Exporting ODB++ Files for FixturFab Studio

The Design for Test (DFT) Tool in FixturFab Studio accepts ODB++ files exported from your circuit board design (ECAD) tool. ODB++ packages your complete board design into a single archive, giving Studio's analysis richer context than single-purpose netlist formats. This guide explains the format and how to export it from popular ECAD software.

If you have any questions or need help with a file export, contact our support team at hello@fixturfab.com.

What is ODB++?

ODB++ is an intelligent PCB manufacturing data format originally developed by Valor (now part of Siemens). Unlike single-purpose formats, it packages your complete board design — copper layers, drill data, netlist, component placement, and test point information — into a single structured archive.

The format contains:

• Complete netlist and connectivity data
• Component placement and package information
• Layer stackup and copper geometry
• Drill and route data
• Test point definitions with X/Y coordinates

Because it captures more design context than a single-purpose netlist, ODB++ helps Studio's DFT analysis identify testability issues more accurately.

KiCad 8+

ODB++ export is available in KiCad 8 and later. Earlier versions do not support it — use IPC-D-356 instead.

1. Open your PCB in KiCad's PCB Editor.
2. Go to File → Fabrication Outputs → ODB++.
3. Configure the output settings (the defaults work for most designs).
4. Click Generate to create the ODB++ archive.
5. The output is a .zip or .tgz archive — upload it directly to Studio.

Altium Designer

1. Open your PCB document.
2. Go to File → Fabrication Outputs → ODB++ Files.
3. Configure the output job settings as needed.
4. Click Generate to produce the ODB++ archive.
5. The output directory contains the ODB++ structure — compress it to a .zip for upload.

For detailed configuration options, consult Altium's documentation on ODB++ output generation.

File verification

Before uploading to Studio, verify your ODB++ export:

• The file should be a .zip or .tgz archive containing the ODB++ directory structure.
• The archive should contain steps/, symbols/, and matrix/ directories at the expected level.
• Open the archive to confirm layer data and netlist information are present.

Panelized exports

An ODB++ job can hold more than one step: a step per sub-board plus a panel (or array) step whose header places the sub-boards with step-and-repeat blocks. Altium's panel export and Valor/Genesis arrays both look like this.

Studio reads the panel as one board:

• Every placed sub-board is instantiated at its panel position, rotation and mirror, so the model, the test point count and the coordinates all describe the panel — the same thing your STEP model and test point report describe.
• Reference designators, net names and hole ids carry a per-board suffix, @1, @2, … in placement order (TP601@2 is TP601 on the second board; GND@2 is that board's ground). Fiducials and rails that belong to the panel step itself keep their plain names.
• A test point report that lists the plain sub-board names in panel coordinates (TP601-1 twice, once per board) still imports: the name and net are compared without the suffix and the coordinates pick the board.
• The parse notes record the flattening (PANEL_FLATTENED) and list each placed board and any repeated step the archive is missing.

If you want a single sub-board instead of the panel, export that board's ODB++ on its own, or ask us to parse a specific step.

Next steps

Once exported, upload your ODB++ file to FixturFab Studio to generate your DFT Report. The tool analyzes your design and identifies optimal test points for fixture development.

If your ECAD tool doesn't support ODB++, use IPC-D-356 instead — both formats work with Studio's DFT analysis.