuit, such as changing routing, adjusting component placement, or replacing components.

If you have any question, you can contact your sale rep or PCBWay.