how to use ftcam pro in place of paper schematics polarinstruments.com

How to use FTCam Pro in place of paper

schematics

polarinstruments.com

• Opening and viewing an FTD file• Viewing and highlighting traces

• Loading CAD neutral files with an activated FTCam

polarinstruments.com

Examples in this tutorial

Please run through all the slides to give yourself an overview.Then launch the FTCam, and simply work through the examples yourself.

Some time spent learning the hotkey shortcuts will save hours of your time once you have fully familiarised yourself with FTCam pro.

polarinstruments.com

How to use this tutorial

• Opening and viewing FTD files(FTD is the native file structure of FTCam pro – ideal for sharing repair data if you do not want to authorise

full release of cad data)

polarinstruments.com

Example 1

Open the sample file...

Here is the overall view of the sample PCB

The current view within the World view is shown as a red box

Double left click the mouse on any point

to zoom in...Double right click

to zoom outLets zoom in..

ATE has noted this pad isat fault..

Highlight this fault byTyping “1”

The faulty net is highlighted in red.

Where does the trace go beyond this via?

Press X to “X-ray”the faulty net

Now you can see the faulty net as it traces across another layer.

Double right click to Zoom out and find where it goes

The trace stops at this viaLets investigate furtherYou can suppress the

other traces for aclearer view

Select display options

Un tick track data

Now the faulty trace isclearly visible

Look at the other sideby selecting layer 4

Need to know more aboutthe net?Press P

Here is the padand net info for theselected location

Now double right click and zoom out

Back to the whole board

Select display options

You sometimes need toturn the board over to

trace a fault on the reverse

First lets turn the traces on…

Now press space and the board mirrors.. So youcan faultfind from the

reverse side

Space bar again and it mirrors back

Also you can select anotherlayer track display here..

Drop the menu down andselect 1

Back to the top layer andoriginal display.

• Net selection methods•You can select nets in 4 ways

Net nameComponent and pin

Net numberManually

polarinstruments.com

Example 2

• You can highlight 2 nets at the same time for rapid fault tracing.

polarinstruments.com

Example 2

Press “1” to select fault 1

Press “2” to select fault 2

Now you can see where tracks are close to

each other

Press “0” to clear fault display

You can also enter a net name, number or component

and pin number:Select: Component and Pin

Press “F” or choose ToolsFault Entry

Type the component ident and pin numberCase sensitive!!!

Now the faulty net is selected for you, useful when youare working through an

ATE report..

• Reading in CAD data(You will need an activated version

to use this facility in order to load your own CAD data)

polarinstruments.com

Example 3

This example reads in a Cadstar file

Simply select the file andopen

The input processor may askyou some simple questions,Cadstar may need to know if the designer has defined

copper areas as tracks..

Here is the view ofthe imported simple

Cadstar file

•You can save the imported cad datain an FTD format, this allows you to

distribute repair data in yourorganisation without the release of

cad design data.

polarinstruments.com

Saving repair databases

For further information or if you would like to purchase a copy please contact your local Polar representative or email:

gwen.merchant@polarinstruments.com

You can find a full list of contacts and international offices in the “Where to buy” section of www.polarinstruments.com

© Polar Instruments 2001 All trademarks recognisedMay be freely copied and distributed provided references

to Polar are retained

polarinstruments.com

Thank you for taking the time to study this presentation.