DOWNSTREAM Technologies has announced FabStream, an integrated printed circuit board (PCB) design and manufacturing service targeted at the small business, start-up and DIY electronics market. Downstream Technologies, which also develops CAM350, BluePrint and DFMStream, is distributed and supported in Australia and New Zealand by SATCAM. Fast-track design and manufacturing printed circuit board.
According to Downstream Technologies, FabStream is envisioned as an intuitive PCB solution for a complex part of the electronic product development process. Its free and easy-to-use PCB design tools are integrated with manufacturing. The solution supports individuals who may be less experienced in PCB design and manufacturing by eliminating printed circuit board design pitfalls that can lead to problems getting a board produced. The global service is largely Internet-based, and is available 24/7. The user logs onto the FabStream website, selects a FabStream manufacturing partner and downloads the free SoloPCB Design software which is customised for that specific manufacturer. All of the manufacturers production capabilities are built into Solo PCB, allowing the user to work within the manufacturers constraints right from the start. Using the customised software, they proceed to create PCB libraries, schematics and board layouts. Finally, the software leads the user through the process of ordering PCBs online with the manufacturer. Users pay only for the PCBs they purchase.
SoloPCB does not contain any CAM outputs. Instead, a secure, industry-standard IPC-2581 manufacturing file is automatically extracted, encrypted and electronically routed to the manufacturer during the ordering process. The IPC-2581 file contains all the design information printed circuit board needed for manufacturing, eliminating the need to create Gerber and NC drill files, making it friendly for users who may not be familiar with PCB manufacturing. The use of IPC-2581 makes SoloPCB the first PCB design tool to use the standard exclusively between design and manufacturing. Downstream Technologies says Fabstream caters for the generalist approach of small-scale users, as well as their low design and production volume. FabStream also works in larger corporations where engineers may require a quick proof of concept to validate circuits before committing to a formal engineering implementation.
Design changes can be made and then verified through an integrated analyser that compares the modification to the manufacturers rules using a quick pass/fail check, helping the user keep the design in synch with manufacturing. The SoloPCB Design software consists of commercial-quality schematic capture, PCB layout and autorouting in an integrated environment. The solution supports PCBs with up to 16 layers. Complex PCB technologies such as blind and buried vias as well as controlled and matched impedance are supported and priced through an automated RFQ process. FabStream has thus far signed five inaugural manufacturing partners including printed circuit board Bare Board Group and Mass Design in North America; Allfavor Circuits in Shenzhen China; WEdirekt, and LeitOn in Germany.
Downstream printed circuit board Technologies will add other partnerships in the coming months, distributed across key geographic regions. Non-conflict with core EDA business According to Downstream Technologies, FabStream is being managed independently and does not conflict with it its printed circuit board EDA business. The solution is targeted at "preliminary EDA users", and is not suited for larger enterprise OEMs. With no CAM outputs, users have to purchase the PCB manufacturing from DownStream and its partner fabricators printed circuit board -- margins from these manufacturing sales provide the revenue for this service.
