Importing from fabmaster

[alguser]

My dept. manager (test engineering) just got back from some ICT course on Genrad ICT machines which we are switching to since they merged with Teradyne. He is all hot to do these wireless (no not transmitting type wireless, no wires in the fixture) ICT fixtures. Apperently, they have two sided pins, one side to the UUT, the other to this PCB that has pads on it. Anyhow, he wants me to import a Fabmaster file generated by our ICT group into Allegro and autoplace and autoroute and whip it out in a matter of minutes. He says that's what they do in Pads, so Allegro should be able to handle it. I've never tried this, Fabmaster is a txt file but will Allegro recognize the format it is in? The only parts I guess will be the pads the ICT pins need to mate with, will allegro autoplace these by X,Y coord.? I hope this is simple because we do a couple hundred fixtures a year and I can't keep up with what I have now, no less adding these boards.

Anothe question, these boards have to be 24.5x17 inches. Anyone recommend any board houses that do 24.5 inch panels without jacking the price up to much?

Thanks,

Andy

[cadpro2k]

Hi Andy,

I don't know how PADS imports it also, I don't remember the import function, but someone could have written a VB script to import it. I think someone was really blowing some air up your boss' you-no-what. I can't imagine what the fabmaster file could have in it. Sure it's not just a simple netlist file? Post it and I'll have a look and tell you.

Boards 24.5" shouldn't be a problem with many reputable companies. Send some quotes around to a few places in or near your area and get some feedback. (I'm not sure where you're located)

Good day.

Mitch

[Skip Yutkus]

I think, (emphasis on not sure), that the new "wireless" ICT fixturing involves creating an interface adaptor board for your tester shouldn't be real hard to do depending on the density, see Printed Circuit Design and Manufacture August issue page 25 - this is an old idea, that has been dredged up from years past, it proved to be unreliable and expensive to the point that wired fixtures won out.

Skip