Assembly Testpoint

[Abdullah]

Hi Altium Guru,

I want to generate assembly test point report, i have added manually test points on every net (whose footprints is TP100 all placed on bot), after setting usage and rule and generating report through manager it is saying Nets are missing test point assignment.
In second case i am selecting all TP100 pads and and selecting them as Assembly test point bottom, after going manager it says Nets contains illegally assigned test point.

Please help me to generate assembly test point report.

Thanks in Advance
Abdullah

[qdrives]

Perhaps you added more than 1 testpoint to a net and "allow more..." does not work (it is a new feature compared to AD...15? --- a long time ago)
The manager/report should mention which nets, right?

[Abdullah]

Thanks for the reply.
I tried with untick (Allow more test point manually) but still manager didn't assign assembly test point. But the report exported from assembly test point report option is as we expected.

[robertferanec]

I have never used that Altium's testpoint feature. We normally create our own testpoint symbol + footprint and if it would be needed, we just generate report of these components.

[WhoKnewKnows]

When generating pick & place data, there's a way to include XY location of non-BOM objects, like fiducials and test points. Additionally, shops that do testing, or build test fixtures can usually get the test point locations from an export of ODB++ data

[JohnsonMiller]

WhoKnewKnows , regarding "When generating pick & place data, there's a way to include XY location of non-BOM objects, like fiducials and test points." would you explain more? I need to include FID to the BOM, currently, I am doing it manually but prefer to make it automatic. thank you.

[WhoKnewKnows]

JohnsonMiller , When you export pick and place data, if you have the Pick and Place Setup dialog open, there's a checkbox for "Include Standard (No BOM) items".


If you select this, then the XY data for objects that are designated Standard Library (no BOM) items will be included in the Pick and place data. The caveat is that your fiducial marks and test points need to have this designation in the library before you place them in your schematic. Why do you need to include fiducial marks in your BOM? Curious.

[JohnsonMiller]

WhoKnewKnows , thank you for help, but it looks different in the AD17, that third option does not actually exist!
Regarding your question, the same question for me! The customer is asking us to include FIDs in the P&P, frankly, I do not know why he asking to do so! it does not make sense, but I have to do it!

[WhoKnewKnows]

Including fiducials in the p&p data does make sense. I'm curious why they need to be included in the BOM.

Oh, perhaps if no-BOM components can't be included in the p&p data automatically, making the fiducials normal BOM components will get them included?

In that case, you *could* use the project variants feature to create a varient of the design in which you set the fiducials as not-fitted. When they show up in the BOM the CM won't try to order them as if they're components. They should still show up in the p&p data.

BTW, as a work around, if there aren't many fiducials, you can edit the p&p file either by text editor or spreadsheet app., and add the fiducial locations manually. If you use a spreadsheet app., be sure to save the file as the original file type.

The operator who programs the p&p assembly robot can use the fiducial x,y locations to make the robot perform an x, y, theta correction to apply to the x,y data in the rest of the p&p file. This compensates for variances from one board to the next.

[JohnsonMiller]

WhoKnewKnows , If I get it correctly, you are saying that putting fiducial data in the P&P file is common practice and most PCB designers usually do so? I was thinking that finding FIDs is the P&P machine job, fully! No help for the P&P machine is needed.

[WhoKnewKnows]

Providing xy locations for fiducial marks and test points, along with the xy positions of components is typical. Contract manufacturers like to say they place the parts according to CAD data. That is, they could manually teach the p&p machine the xy placement of each part, each fiducial, etc. but it leaves some question as to whether the location is as intended. It's not absolutely necessary for fiducials, once the machine is trained to find them, they act as the correction point for everything else. But, if you don't include them, the p&p operator or programmer has to sort that out. It's more a courtesy than anything. The more information you provide, the more exacting the build goes.

[JohnsonMiller]

WhoKnewKnows , thank you, got it!

[SONAL_SINGH]

Hello Abdullah
I am facing a similar issue regarding test point manager. Did you have any luck solving it? If yes, I would really appreciate your help. I have attached pics for my issue along with my original post comment here.

"I want to use the test point manager feature for my 2-layer PCB but the dialog box says "failed to assign test points". Both fabrication and assembly rules are enabled but still no luck. Can somebody please look into it? I have attached the pictures too.

Thanks in advance
Sonal
"

Thanks in advance

[Abdullah]

Hello Sonal,

Instead of VIA i used Test point, added manually in the schematic on each net. In PCB file i placed all TP on BOT layer and selected pad of TP and selected them as Assembly Test point .
And then generated report of Assembly test point through File--Assembly output----Assembly test point report, it came as we needed, U can also select Via as assembly test point but u have to do it manually.
Thanks
Abdullah

[qdrives]

SONAL_SINGH If a net does not have a via, then your rules cannot add a testpoint to a net.