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AMPLETRON

Automation

CAM Scripting & Tooling Automation

Like a robot that handles boring paperwork, we write custom software to automate slow, repetitive board-prep tasks so they finish faster with fewer mistakes.

1 min readautomationscriptingpythontooling
Outcome

Repeatable, scripted CAM flows that cut manual touches and eliminate operator-to-operator variance.

Languages
Perl, Python, Tcl
Runtimes
HyperTooling / job automation
Rule decks
Fab-specific, versioned
Integration
ODB++, Gerber, drill APIs

Manual CAM is slow and inconsistent. We build automation that turns a manual, tribal-knowledge process into a deterministic, versioned pipeline — so the tenth board of a family is tooled exactly like the first.

Custom CAM automation

  • Perl and Python scripting against CAM system APIs to automate layer alignment, aperture cleanup, and drill correlation.
  • HyperTooling runtimes that chain repetitive steps — panelization, coupon insertion, netlist extraction — into a single repeatable job.
  • Batch processing for board families and revision spins where geometry is stable but data churns.

Fab-specific rule decks

Every fabricator has a different capability window. We codify each fab's real limits — minimum annular ring, etch compensation, solder mask web — into versioned rule decks so a DFM run reflects the plant that will actually build the board.

Automation targetBenefit
Aperture normalizationRemoves legacy-format errors
Netlist extractionConsistent IPC-D-356 output
Panel step-and-repeatYield-optimized, hands-off
Rule-deck DRCFab-accurate, repeatable

Integration

Scripts hook directly into ODB++ and Gerber layer structures and drill/rout APIs, so automation reads and writes the same databases your fab consumes — no lossy round-trips.

Engineering noteVersioning the rule decks matters as much as the scripts. When a fab tightens a capability, we bump the deck, and every downstream job inherits the change without a re-education cycle.

The result is faster turnaround on CAM processing and, more importantly, removal of the operator-to-operator variance that causes escapes.

Have a board that fits this?

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FAQ

Common questions

Yes. We provide front-end / CAM overflow capacity for fabricators, EMS providers and design bureaus — absorbing peak load without you having to hire, under your brand where needed.

First-pass DFM findings for a standard design typically come back within hours to one business day. Complex HDI builds and ATE loadboards are scheduled with a dedicated engineer rather than a ticket queue, so you always know who is on your board.

Every job runs under NDA with per-program access isolation and full audit logging. Your files stay yours; nothing is shared across programs.

See all pre-manufacturing FAQs →