Appearance

← Back to fixturfab.com/studio

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.

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.