Ralph, My cad tool runs a visual basic script that fully defines all of the insertion points for pick-n-place. We call this file centroid data and ship it to the contract manufacturer along with all of the gerber data for the printed circuit board. Hope this helps. The cad tool is PowerPcb. Leslie Gomez, CID email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> -----Original Message----- From: Ralph Vaughan [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 1:51 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Head start Greets, I have recently joined a telecommunications outfit that outsources all of it's manufacturing, something a little new to me. Instead of building low-rate defense hardware, I'm pushing high-rate assembly shops. I am wondering how soon a shop can begin programming pic&place machines. I know that the stencils can be ordered with the Gerber data, but can the pwb/cca CAD data be used for placement machine set-up prior to receipt of (any) hardware? I never cease to be amazed at what these new machines can do. Thanks for input. Ralph Vaughan Arris-Interactive Atlanta ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ############################################################## ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ##############################################################