software for pcb panel step and repeat

[Raveninghorde]

I'm looking for software to layout the step and repeat for panels,
probably using the gerbers.

So far all I've found is Viewmaster EZ from Pentalogix.

Any opinions on this or suggestions?

 

[Raveninghorde]

Your supplier should be able to do this.You package should be able to do it
as well.....

We get too many problems leaving the panel layout to vendors. Panels
that sag during flow soldering, tabs that damage tracks near the edge
of the board and so on.

Our pcb package does not allow us to layout the panel.

 

[Raveninghorde]

Your supplier should be able to do this.You package should be able to do it
as well.....

We get too many problems leaving the panel layout to vendors. Panels
that sag during flow soldering, tabs that damage tracks near the edge
of the board and so on.

Our pcb package does not allow us to layout the panel.

 

[Raveninghorde]

Look at this:

http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/Python/gerbmerge/

Might do what you want. I have not tried it, I found the
link in a message from the Classic Computer mailing list.

Thanks. Doesn't look promising.

"Other CAD programs will NOT WORK with a very high probability, as the
input parser is quite primitive. "

 

[David L. Jones]

We get too many problems leaving the panel layout to vendors. Panels
that sag during flow soldering, tabs that damage tracks near the edge
of the board and so on.

Our pcb package does not allow us to layout the panel.

Of course it will, you just have to do it manually, cut'n'paste style. Needs
some care, but not hard. Every package allows that.
Screws up your DRC, but you normally do this on a sperate panel file anyway.
What package are you using?

Dave.

 

[Martin Riddle]

I'm looking for software to layout the step and repeat for panels,
probably using the gerbers.

So far all I've found is Viewmaster EZ from Pentalogix.

Any opinions on this or suggestions?

CAM350 appears to allow panelization for manufacturing.

But, the PCB mfg usually does all that stuff to minimize waste.

Cheers

 

[Raveninghorde]

CAM350 appears to allow panelization for manufacturing.

But, the PCB mfg usually does all that stuff to minimize waste.

Cheers

I'll look at CAM350.

I don't like leaving the pcb manufacturer to specify stuff, it usually
causes problems.

For example I used to instruct "UL mark pcbs including date code". So
some boards came in marked 0708 and some 0807, no clue as to whether
it was mmyy or yymm. On checking I found they did it differently on
different production lines. It wasn't something we spotted and was
picked up when our customer had a UL inspection. Not to mention UL
logos on pcbs - a nightmare. I now check the UL registration of all
pcb suppliers.

More to the point I specify a max panel size that works for us based
on pick and place bed size, flow soldering nozzle width etc. We have
had panels from a UK company arrive in with a random width edge on the
panels, anywhere between 10mm and 30mm. This is way outside the
ability of the pick and place to find the fiducials.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

I'll look at CAM350.

I don't like leaving the pcb manufacturer to specify stuff, it usually
causes problems.

For example I used to instruct "UL mark pcbs including date code". So
some boards came in marked 0708 and some 0807, no clue as to whether
it was mmyy or yymm. On checking I found they did it differently on
different production lines. It wasn't something we spotted and was
picked up when our customer had a UL inspection. Not to mention UL
logos on pcbs - a nightmare. I now check the UL registration of all
pcb suppliers.

You should check ALL UL registrations, at least for new suppliers..
it's easy to do it online. Recently had an issue where the stuff was
approved but they had fallend behind in protection money to UL so we
held up the order until they forked over the money.

More to the point I specify a max panel size that works for us based
on pick and place bed size, flow soldering nozzle width etc. We have
had panels from a UK company arrive in with a random width edge on the
panels, anywhere between 10mm and 30mm. This is way outside the
ability of the pick and place to find the fiducials.

Ewww. random. Might be worth asking for a GIF of the panelized
Gerbers?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Raveninghorde]

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:57:53 -0400, Spehro Pefhany

SNIP

You should check ALL UL registrations, at least for new suppliers..
it's easy to do it online. Recently had an issue where the stuff was
approved but they had fallend behind in protection money to UL so we
held up the order until they forked over the money.


Ewww. random. Might be worth asking for a GIF of the panelized
Gerbers?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Random because they were using a guillotene to cut the panels down
after manufacture. If I remember correctly our panel was 3 x 2 boards
and they were making a panel 6 x 8 boards. This is the sort of thing
you don't expect until it happens.

Another issue is that we use manual solder stencil machines and even
small adjustments between panels wastes time.

 

[Raveninghorde]

Then you should be looking for another supplier. Our pcb house allows
us to specify number of boards in X and Y directions, as well as
spacings between them.

We buy 80% of our boards direct from a Chinese factory now even for
fairly low quantities. The quality is significantly better than from
the low cost end of the UK market.

The reason for starting this thread was to find a program that let us
set up the X and Y and tabs etc ourselves. Then I have the information
as part of the manufacturing file for that product. That lets me swap
suppliers without having to respecify this information and getting
tabs moved by 5mm etc