The following procedures explain how to reverse engineer data, to add part centroid locations, pin locations, part rotation, etc. to a database, for assembly.
These functions cannot be used to add intelligence to Gerber data for the purposes of exporting to a CAD system database.
There are several ways to reverse engineer your data for assembly:
Reverse engineering from IPC-D-356 data is the most automatic and reliable method. However, note that your IPC-D-356 file must contain reference designators and pin numbers.
Import or open the database you wish to reverse engineer. Note that because this is for assembly, you only need to load the top and/or bottom side layers, and through-hole drill layer (inner layers are not needed unless you are also reverse engineering for assembly test).
All pads must be flashed data, and must be made with intrinsic apertures (they cannot be custom apertures). If your pads are created using draws, select Tools|Convert|Drawn Pads to convert them to flashes.
Select the File|Import|Netlist|IPC-D-356 command and import the netlist that goes with your data.
Use Edit|Align Layers and make sure your netlist layer is aligned to your layer data.
Select the Assembly|Parts|Identify Using|IPC-D-356 Data command. You are warned if you have not compared your netlist to your data, to check for any discrepancies. Although running a netlist comparison is recommended, it is not necessary to complete the reverse engineering process.
The system scans the database, constructs the Footprint Library, and identifies the part instances in the workspace. Any errors are logged in the Analysis area of the Navigator, and may ultimately be put in a .txt report file. When the process is finished, you are given the option of viewing the report file.
Tip: Pin connectors may be identified in the IPC-D-356 file for the purposes of the netlist, but they will show up as errors during reverse engineering because they are not components. These errors should be ignored.
Part data, such as pin numbers and centroids, are displayed as "virtual entities". Use the View|Parts command to display/hide the part data, and the Assembly|Parts|Query command to view information on the parts in the Item Properties Display.
If any of the footprint data, such as pin number assignments, needs to be corrected, use the Setup|Footprint Library command to view the footprint information and make the changes. The Footprint Library can be used for any global changes that need to be made to all parts that share a particular footprint. If you have a footprint that is incorrectly assigned to an individual part, use the Assembly section of the Navigator to change the assignment. You can also use the Navigator to alter things like rotation, reference designators, or delete a part altogether.
If you need to identify any additional parts, see Manual Reverse Engineering.
Identify any fiducials using the Assembly|Fiducials|Identify command.
If you have a bill of materials (BOM) for this data, select the Assembly|Import BOM command to add any additional part or device information to the database prior to exporting. Note that if the bill of materials contains device names or part numbers that do not match those in the footprint library, they will be added as necessary.
If you are going to export your data in the FATF format, and will use it for in-circuit test, select the Tools|Netlist|Set Netlist Information command to specify whether your nets are power or signal.
When you are finished, use the Assembly|Export FATF command to export your data in the FATF format, or the Assembly|Parts|BOM Report command to generate an ASCII report that includes BOM and Centroid information. You can also export your data using the File|Export|ODB++, File|Export|ODB++(X), File|Export|GenCAD, or File|Export|IPC-D-356 command, and the exported data will include component information.
VisualCAM has the ability to save and load its own footprint library file. If you have a standard footprint library that you use for multiple boards, you can use it in reverse engineering.
Import or open the database you wish to reverse engineer. Note that because this is for assembly, you only need to load the top and/or bottom side layers, and through-hole drill layer (inner layers are not needed unless you are also reverse engineering for assembly test).
All pads must be flashed data, and must be made with intrinsic apertures (they cannot be custom apertures). If your pads are created using draws, select Tools|Convert|Drawn Pads to convert them to flashes.
Select the Assembly|Setup Footprint Library command. The Footprint Library dialog box appears.
Click the Load button, and select the appropriate .fpl file to import.
Click the OK button in the Footprint Library dialog box.
Select the Assembly|Parts|Identify Using|Footprint Library command, and identify the part instances for each footprint.
If you have a footprint that is incorrectly assigned to an individual part, use the Assembly section of the Navigator to change the assignment. You can also use the Navigator to alter things like rotation, reference designators, or delete a part altogether.
If you need to identify any additional footprints and assign them to parts, see Manual Reverse Engineering.
Identify any fiducials using the Assembly|Fiducials|Identify command.
If you have a bill of materials (BOM) for this data, select the Assembly|Import BOM command to add any additional part or device information to the database prior to exporting.
If you are going to export your data in the FATF format, and will use it for in-circuit test, select the Tools|Netlist|Set Netlist Information command to specify whether your nets are power or signal.
When you are finished, use the Assembly|Export FATF command to export your data in the FATF format, or the Assembly|Parts|BOM Report command to generate an ASCII report that includes BOM and Centroid information. You can also export your data using the File|Export|ODB++, File|Export|ODB++(X), File|Export|GenCAD, or File|Export|IPC-D-356 command, and the exported data will include component information.
Part Centroid files can be used to reverse engineer part data for assembly. A converter file is also necessary, which is used to instruct the system how to read the data in the various columns of the centroid file. If you do not have a converter file, you can easily create a new one using the interactive Centroid File Converter.
Import or open the database you wish to reverse engineer. Note that because this is for assembly, you only need to load the top and/or bottom side layers, and through-hole drill layer (inner layers are not needed unless you are also reverse engineering for assembly test).
All pads must be flashed data, and must be made with intrinsic apertures (they cannot be custom apertures). If your pads are created using draws, select Tools|Convert|Drawn Pads to convert them to flashes.
Select the Assembly|Parts|Identify Using|Centroid File command, identify the centroid file you wish to use, and complete the part identification process.
Part data, such as pin numbers and centroids, are displayed as "virtual entities". Use the View|Parts command to display/hide the part data, and the Assembly|Parts|Query command to view information on the parts in the Item Properties Display.
If any of the footprint data, such as pin number assignments, needs to be corrected, use the Assembly|Setup Footprint Library command to view the footprint information and make the changes. The Footprint Library can be used for any global changes that need to be made to all parts that share a particular footprint. If you have a footprint that is incorrectly assigned to an individual part, use the Assembly section of the Navigator to change the assignment. You can also use the Navigator to alter things like rotation, reference designators, or delete a part altogether.
If you need to identify any additional parts, see Manual Reverse Engineering.
Identify any fiducials using the Assembly|Fiducials|Identify command.
If you have a bill of materials (BOM) for this data, select the Assembly|Import BOM command to add any additional part or device information to the database prior to exporting.
If you are going to export your data in the FATF format, and will use it for in-circuit test, select the Tools|Netlist|Set Netlist Information command to specify whether your nets are power or signal.
When you are finished, use the Assembly|Export FATF command to export your data in the FATF format, or the Assembly|Parts|BOM Report command to generate an ASCII report that includes BOM and Centroid information. You can also export your data using the File|Export|ODB++, File|Export|ODB++(X), File|Export|GenCAD, or File|Export|IPC-D-356 command, and the exported data will include component information.
You can use silkscreen layers to reverse engineer your part data for assembly. This function requires that the reference designators in your silkscreen be "real text", so you will have to do some processing of your silkscreen layer.
Import or open the database you wish to reverse engineer. Note that because this is for assembly, you only need to load the top and/or bottom side layers, their associated silkscreen layers, and the through-hole drill layer (inner layers are not needed unless you are also reverse engineering for assembly test).
All pads must be flashed data, and must be made with intrinsic apertures (they cannot be custom apertures). If your pads are created using draws, select Tools|Convert|Drawn Pads to convert them to flashes.
Select the Tools|Convert|Drawn Text command on your silkscreen layers to convert your reference designators to "real text".
Select the Assembly|Parts|Identify Using|SilkScreen Layer command, and identify the parts.
If any of the footprint data, such as pin number assignments, needs to be corrected, use the Assembly|Setup Footprint Library command to view the footprint information and make the changes. The Footprint Library can be used for any global changes that need to be made to all parts that share a particular footprint. If you have a footprint that is incorrectly assigned to an individual part, use the Assembly section of the Navigator to change the assignment. You can also use the Navigator to alter things like rotation, reference designators, or delete a part altogether.
If you need to identify any additional parts, see Manual Reverse Engineering.
Identify any fiducials using the Assembly|Fiducials|Identify command.
If you have a bill of materials (BOM) for this data, select the Assembly|Import BOM command to add any additional part or device information to the database prior to exporting.
If you are going to export your data in the FATF format, and will use it for in-circuit test, select the Tools|Netlist|Set Netlist Information command to specify whether your nets are power or signal.
When you are finished, use the Assembly|Export FATF command to export your data in the FATF format, or the Assembly|Parts|BOM Report command to generate an ASCII report that includes BOM and Centroid information. You can also export your data using the File|Export|ODB++, File|Export|ODB++(X), File|Export|GenCAD, or File|Export|IPC-D-356 command, and the exported data will include component information.
If you do not have an IPC-D-356 netlist, centroid file, footprint library, or silkscreen layers for your database, you can manually identify parts using this function. For the sake of speed and accuracy, if you do have any one of the aforementioned data files, it is recommended that you use it to reverse engineer your part data for assembly.
This function can also be used after you have used any of the other Part Identification commands, and had to correct any data errors that required deleting a part instance and recreating it.
Import or open the database you wish to reverse engineer. Note that because this is for assembly, you only need to load the top and/or bottom side layers, and through-hole drill layer (inner layers are not needed unless you are also reverse engineering for assembly test).
All pads must be flashed data, and must be made with intrinsic apertures (they cannot be custom apertures). If your pads are created using draws, select Tools|Convert|Drawn Pads to convert them to flashes.
Select the Assembly|Parts|Identify Using|Select Footprint command, and identify the parts.
If any of the footprint data, such as pin number assignments, needs to be corrected, use the Assembly|Setup Footprint Library command to view the footprint information and make the changes. The Footprint Library can be used for any global changes that need to be made to all parts that share a particular footprint. If you have a footprint that is incorrectly assigned to an individual part, use the Assembly section of the Navigator to change the assignment. You can also use the Navigator to alter things like rotation, reference designators, or delete a part altogether.
Identify any fiducials using the Assembly|Fiducials|Identify command.
If you have a bill of materials (BOM) for this data, select the Assembly|Import BOM command to add any additional part or device information to the database prior to exporting.
If you are going to export your data in the FATF format, and will use it for in-circuit test, select the Tools|Netlist|Set Netlist Information command to specify whether your nets are power or signal.
When you are finished, use the Assembly|Export FATF command to export your data in the FATF format, or the Assembly|Parts|BOM Report command to generate an ASCII report that includes BOM and Centroid information. You can also export your data using the File|Export|ODB++, File|Export|ODB++(X), File|Export|GenCAD, or File|Export|IPC-D-356 command, and the exported data will include component information.