ODB++

Key takeaways

ODB++ belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect ODB++ to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of ODB++ from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

ODB++ is a proprietary CAD-to-CAM data exchange format used in the design and manufacture of electronic devices. Its purpose is to exchange printed circuit board design information between design and manufacturing and between design tools from different EDA/ECAD vendors. It was originally developed by Valor Computerized Systems, Ltd. (acquired in 2010 by Mentor Graphics which was later acquired by Siemens in 2016) as the job description format for their CAM system. ODB stands for open database, but its openness is disputed, as discussed below. The '++' suffix, evocative of C++, was added in 1997 with the addition of component descriptions. There are two versions of ODB++: the original (now controlled by Mentor) and an XML version called ODB++(X) that Valor developed and donated to the IPC organization in an attempt to merge GenCAM (IPC-2511) and ODB++ into Offspring (IPC-2581).

Introduction Inside almost every electronic device is at least one printed circuit board (PCB) onto which the semiconductor and other components are mechanically and electrically connected by soldering. These PCBs are designed using a computer-aided design (CAD) system. To physically realize the design, the computerized design information must be transferred to a photolithographic computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system. Since the CAD and CAM systems are generally produced by different companies, they have to agree on a CAD-to-CAM data exchange format to transfer the data. ODB++ is one such file format for performing this transfer. Other formats are compared and contrasted below. After the bare board is manufactured, the electronic components are placed and soldered, for example by SMT placement equipment and wave or reflow soldering.

File structure ODB++ can handle all the specifications surrounding a PCB – i.e. not only the basic dimensions and the layout of conducting layers and drill data, but optionally also material stack up, netlist with test points, component bill of materials, component placement and fabrication data. The data for all these different aspects is stored in a collection of separate files within a specified hierarchy of file folders. For simplified archiving and transmission the collection is usually packed in a single archive-file that preserves the file structure, for example using tar or gzip or both. In ODB++(X) the data is contained in a single XML file.

History Valor was founded in 1992 and it released ODB in 1995. It added the ++ suffix when component names were added in 1997. The XML version was developed beginning 2000, and ended in 2008 with the donation to IPC. Valor was acquired by Mentor in 2010. The ODB++ data format was expanded in 2020 and was designed to facilitate communication between designer and manufacturer by use of a digital twin. The format was renamed the ODB++ Family and was split into three connected format uses.

ODB++Design: Created using typical EDA software, used for design for manufacturing, fabrication, test and assembly analysis (DFx), as well as being the single carrier of design data to electronics assembly and fabrication. ODB++Process: A transitional format for conversion of design data into files for use at any production machine or workstation. ODB++Manufacturing: A format for manufacturing floor events, with communication capabilities between machines and Smart Industry 4.0 software solutions.

Adoption In the late 1990s it became clear to industry participants that a second-generation data transfer format would be more efficient than prevalent Gerber format, which was a first generation format at that time. However, it was very difficult to reach a consensus over which of two candidates should be selected:

ODB++: proven but proprietary IPC-2511 GenCAM: not widely used but open In 2002, a compromise format, ODB++(X), was recommended by National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI; an industry body, subsequently renamed International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative, iNEMI) after a two-year mediation effort between the GenCAM and ODB++ camps. Companies that supported the recommendation at the time included Cadence, Hewlett-Packard, Lucent, Easylogix, Mentor (which acquired Valor some eight years later), Nokia and Xerox. But in fact adoption to date has been minimal. As a result, and as detailed below, the industry is still divided. Late 2014 Gerber X2 was introduced which added attributes ("intelligence") to the Gerber format in a compatible way, converting Gerber to a second generation format.

Advocacy Lists of EDA tools that support import and/or export of ODB++ have been compiled by Artwork Conversion Software, Mentor itself, and on the Comparison of EDA packages table. Some companies that have adopted the ODB++ format are advocates for its use. Streamline Circuits reports that ODB++ provides much greater efficiency than the competing Gerber format, stating that "an 8-layer printed circuit board can take up to 5 hours to plan and tool using Gerber and only 1 hour when using ODB++." According to Streamline, manufacturers are adopting it to overcome the limitations of the simpler Gerber format. DownStream Technologies calls ODB++ "the defacto standard for intelligent data exchange in EDA" In 2002, Dana Korf of Sanmina/SCI called ODB++ "the prevalent non-Gerber format." Kent Balius of Viasystems, states of ODB++ "...really we don’t need anything else."

Criticism

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with ODB++

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what ODB++ claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to ODB++ before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about ODB++ ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of ODB++

In research: ODB++ appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses ODB++ in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: ODB++ is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer file formats, EDA file formats, Graphics file formats, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for ODB++ outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study ODB++ in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what ODB++ means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain ODB++ out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is ODB++ in simple terms?

ODB++ is a proprietary CAD-to-CAM data exchange format used in the design and manufacture of electronic devices. Its purpose is to exchange printed circuit board design information between design and manufacturing and between design tools from different EDA/ECAD vendors.

Why does ODB++ matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study ODB++?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on ODB++.