Manufacturing Test
FABmaster
                                                                                          CAD Conversion Software
 Software integration of
 design and test to reduce
 fixture and program
 time-to-market
The Design Process                               systems. The link is an integrated software                  below)
                                                                                                          -   FABmaster Graphics Engine
   The vast majority of today's Printed          solution converting and manipulating data                -   Job Screen
Circuit Boards (PCBs) are designed on a          for use by each element of the process.                  -   ASCII Text Editor
Computer Aided Design (CAD) workstation.            The market leader in this sector is                   -   Attribute Library Management
This approach offers a number of                 FABmasterTM, based in France. IFR use a                  -   HPGL Plot File Output
                                                                                                          -   Bed of Nails Fixture Design
significant benefits, for instance the ability   dedicated version of the software to link to             -   IFR .CB Output Processor
to simulate the design and analyse a board       various CAD systems and convert data into
layout for any potential conflicts. The result   a format suitable for the range of                      CAD Input Processors
                                                                                                          ACADEMI
is that design cycle times have been             Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). This data                CADENCE ALLEGRO
reduced with a corresponding increase in         format is then taken by IFR's Computer                   CADES-G
quality.                                         Assisted Program Generation Software                     CADNETIX Versions E & F
   There are now upwards of thirty different     (CAPG) to produce the fixtures and                       CADSTAR for Windows
                                                                                                          CALAY V04
CAD packages in use within the electronics       programs required by the ATEs.                           CASE VANGUARD
industry, with a matching number of CAD             This combination of software offers a                 COMPUTERVISION AUTOBOARD/THEDA
formats in which data is stored.                 number of significant improvements over                  DDE ECAD (IPL format)
                                                                                                          DEDALE
                                                 previous methods. Firstly, it is quicker,
Manufacturing Links                              achieving a lower time-to-market.
                                                                                                          DIF (Clink)
   The CAD files used to describe the                                                                     DOCICA (Alcatel)
                                                 Secondly, it is accurate. IFR FABmaster                  ENCORE PCB (Xynetix)
design     are    essential    within    the     ensures that the data used to manufacture                GENCAD (Mitron)
manufacturing process. Each of these             the board is the same data as that used for
                                                                                                          H.P. PCDS
processes typically requires a subset of the                                                              I.B.M. CBDS Version 4
                                                 testing. By improving both time-to-market                I.B.M. CBDS Version 5
data held within the CAD files, from basic       and quality, test costs are reduced and the              INTERGRAPH AT Designer (EIF)
board layout through to component                effectiveness of the ATE platform is                     MENTOR
selection and placement.                         improved.
                                                                                                          ORCAD (DOS)
   The test process is no exception.                                                                      ORCAD (Windows)
                                                                                                          PADS
InCircuit and Manufacturing Defects              FABmaster Extensions                                     P-CAD PDIF
Analysers test each component in turn,              The basic IFR FABmaster software can                  PRISMA
taking measurements against a nominal            be extended to support other elements of                 PROTEL
                                                                                                          REDAC - Cadstar (CDI), Maxi & Redboard
value or truth table. Computer Aided Repair      the manufacturing process. The time-to-                  SCICARDS
uses a graphical representation of the           market and quality benefits that FABmaster               THEDA - Incases
board to identify component failures. All of     brings to the creation of ATE fixtures and               TOPCAD
the information regarding the type and           programs are also relevant to surface                    ULTIBOARD
                                                                                                          UNICAD
value of each component, the connectivity        mount and automated placement systems.                   VERIBEST (FATF)
and the physical location is contained                                                                    VISULA (CADIF)
within the CAD file. The key is accessing                                                                 VUTRAX
the data.
                                                 Specification                                            ZUKEN CR 3000
                                                                                                          Other Options
The IFR Solution for Test                        Core IFR Package
    Given that there are over thirty different    IFR .CB FABmaster Station for Windows                   MRP/BOM Input Setup
CAD systems in common use today, it is            (requires Windows 95, NT or 3.1 with Win32              HPGL Schematics Viewer
difficult for each platform within the            extension)                                              IFR INCITE Output Processor
production process to accept the ever             Includes :
changing formats outputed by these                - 1 CAD Input Processor (must be specified from list
                              http://www.ifrinternational.com                                                                           FABmaster   1
    FABmaster
    IFR Americas, Inc., 10200 West York Street, Wichita, Kansas                                                                             IFR Ltd, Longacres House, Norton Green Road, Stevenage, Herts
    67215-8999, USA. E-mail: info@ifrsys.com                                                                                                  SG1 2BA, United Kingdom. E-mail: info@ifrinternational.co.uk
    Tel: +1 316 522 4981 Toll Free USA: 1 800 835 2352 Fax: +1 316 522 1360                                           Tel: +44 (0) 1438 742200 Freephone UK: 0800 282 388 Fax: +44 (0) 1438 727601
       As we are always seeking to improve our products, the information in this document gives only a general indication of the product capacity, performance and suitability, none of which shall form part of any
                           contract. We reserve the right to make design changes without notice. All trademarks are acknowledged. Parent Company IFR Systems, Inc. © IFR Ltd. 1999.
                                                        http://www.ifrinternational.com
                                                                                                                                                                                            Part no. 46891-080
2      Product No.                                                                                                                                                                                       Revision A