This is a generic problem with all CAM packages. We continually fight this ourselves, day in and day out. I have been working with Valor to fix this and CiruiTest Fixpert. We used to use Orbotech and IGI for this, but with the same results. Every fabricator that I have visited, or talked with, also has a similar problem. But, we all say we perform "100% netlist test". I'd love to compare notes with you sometime on this. I think we need to address this as an industry. I have been working with the CAD software suppliers to raise their awareness of what a test point is. It turns out, they don't really have a clue. The current IPC-356 does not properly define all conditions of test points. There is a new revision that is currently out for member approval which corrects known deficiencies. I am not aware of any software package in the world, or other worlds, that can prepare a proper netlist for test. I am also not aware of any OEM's who use a CAD package, this includes Mentor and Cadence, that can consistently create a perfect netlist for test. If we want to get to basics, this industry doesn't have a common definition of what a test point is. We also need a common definition of what "100% netlist test" means. I have a quiz that I have given to 30+ knowledgable test people (including customers) which shows a sample PCB. I ask them how many test points to they see? No one has given the same answer, let alone what I think is the correct answer. Reply back by e-mail, or give me a call. What do the rest of you think? Dana Korf Dir. Engineering Services Hadco, Santa Clara (formerly Zycon) [log in to unmask] ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Everrett Charles 9090 Test Fixtures Author: [log in to unmask] at corp Date: 5/16/97 3:08 PM We have an Orbotech Xpert 1700 CAM station from which we are generating IPC-D-356 (netlist) and NTD (net trace data) files. We then take this data and use the Everrett Charles ValueGrid software to generate the drill files required to build the 9090 test fixtures. We've found that there is an incompatibility between these two software packages. The end result is a test fixture with missing test points due to confusion between midpoints and endpoints of the two software packages. This problem happens frequently when there are via holes in, or partially in, a surface mount pad. The Orbotech software sees the center of the SMT pad as a midpoint and the via hole in the SMT pad as an endpoint, the opposite of what I would expect. The ValueGrid software drops the midpoint and thus the SMT pad and also drops the via hole in the SMT pad because it assumes that the via is a midpoint. Again the end result is a missing endpoint. Does anyone have this same problem? Does anyone know of software that can generate the drill files necessary to build Everrett Charles 9090 test fixtures from raw gerber data without the problems listed above? If so, please contact me. Sid Tryzbiak VP Engineering Continental Circuits, Inc 407-699-5000 *************************************************************************** * TechNet mail list is provided as a service by IPC using SmartList v3.05 * *************************************************************************** * To subscribe/unsubscribe send a message <to: [log in to unmask]> * * with <subject: subscribe/unsubscribe> and no text in the body. * *************************************************************************** * If you are having a problem with the IPC TechNet forum please contact * * Dmitriy Sklyar at 847-509-9700 ext. 311 or email at [log in to unmask] * *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** * TechNet mail list is provided as a service by IPC using SmartList v3.05 * *************************************************************************** * To subscribe/unsubscribe send a message <to: [log in to unmask]> * * with <subject: subscribe/unsubscribe> and no text in the body. * *************************************************************************** * If you are having a problem with the IPC TechNet forum please contact * * Dmitriy Sklyar at 847-509-9700 ext. 311 or email at [log in to unmask] * ***************************************************************************