All-in-One Engineering Automation
Industry 4.0 System for the Shop Floor
Advanced CAM System
CAM, Engineering and Industry 4.0 Solutions
A Cloud-based PCB CAM and DFM SaaS Service
Professional Services
Frontline InPlan is a comprehensive PCB Engineering system that combines sophisticated engineering know-how with state-of-the-art pre-production planning tools to design the optimal manufacturing process for PCB jobs in a rapidly changing manufacturing environment.
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Frontline InPlan is a modular system built around dedicated workstations, referred to as subsystems, used for:
The Job Manager groups together basic job planning tools - automatic CAM data analysis and extraction, buildup formation, process tree generation, data setting from order entry and electronic manufacturing and customer specs - making it a starting point and a solid reference point for engineers.
Use the Automatic Stackup Wizard to generate stackups and update the list of materials required for high layer count and impedance controlled boards, both symmetrical and non-symmetrical. The Automatic Stackup Wizard generates multiple working solutions based on your company’s manufacturing know-how built into electronic rules and specs, using your own material database and your impedance solver of choice. Automatic stackup chooses the least expensive material set, while maintaining top quality stackup design.
NC Tools automatically calculates actual hole sizes and chooses the physical NC bit sizes based on finished sizes and tolerances. Tooling of slots, non-plated holes, pilot holes and others are also computed here. Use InPlan rules to configure NC tools to execute your manufacturing rules and to sort, merge, split and assign NC tools according to your preference.
Frontline InPlan makes extensive use of electronic specifications (specs) that contain all the information found in written manufacturing and customer specs. Attach specs to the job to perform job to spec compare and instantly view discrepancies in color-coded format. Use spec values to automatically set job attributes and if more than one spec is attached to the job, merge spec data based on predefined precedents.
Run the dedicated wizards to generate lists of array, panel or material cut design options. Preview the proposals in the graphic viewer and select the optimum design for the job. InPlan considers your panelization rules for coupon placement, gold fingers, borders, spacing, symmetry and more. The Panelization module optimizes both dynamic panels and standard panel sizes to meet the needs of all PCB manufactures, from prototype through quick turn manufacturers, all the way to large volume manufacturers. Graphical reporting of panel layout is included and can be enhanced through the Automatic Dimension Creation Wizard.
With its sophisticated dimension display features, the Automatic Panel and Sheet Cut Dimensions Wizard produces high-impact panel and sheet cut layout illustrations.
Generates custom coupons for impedance-controlled boards. Replace error-prone manual calculations with automatically computed coupon sizes, content and quantities, based on the specific impedance requirements of the part.
Multi-part support enables you to engineer a variety of parts on the same production panel, as part of the same job.
The Automatic Dimension Creation Wizard automatically generates accurate panel drawings with dimensioning lines indicating panel size, part size, part placement and spacing, and coupon and tooling hole placement. Use the Automatic Dimension Creation Wizard to manually add dimensioning lines and notes to the drawing.
The CAM Instructions module automatically generates a list of tooling instructions for the job. Edit automatically created instructions or add new tooling instructions. Use library notes for standardization and time saving. Add graphical snapshots to tooling instructions.
Automatically generate a comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM) that lists the materials used for the PCB itself, such as copper foils, cores, prepregs and laminates, and materials used in the fabrication process, such as drill bits, dry films, backup and entry plates. Quantities are computed automatically per part, array or panel. Edit automatically generated BOMs.
Visit the Traveler subsystem to automatically generate the traveler - a rules-driven set of manufacturing work instructions that contains a step-by-step list of each fabrication step together with the name of the relevant work center per procedure, product attributes, notes to the manufacturing operator, and graphic attachments. Edit the traveler for last minute modifications, adding notes or product attributes. Retain all manual additions and modifications when regenerating the traveler.
Calculate the total cost of a job according to your company's unique costing model and view and edit a detailed cost breakdown for processes, tools and MRP steps, and yield information for processes and MRP steps.
The ERP interface automates the flow of data between InPlan and your ERP system, simplifying the shift from planning to production. Enjoy the benefits of instant data synchronization.
The layer registration (LR) machine interface enables seamless data transfer and feedback between the Engineering and Registration measurement systems in an automated, error-free environment.
To manage your company's engineering knowledge and data and to configure Frontline InPlan according to your planning and manufacturing environments, Frontline InPlan offers the following library subsystems:
Frontline InPlan® can cost effectively transform your existing PCB process planning infrastructure into an engineering power house, capable of delivering top quality work plans at staggering speeds.
Frontline InPlan lets you tool more jobs without increasing your staff. By automating preproduction tasks and eliminating manual data entry, you can dramatically increase throughput to meet the tightest delivery deadlines.
Powered by electronic specs and user-defined engineering rules that reflect your company's business logic, your requirements and those of your customers are embedded into the planning process guaranteeing customer satisfaction.
With user-defined rules automatically generating the right manufacturing flow, BOM, and tooling instructions, process planning is fully standardized throughout your enterprise. And with all your company’s engineering knowledge and expertise housed in a single automated system, subjective planning solutions are replaced by systematic automated ones, branding your company’s outputs with a uniform logic.
Frontline InPlan automatically integrates data from CAM and from the central Frontline InPlan database to achieve absolute consistency and to ensure that job data is up-to-date. Frontline InPlan integrates with your back end system, by incorporating customer, materials, and manufacturing operation data.
Every chunk of Frontline InPlan data is revision controlled so that engineers can work on the same job concurrently without conflict. Any changes made can only be seen by others when the engineer makes them public. The revision control feature lets engineers track earlier versions of a job or parts of it.
With Frontline InPlan’s (optional) Costing Engine, you can say good-bye to estimation and ballpark figures - the Costing Engine calculates the entire cost of a job and provides a breakdown of figures. We prescribe thorough cost engineering as the only way to prevent unpleasant surprises occurring down the line, for you or your customer.
Frontline InPlan stores all your company’s knowledge and expertise in a central database accessible to all authorized personnel. This efficient pooling of resources across departments and manufacturing sites makes perfect logistic and economic sense. Overall efficiency is enhanced while operating costs are significantly lowered.
You can run a range of utilities straight from the Frontline InPlan desktop: