2.2.3 Development agencies and organizations

The IPC-2510 series of standards development teams are mainly composed of these vendors or organizations: Mitron, GraphiCode, Valor, FABmaster and IGL. Since it is derived from the GenCAD format, many EDA vendors have also joined, such as Mentor.

3 Development of other types of data formats

3.1 Gerber

In fact, the electronics industry standards for PCB fabrication are still widely used. Gerber appeared in the 1970s, the Gerber RS-274D was improved in 1985, and the more advanced Gerber 274X was produced in 1992. However, no matter how the data format is improved, the input, inspection, and processing processes are still very complicated. The cycle is long and cannot be adapted to the requirements of modern CAD/CAM automation and fast processes.

3.2 IPC-D-350 Series

IPC has noticed the drawbacks of the Gerber format since the 1970s and is committed to improvement. By the early 1990s, the IPC-D-350 series was introduced, which can be called the "smart" format standard. It can embed all necessary information in one file. Providing more relaxed requirements to PCB designers and producers, technically advanced, but users complain that their language interface is not very friendly, and thus failed to attract more users to adopt, but one of them - IPC-D - 356, the light board test standard adopted by PCB manufacturers. The IPC-D-350 series of standards does not have assembly board testing content, so this standard cannot be accepted by all electronics industries.

3.3 ODB++ (Open Data Base) - public database

ODB++ was launched by Valor. Its appearance is the result of the development of modern computers and databases. Its idea is most suitable for the integration of design and manufacturing today, and it can truly embed the DFM rules into the design process. ODB++ is also essentially modeling, structure and format is very simple and easy to use, providing many advanced development modules, such as graphical interface, netlist, drilling and path files, graphic annotations, ECN/ECO design, etc., and its description with EDIF 4.0 Similar to .0, some user-defined attributes can also be included.

ODB++ is based on the ASC II format document description, and its detailed format and structure descriptions have been formed into text files and are available free of charge from some places (Internet). The CAD database is so complex that each EDA does not provide its data format to outsiders, and some EDA developers such as Mentor, Cadence, Zuken-Redac and PADS provide the corresponding Translator software. If you can know the data format of CAD, using ODB++ technology to develop can achieve data sharing in various EDA environments and achieve a certain degree of integration.

CAM software developers such as Mitron, FABmaster, Unicam, Graphic, etc. have used ODB++ technology, CAD data conversion results are neutral files, and then this neutral file is processed internally, eventually forming device drivers, testing programs, and so on.

3.4 Internal data exchange format of the enterprise

Before the above-mentioned various standards were not promoted, many advanced electronic companies also carried out corresponding research from the perspective of system integration. For example, Philips introduced its own CAT/CAM conversion for product manufacturing and product testing in 1988. Format standard—TA-CAT/CAM, mainly used for data conversion applications between product design and development and production preparation departments. Its functions include CAD product modules, entities, boards, circuits, reference points, positioning holes, components, and foot pins. Wait. Similar work for other large and advanced companies also has corresponding work, which will not be described here.

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