New SMT placement programming scripts for GerbTool - VisualCAM front end software.

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 02, 2009 -
JD Photo-Tools officially released today a new method for creating complex SMT placement programs for PCB assembly, in the form of a set of automated scripts that run within the popular GerbTool / VisualCAM suites of software - meaning that they are also available to a vast number of users of Mentor, Cadence, and ESI PCB design packages through their OEM relationships.

GerbTool scripts are automated macro programs that are designed to run within the GerbTool shell. They are assigned and called up through the user menu, and the whole programming environment is visual. The scripts provide a simple alternative to inaccurate, time consuming manual programming methods that cost assembly houses productivity, time and money. Designed to increase PCB assembly productivity, the scripts allow the end user to create simple but effective off-line programming from their data sets. The system works by grabbing component by component, after which  the script will automatically find the centroid. Once the reference and rotation information has been added, full spreadsheet files can be exported. The script includes a full Component Edit facility that allows the programmers to rotate, move, annotate either individual components, or components by window. The editing features are truly comprehensive and allow the user to search, find and even highlight components on screen. The script can easily be configured to match existing format requirements, and supports both metric and imperial codes. VisualCAM users can also take advantage of these scripts as an entry level alternative to the extremely powerful ARE (Automated Reverse Engineering) modules that allow full SMT / BOM capabilities. Prices for the scripts start as little as £200.


Established in 1988, JD Photo-Tools  (www.jdphoto.co.uk) are a specialist provider of CAM and graphics services to the bare board PCB industry. They operate out of a manufacturing base in Manchester, UK and are part of the Photo Data group of companies. Photo Data is the biggest photo-tooling company in Europe. It's software, photo-tools and photo-masks are currently used around the world in the production of PCB's, MEMS, Microfluidics, Semiconductor and related industries.

WISE Software Solutions, Inc. (www.wssi.com),  are the providers of GerbTool and VisualCAM software. They are the leading volume provider of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software and services that enable Designers and Fabricators to streamline the process of manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards.  Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Newberg, Oregon, WISE has delivered more than 30,000 seats of software and supplied their programs through OEM relationships with key vendors such as Mentor, Cadence, Electro Scientific Industries, Electronics Workbench, and Cimnet Systems.