Output (IPC-2581) Dialog

The Output (IPC-2581) dialog allows you to export IPC-2581 data from a design in order to transmit information to a manufacturing or assembly facility. This includes data for components that are set to Not Fitted. The parameters in the dialog can be imported from a file, and saved from the dialog to a file. The Output (IPC-2581) dialog is displayed by clicking Manufacture > Manufacture Output > IPC-2581 on the ribbon.

Item

Description

Import parameters

Allows you to import parameters to this dialog by selecting a parameter file in the Open dialog and clicking Open.

Export parameters

Allows you to save the parameters that you set in this dialog by specifying a location and file name in the Save As dialog, and clicking Save.

Output to

Specify the location to output the IPC-2581 file to. If the ".xml" file extension is not specified, it is added automatically.

Displays the Open dialog. Select the file that the IPC-2581 data is exported to and click Save.

IPC-2581 format revision

Allows you to select the format of the IPC-2581 data that is exported.

IPC-2581B

The design data is exported to IPC-2581B format. If selected, then the Mode and Level fields are made available for this format. The Polarity mark section is also made available.

IPC-2581C

The design data is exported to IPC-2581C format. If selected, then the Mode and Section fields are made available for this format. The Polarity mark section is made unavailable.

Unit

Allows you to specify the units that are used in the exported file

Unit for IPC-2581 files

Select from the following options.

mm: the exported data is exported in millimeters to five decimal places.
inch: the exported data is exported in inches to eight decimal places.
micron: the exported data is exported in microns to two decimal places.

Output mode settings

Specify the items that are exported in either IPC-2581B or IPC-2581C format.

Output mode settings for IPC-2581B

Specify the items that are exported in IPC-2581B format by selecting values for Mode and Level. IPC-2581: Output Mode Settings lists the exported items for each combination of Mode and Level.

Mode

Select a value that defines the items that are exported.

All: all available items are exported.
Design: only items that are associated with the design stage are exported.

Level 1: represents the original design that was used to lay out the board from the design schematic, layout design rules and component information.
Level 2: provides information that allows you to modify an existing design using the original CAD data. The modifications will affect electrical characteristics that must be maintained.
Level 3: provides information that allows you to modify an existing or archive design where the original hierarchical information was not maintained, or may not be compatible. The original CAD data is used as electrical characteristics must be maintained.

Fabrication: only items that are associated with the fabrication stage are exported.

Level 1: represents single, double-sided or multilayer PCB graphical data. No electrical connectivity or performance data is included.
Level 2: represents single, double-sided or multilayer boards where electrical connectivity or performance data is included.
Level 3: represents single, double-sided or multilayer boards where electrical connectivity, performance data and embedded passive information is included.

Assembly: only items that are associated with the assembly stage are exported.

Level 1: provides only assembly instructions.
Level 2: includes Limited Design for Manufacturing (DFM) analysis, Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) and Flying Probe Testing.
Level 3: represents the full service assembly process, including customer feed back. Comprises the procurement of parts and an analysis of component substitution.

Test: only items that are associated with the testing stage are exported.

Level 1: testing of the bare board only.
Level 2: includes inspection capability: manual, or using automated equipment. Electrical testing is not included.
Level 3: includes full electrical testing (in-circuit, functional testing requirements and boundary scan analysis).

Level

Only items that are associated with the selected level for each mode are exported; see IPC-2581: Output Mode Settings.

1: for the selected mode, only items that are associated with level 1 are exported.
2: for the selected mode, only items that are associated with level 2 are exported.
3: for the selected mode, only items that are associated with level 3 are exported.

Output mode settings for IPC-2581C

Specify the items that are exported in IPC-2581C format by selecting values for Mode and Settings.

Mode

Select a value that defines the items that are exported.

All: Outputs all data items. The mode attribute is set to USERDEF in the FunctionMode element. The Section field is made unavailable.
BOM: Outputs BOM data. The mode attribute is set to BOM in the FunctionMode element. The Section field is made unavailable.
Stackup: Outputs Stackup data. The mode attribute is set to STACKUP in the FunctionMode element.
Fabrication: Outputs Fabrication data. The mode attribute is set to FABRICATION in the FunctionMode element.
Assembly: Outputs Assembly data. The mode attribute is set to ASSEMBLY in the FunctionMode element.
Test: Outputs Test data. The mode attribute is set to TEST in the FunctionMode element.
Stencil: Outputs Stencil data. The mode attribute is set to STENCIL in the FunctionMode element.
UserDef: Outputs user defined data. The mode attribute is set to USERDEF in the FunctionMode element.

Section

Click the Settings button to launch the Section Settings dialog. This allows you to specify the items that are output for the selected mode. This field is made unavailable if All or BOM is selected in the Mode field.

Layer

The Layer section allows you to prevent the output of layers that contain confidential information. For the following types of layer, you can specify the layers that are output.

Type

Layers can be specified for the following types of layer.

User defined layer: in the Output Spec column, specify the user defined layers that are output. These are not associated with a conductor layer.
Drawing layer: in the Output Spec column, specify the drawing layers which contain data that are output. These are not associated with a conductor layer.

Output Spec

Select from the following options to specify whether layers are output for the associated type of layer.

Output: layers are output for the associated type of layer.
Not output: layers are not output for the associated type of layer.
Custom: in the Select Layer dialog, specify the user defined layers that are output. This is displayed by clicking Select Layer. The Custom option is available only for the User defined layer type.

Select layer

Displays the Select Layer dialog. Specify the user defined layers that are output by selecting them in the dialog. This button is made available only when Custom is selected for the User defined layer type.

Do not output empty user defined layers

Allows you to specify whether user-defined layers are output that have no data. Layers that contain attributes, such as conductor layers, are always output, regardless of this setting. This ensures that the layer configuration of the board is correct in the exported data.

Selected: user-defined layers are not output if they contain no data.
Not selected: user-defined layers are output if they contain no data.

Attributes

For the user attributes that are assigned in the library for the design, specify the user attributes that are exported. Add them to the Attributes to output box to export them.

Output attributes

If selected, then you can select the user attributes that are exported from the design. The Available attributes and Attributes to output boxes are made available.

Available attributes

Specify the user attributes that are exported from the design by selecting them, and then moving them to the Attributes to output box using the

button. Initially, all user attributes are listed that are assigned in the library for the design.

Attributes to output

Lists the user attributes that are exported from the design. To not export an attribute, move it to the Available attributes box using the

button.

Moves an attribute that you select in the Available attributes box to the Attributes to output box. Select multiple rows using the CTRL or Shift keys, or by dragging the cursor.

Moves an attribute that you select in the Attributes to output box to the Available attributes box. Select multiple rows using the CTRL or Shift keys, or by dragging the cursor.

Polarity mark

Allows you to output the polarity marks on specified layers in IPC-2581C format only.

Output Polarity mark

If selected, then polarity marks are exported for the layers that you set in the specified layer settings file.

Layer settings file box

Shows the path to the layer settings file that you specify. This file specifies the user-defined layers to which a mounting shape and a polarity mark have been entered. Type in the path to the file, or click

to select a file in the Open dialog.

Allows you to select a file in the Open dialog.

Edit

Displays the Polarity Mark Layer Settings dialog. This allows you to specify the layers that are associated with the layer settings file.

Fiducial mark

Define the output of a fiducial mark by specifying the footprint name of the component associated with it.

GlobalFiducial

Specify the footprint associated with a fiducial mark by selecting it in this box. Alternatively, type the first characters of footprint name to retrieve it from the list. You can specify multiple targets using the regular expressions shown below.

Item	Description
\|	Matches any string separated by "\|" (pipe).
.	Matches any single character.
*	The previous character matches 0 or more times.
+	The previous character matches at least once.
?	The previous character matches 0 or 1 time.
\	This escape character can be specified immediately before using a regular expression as a normal character.

Examples of using regular expressions are shown below

Item	Description
abc\|pqr\|wxyz	"abc", "pqr", and "wxyz" are selected.
abc.*	Selects all footprints with a prefix of "abc".
.*wxyz	Selects all footprints with a suffix of "wxyz".
[A\|a]bc	Both "Abc" and "abc" are selected.
.*_[0-9]+	Selects all footprints whose suffix is "_Number".

Variation

Allows you to specify whether IPC-2581 data is exported for the whole design, or only for the variant components that you specify.

Variant

Master: IPC-2581 data is exported for the whole design, regardless of whether it contains variant components.
[Variant]: IPC-2581 data is only exported for the specified variant. This value is displayed only if the design contains variant components.

Execute

The specified IPC-2581 data is exported using the selected format.

Exit

Closes the Output (IPC-2581) dialog.

Related Topics
Exporting IPC-2581 Data
IPC-2581: Output Mode Settings
Polarity Mark Layer Settings Dialog
Design Variation Dialog
Variation Manager