Is it possible for nordic guys to make available ascii files of the nrf52840 DK PCB so we can import the files in some other software we may be using? I believe altium allows such export

[cgadgil]

i want to use the nordic nrf52840 in my new beacon design. however i dont see many others using it. i downloaded the DK files from nordic to figure out the feasibility of hardware design in the limited space and price constraint i have. the issue i face again and again about the hardware files is that they are all altium files. even the viewer it seems requires me to licence. i want to use kicad or other free software as altium is way to expensive. is it possible for nordic guys to make available ascii files of the PCB so we can import the files in some other software we may be using?

[haakonsh]

Hey Chetana,

I'll put in a request for it for future reference designs. In the mean time I can try to generate the files you need. 

I've got a list of formats that I believe I can generate myself, but I do not know what you need. See pic below

Cheers,
Håkon H. 

[cgadgil]

thanks! the P-CAD ASCII is a good option for me.. thanks again 

[haakonsh]

I've tried to generate PCAD files, see the .rep for the PCB export log:

PCA10056_PCAD.zip

[cgadgil]

thanks! it works to some extent. Some of the trace thicknesses are changing but i got the IC footprint which i needed.  

[haakonsh]

So I talked to some HW guys and they said that we can't generate reference designs in other formats than Altium and gerbers because the export function of Altium is not good enough and we do not have the resources to do it manually. 

[cgadgil]

Ok, its fine since you can provide it on request... and even if its not good enough to import the whole design i could import the footprint and use it in my too.