Creating export for Macrofab, need some help

[Korken]

Hi all,

I've been playing today with exporting the XYRS data file Macrofab needs, and I almost have it - but there are a few thing I cannot find in the BOM generator.

The things I have not been able to get:
1) I'm trying to get if the component is SMD or PTH.
2) The X and Y size of the part.

Does some Altium guru here know how to get this?
Something tells me it's the limitation of the BOM generator, perhaps I will need another step?

Thanks!

[MatCat]

How did you get the rotation value?

[Korken]

It's available in the board part of parameters.
FYI, I did not get everything automatic, some manual work needed.

[ludzinc]

Hi

I'm trying t do the same now - I've got everything but X/Y size sorted.

Any tips?

[ajb]

I believe you'd have to add those parameters to the parts manually, preferably in their respective libraries. 

[free_electron]

Not a limitation of the generator. Limitation of Macrofab ... NOBODY in the industry asks for part size or if it is SMD or thru -hole.

Macrofab uses this data to do automated pricing. They essentially push that job to you. ( as opposed to a real assembly houses that employ humans to scan the parts list )

To solve your problem : Open your schematics.
Tools - Parameter Manager
Include parameters owned by : make sure only 'Parts' is checked, everything else is off.
That meet the following criteria 'all objects'
Other options check 'Exclude system parameters.' uncheck 'selected objects only

hit ok.
you are going to get a new window. right click in the column under 'identifier and pick 'add column'. name that column 'Type'
do that again but call it x-size  , do it again and call it y-size
populate fields ...

when done : accept changes

you can do the same operation in your libraries.


they have other 'whacky' requirements' like the paste data.. good luck extracting that ... they need a special format with x-y coordinates per pad, per component , rotation and size of the paste , top and bottom.... so what if i have an oblong or a custom shape ?

They either use a paste squirter ( there are machines that selectively apply paste on pads as opposed to using a real stencil ) or they are lazy and pushing the work to the user to provide them with an idea of the amount of paste required for pricing information reasons.

For this reason alone they are 'out' in my book. This is not the way to set up an assembly company.