Homebrew PCBs

From: Boman33 <boman33@...>
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] OT: .FAB to Protel
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:46 PM







 



  


    
      
      
      Although this is not fitting the homebrew PCB category, many experienced

guys are hanging out here and hopefully someone have some helpful

suggestions:



We have to manufacture a 10 year design, an 8 layer board with only partial

documentation.  I have found Pick & Place info and some Gerbers but only the

stencils, solder mask, drill CNC, and legends but not the traces on the

layers.



There is a very large file, 3.8MB with a .FAB extension that appears to have

lots of info in it.  I suspect it is the native format of the CAD program

used.



Any suggestions to what the native program was?



Any suggestions how to import it into Protel?



Thanks in advance for your suggestions.



Bertho



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From: Boman33 <boman33@...>
Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] OT: .FAB to Protel
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 11:18 PM







 



  


    
      
      
      Thanks Malcolm,



Unfortunately trying the suggested Google resulted in 11 hits with none of them with any useful info.  It is too bad that there are so many fake reference sources on the web that grab any request even if there is no answer just to get some hits for their ads.



I cannot change the layout and x-raying an 8 layer board would be a nightmare to figure out. 



Bertho



From: Malcolm Parker-Lisberg   Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 16:14

If you google ".fab file extension" it return lots of links that may help identify the software.



As you have the placements you could number the nodes and use an autorouter to re-layout the board, unless it must be identical to the original layout. If you have an original board you could X ray it to identify the routing.



Malcolm



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From: Malcolm Parker-Lisberg   Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 19:06
Bertho

I get 69,000 hits, one of them:
<http://www.cad2cam.com/list/index.html>
list a .FAB as a Fabmaster file extension, others mention importing Fabmaster files into Allegro
Another:
<www.cadfamily.com/download/EDA/FabIP//PADS.DOC <http://www.cadfamily.com/download/EDA/FabIP/PADS.DOC> >
downloads a word document about fabmaster to PADS PCB

Malcolm

I don't suffer from insanity I enjoy it!

--- On Tue, 3/8/11, Boman33 <boman33@... <mailto:boman33%40vinland.com> > wrote:

From: Boman33 <boman33@... <mailto:boman33%40vinland.com> >  Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 11:18 PM

Thanks Malcolm,

Unfortunately trying the suggested Google resulted in 11 hits with none of them with any useful info. It is too bad that there are so many fake reference sources on the web that grab any request even if there is no answer just to get some hits for their ads.

I cannot change the layout and x-raying an 8 layer board would be a nightmare to figure out. 

Bertho

From: Malcolm Parker-Lisberg Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 16:14

If you google ".fab file extension" it return lots of links that may help identify the software.

As you have the placements you could number the nodes and use an autorouter to re-layout the board, unless it must be identical to the original layout. If you have an original board you could X ray it to identify the routing.

Malcolm





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