Frontline InCAM 6.1: The Definitive CAM Platform for Precision PCB Manufacturing

Frontline InCAM 6.1 is an advanced, industry-standard Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software suite specifically engineered for the printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication industry. It serves as the critical bridge between PCB design data (Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581) and the physical manufacturing floor. This platform empowers CAM engineers, production planners, and PCB manufacturers to meticulously prepare, optimize, validate, and panelize design files, ensuring manufacturability, maximizing yield, and preventing costly errors before production begins.

Core Philosophy: From Design Data to Production-Ready Artwork
The core value of InCAM lies in transforming theoretical designs into practical, fault-free manufacturing instructions. It automates and streamlines the complex, manual tasks of CAM processing through a robust set of integrated tools, enabling manufacturers to handle even the most complex HDI, flex-rigid, and RF/microwave boards with confidence.

Key Functional Modules & Capabilities:

1. Intelligent Design Data Import & Validation

  • Universal Data Import: Reliably imports and merges data from all major PCB design formats, including Gerber (RS-274X), ODB++ (v7.4 and later), IPC-2581, and direct CAD database formats, eliminating translation errors.

  • Design Integrity Checking: Performs automatic and thorough design rule checks (DRC) against fabricator capabilities, identifying issues like acute angles, slivers, copper too close to board edge, and insufficient annular rings.

2. Comprehensive Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Analysis
This is a cornerstone capability that proactively prevents manufacturing defects.

  • Automated DFM Audit: Runs a comprehensive suite of checks tailored to specific process capabilities (minimum trace/space, drill sizes, solder mask web, etc.), generating detailed violation reports and cross-sections.

  • Netlist Comparison: Extracts a netlist from the manufacturing data and compares it against the designer’s original netlist to verify electrical connectivity integrity, catching potential shorts or opens.

3. Advanced Panelization & Tooling

  • Flexible Panel Creation: Provides powerful tools for creating multi-up manufacturing panels (arrays) with sophisticated routing (V-cut, tab routing, mouse bites), waste rails, and fiducials.

  • Step-and-Repeat & Mixed Panelization: Supports both standard arrays and complex mixed panels containing different board designs to optimize material utilization and throughput.

  • Tooling & Documentation: Automatically generates all necessary tooling drawings, drill drawings, and fabrication notes required for the production floor.

4. Manufacturing Output Generation

  • Precision Artwork Editing: Offers a full-featured editor for direct modification of copper, solder mask, and silkscreen layers with pixel-level accuracy.

  • Aperture Optimization & Photoplotting: Optimizes D-code usage and generates clean, efficient photoplotter (LPT, RBP) and direct imaging (LDI) data.

  • Drill & Routing Data: Creates accurate NC drill files and routing paths for automated drilling and depaneling machines.

5. Process Automation & Integration

  • Job Planning & Automation: Features tools for creating and managing complex, repeatable CAM process flows (recipes), which can be automated to handle high-volume or similar jobs with consistency.

  • ERP/MES Integration: Supports integration with manufacturing execution systems for seamless job tracking and data transfer.

Frontline InCAM 6.1
Frontline InCAM 6.1