CAD/CAM Software has ODB++ interfaces.
Press Release Summary:
P-CAD, Protel and CAMtastic! Windows-based electronic design and development software products has ODB++ EDA/CAD-to-CAM data exchange format. ODB++ interface allows complete elimination of Gerber, Excellon, netlist, and component placement files for manufacturing data transfer. Benefits include reduced prototype iterations, increased accuracy of testing, and shorter set-up times and product release cycles.
Original Press Release:
Altium implements ODB++ interfaces across its PCB products
Customer demand drives Altium to provide ODB++ outputs from Protel and P-CAD design systems and ODB++ input/output support for CAMtastic! fabrication CAM
PCB DESIGN CONFERENCE WEST, Santa Clara, Calif. - March 19, 2002 - Valor Computerized Systems (Neuer Markt: VCR), a global leader in providing productivity software solutions, and Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), a leading developer of Windows-based electronic design and development software, announced today that Altium has joined Valor's Open Systems Alliance (OSA) partnership program in order to develop proven ODB++ interfaces for its PCB products. ODB++ is the Valor-funded advanced EDA/CAD-to-CAM data exchange format that has quickly become the format of choice for high-level data exchange and is now used by thousands of OEM and Contract Electronic Manufacturers (CEM) sites worldwide.
In response to customer demand, Altium decided to provide its customers with ODB++ interfaces in its P-CAD, Protel and CAMtastic! products. "The growing levels of customer demand that we are experiencing is evidence that Valor's ODB++ file format is fast becoming an emerging industry standard," says Matthew Schwaiger, Director of Product Management at Altium. "We want to give our customers the advantage of access to this more 'intelligent' file format, which will provide our customers with efficient integration of their electronic design and manufacturing environments and eliminate many causes of manufacturing failures, such as data integrity and transfer issues. The resulting benefits include reduced prototype iterations, increased accuracy of testing, and shorter set-up times and product release cycles."
With the direct input of ODB++ into the downstream Design For Manufacturing (DFM), engineering collaboration and CAM processes, Altium PCB CAD users will have the complete functionality to automatically deliver relevant design data from their Altium tools quickly and easily into the manufacturing stages of the product realization cycle, without loss of design data integrity. ODB++ allows for the complete elimination of Gerber, Excellon, netlist and component placement files for manufacturing data transfer, with consequent reduction in manufacturing-level engineering costs, and improved quality and cycle times.
Commenting on the partnership with Valor and the OSA program, Schwaiger says, "Working with Valor to implement the ODB++ interfaces has been a straightforward and efficient experience due to Valor's commitment and collaboration, via the Open Systems Alliance. We are very pleased to be able to strengthen our relationship with Valor and to now offer our customers access to the benefits that Valor's ODB++ brings."
Julian Coates, Vice President of Marketing at Valor says, "Altium's commitment to implementing ODB++ demonstrates the accelerating market demand for the business benefits that ODB++ delivers. We are pleased to provide the necessary technical resources to Altium, to advise on the format and provide testing support to their R&D group. We are fully committed to supporting all third-party EDA partners to effectively implement the ODB++ format into their CAD/CAM workflow processes."
Availability
The ODB++ interfaces will be fully integrated and available in the upcoming releases of Altium's Protel and CAMtastic! product lines and in the next release of P-CAD.
For more product information, visit www.protel.com
About Altium Limited
Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), trading as Protel International Limited (ASX: PRI) prior to August 6, 2001, is a leading global developer and supplier of desktop Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and embedded software design tools for the Microsoft Windows environment.
Since the Company's foundation in 1985 and its release of the world's first Microsoft Windows-based EDA tool in 1991, Altium has continued to apply the most advanced software design methods to provide powerful, easy-to-use and affordable design software to engineers and electronics designers worldwide.
Altium's current product brands include Protel, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker and CAMtastic!. These products offer tailored solutions covering a range of hardware and software design processes.
Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and operates a number of sales and support offices in Australia, the United States, Japan and Europe-as well as maintaining a large reseller network in all other major markets. More information about the Company and its products and services may be obtained from our website at www.altium.com.
About Valor
Valor Computerized Systems (Neuer Markt: VCR), a public company listed on the Neuer Markt of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, is a global leader in providing collaborative engineering solutions to electronics design and manufacturing companies. Valor's range of best-in-class systems delivers enhanced productivity, higher yields, shorter cycle times and increased product quality. Enterprise 3000 for physical design verification, Trilogy 5000 for NPI and manufacturing and the VPL physical component data service all add value to the Valor-funded ODB++(X) open data format. ODB++(X) provides intelligent data exchange across the electronics supply chain-from design to fabrication, Assembly and test-and its success as a high-level engineering data format is proven through its wide use in the industry. e4eNet Incorporated is a wholly owned Valor subsidiary company that provides real-time web-based electronic engineering collaboration solutions. Valor is headquartered in Israel with regional sales and customer service offices throughout North America, Europe and the Far East. For more information visit www.valor.com.
Altium, Altium Total Support, Protel, Design Explorer, nVisage, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker, CAMtastic!, Situs and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited. All other registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.
