Milestone release provides integrated solution for total PCB post-processing
Marlborough, Mass – April 27, 2009 – DownStream Technologies, LLC today announced CAM350 XL™ – the industry’s
only unified suite of tools for complete PCB post processing. CAM350 XL combines technologies from both its CAM350® and BluePrint-PCB®
applications to create a unified suite of tools to address the needs of PCB Designers chartered with releasing a PCB design to manufacturing.
The CAM350 XL solution focuses on five key areas of PCB post-processing: Design and Gerber verification for
manufacturing; Tooling Aid output generation including Gerber, ODB++, solder and paste masks, and NC Drill and Mill; PCB documentation;
Release Package creation and distribution; and ECO automation. And unlike most CAD/CAM solutions available today, it supports these
functions for both the PCB- and Panel-level, depending on the user’s requirements.
CAM350 XL offers multi-level verification, from simple netlist comparison ensuring that generated Gerber
files match the original design data to in-depth DFF analysis highlighting and correcting manufacturing problems while still
in the design stage. This flexibility allows users to implement the best verification strategy based on design criteria and
schedule constraints. CAM350 XL supports all major industry output standards required to translate a finished PCB design into
useful and accurate Gerber, ODB++, and NC information. CAM350 XL also delivers state-of-the-art and patented PCB documentation
technology. Using the same source data used to verify and extract manufacturing outputs, users can now quickly create complex
fabrication, assembly, panel, and other drawings to front-end manufacturing without the need to re-extract, convert or re-import
data in one, easy-to-use environment.
“For many years, advances in EDA tools have gone a long way in optimizing the PCB layout process.
New routing and placement technologies have emerged to greatly reduce the amount of time required for these phases
of the PCB layout process,” said Rick Almeida, one of DownStream’s Founders. “Until now, little advancement has been
made on improving the post-processing of PCB designs leaving this critical link in the design chain a completely manual,
and error-prone task. With the introduction of CAM350 XL, the key pieces required for taking a virtual design and producing
all the deliverables to make a physical PCB are integrated in one single solution. This is a quantum leap in improving post-processing
where historically, users have had to rely on multiple disparate tools, or make do with the sub-par functionality found in most PCB CAD
systems,” he added.
Building upon DownStream’s Release Package concept originally delivered in it’s patented BluePrint-PCB
application, users can now export Gerber and NC Drill and Mill data directly to the same Release Package database file
that the PCB documentation was created in. In addition, the CAM350 XL flow removes the need for constant extraction and
importation of information to move from CAM output generation to documentation. Any information produced at the output
generation stage is available as an input for the documentation stage and vice versa, including any intelligent design
data, and/or step and repeated assembly panel data. This innovative Release Package concept now allows all the deliverables
required by down stream manufacturing — including Gerber, ODB++, NC, PDF, DXF, PCB drawings, MS Office files — to be contained
in one electronic file.
Key Feature Highlights
- Multi-level Analysis - CAM350 XL supports multiple levels of analysis from cursory visual inspection of design/Gerber/ODB++ data
to Netlist comparison of outputs to original design data, to full blown Design for Fabrication (DFF) analysis. The latter two verifications
can be combined into a analysis “Stream”, saved away and re-used in subsequent revisions or other designs
- Tooling Output Extraction – CAM350 XL outputs all major industry formats for Gerber including Barco, Fire 9000, RS274X/D,
ODB++, NC Milling / Drilling including Sieb and Meyer 1000/3000 and Excellon. CAM350 XL also supports IPC-D-356 standard netlist
generation for both the PCB and stepped up assembly panel.
- PCB Documentation - PCB documentation has never been easier. Using the same intelligent design data that CAM
outputs were generated from, users can quickly drag and drop PCB views onto drawing sheets, format them with other
drawing elements to create detailed fabrication, assembly, panel and custom drawings needed to document a PCB design.
In addition, any Gerber, PDF, DXF data imported to the release package can be dragged onto a drawing sheet for further instruction clarity.
- Release Package Creation/Distribution - The core of CAM350 XL is it’s single electronic Release Package database. The release
package stores imported data as well as supports exporting functions so that documentation and machine files (Gerber, ODB++, NC, Centriod, etc)
can be exported and stored right in the release package database. In addition, any file on the network can be added to the Release Package.
This creates a single data file that contains all design information, Gerber files, NC files, PDF and DXF files, and related PCB documentation
for distribution to document control, procurement, and manufacturing
- ECO Automation - Getting the correct information from Engineering to Manufacturing is a daunting task.
Engineering changes after product release introduce new dynamics into the process that can increase the complexity in manufacturing such as:
- Differences between one revision and the next
- What part of the documents have changed to support those revisions
- How are these changes depicted in the provided Engineering outputs
The CAM350 XL suite addresses these issues in a number of ways. First, revisions can be compared graphically to
determine differences between two design database revisions; a database and it’s corresponding Gerber or ODB++ data, two revisions
of the same Gerber/ODB++ files, two revisions of Drill/mill files or any combination. These differences are identified graphically
with a corresponding report file. In addition this report file can be cross-probed back to the original CAD system if needed. CAM350XL
also tracks changes to the PCB documentation. Upon completion of a documentation package, users “Sign-off” a drawing set. This “sign-off”
procedure, locks the drawing package graphically and prompts a user to increment the drawing revision prior to implementing a release.
Users can then display graphically both drawing revisions using a color code to determine affected areas of a drawing.
Product Availability
CAM350 XL is available immediately for purchase and download. For more information visit
http://www.downstreamtech.com, e-mail
sales@downstreamtech.com or contact one of DownStream’s
local Value Added Resellers (VARs).
About DownStream Technologies
DownStream Technologies, LLC is a software and services company focused on helping engineering organizations
optimize and automate the PCB Release Process. Our tools redefine how engineering professionals post-process PCB designs to
create and distribute all the deliverables required for a complete PCB assembly release package. CAM350® provides verification,
optimization and output generation to efficiently drive PCB fabrication. BluePrint for Printed Circuit Boards® works with CAM350
and PCB CAD systems to help users quickly produce comprehensive electronic drawings to drive PCB fabrication, assembly, and
inspection processes. More information
about DownStream can be found at www.downstreamtech.com.
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© 2009 DownStream Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved. CAM350® and BluePrint for Printed Circuit Boards® are
registered trademark of DownStream Technologies, LLC. All other registered trademarks and trademarks contained within
this document are the property of their respective owners.
