PentaLogix CAMMaster is a professional PCB (printed circuit board) CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) software designed to simplify the PCB manufacturing process. This software is widely used in the electronics industry to prepare, verify, and optimize PCB manufacturing data. CAMMaster is known for its high performance, flexibility, and ability to efficiently manage complex PCB designs .

Goal

The main goal of PentaLogix CAMMaster is to provide PCB designers and manufacturers with a powerful tool for:

• PCB Design Verification: Ensuring design files are complete and error-free before production.
• Generate manufacturing outputs: Generate Gerber files, drill files, and other data necessary for PCB manufacturing.
• Production optimization: Reduce production errors and improve efficiency by identifying potential problems early.
• Support for complex designs: Manage multilayer boards, high-density designs, and various PCB technologies.

CAMMaster acts as a bridge between PCB design software and manufacturing equipment, making the manufacturing process faster, more accurate, and more reliable.

CAMMaster is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) environment for PCBs designed to prepare, inspect, and modify manufacturing data before sending the design to manufacturing. It is known for combining an intuitive user interface with a wide range of high-precision engineering tools.

1. Support for importing data and templates

CAMMaster supports common PCB manufacturing formats and allows seamless interaction with multiple CAD systems.

Supported data types

• Gerber (RS-274X/X2)
• ODB++
• Excellon/NC drill
• IPC-D-356 / netlist formats
• Importing DXF for mechanical drawings
• Pick-and-Place files for assembly alignment

Automatic data detection

• Automatic layer detection
• Extracting the aperture table
• Drill tool mapping
• Intelligent interpretation of units and coordinates

2. Visualizing and editing layers

CAMMaster offers a comprehensive visual user interface for inspecting and adjusting PCB layers.

Viewing tools

• Multilayer stack visualization
• Transparency coatings
• Zoom, pan, and scroll the window
• View “Build Mode” with high contrast

Editing capabilities

• Drawing, moving, copying, deleting, reshaping basic shapes
• Polygonal and regional editing
• Padstack and changes through it
• Creating and editing text with D codes
• Gerber feature reconstruction from raw data

3. DFM analysis (Design for Manufacturability)

CAMMaster includes automated checks to find problems before manufacturing.

Common DFM Reviews

• Minimum tracking width/crossing distance
• Checking the ring rings for vias and pads
• Distance between solder coating and copper
• Silkscreen to solder coating interferences
• Copper edge to board distance
• Acid traps and acute angle detection
• Copper density balance

Advanced DFM

• Short and open circuit detection
• Network List Comparison (Gerber vs. IPC-D-356)
• Checking the drilling distance to copper
• Inner layer insulation integrity analysis

4. Panel preparation and production

CAMMaster offers a powerful set of tools for creating production panels.

• Paneling tools
• Step-by-step and iteration arrays
• Multi-design panels (multi-image)
• Automatic nesting for material optimization
• Create a panel frame with rails, borders, and coupons

Extensions and build features

• Approvals (national and local)
• Tool holes
• Mouse separator tabs and placement
• V-score line generator
• Barcodes and 2D Data Matrix Placement

5. Drill and Path Programming

The system includes precision drill/path editing tools.

Edit drill

• Creating and clearing the tool table
• Merge or split drill size
• Definition of plated hole vs. unplated hole
• Back drill configuration

Edit route

• Clearing the board outline
• Mechanical milling path generation
• Cutouts, slots and internal routing
• Routing optimization and collision checking

6. Automation and scripting

CAMMaster includes automation features for repetitive tasks.

Automation capabilities

• Batch CAM workflows
• Scriptable operations
• Record and run macros
• Automatic entry → check → output of pipelines

These tools are especially useful in production environments that manage dozens or hundreds of designs.

7. Data output and verification

The final step ensures that the data sent to the manufacturer is correct, clean, and ready for the machine.

Output formats

• RS-274X/X2 Gerber
• ODB++ packages
• Drill files (Excellon)
• Route files (G-code)
• Assembly documentation
• IPC-D-356 net list output

Verification tools

• Full net list extraction
• Layer-by-layer comparison
• Error distances and overlaps
• Design previews before output

8. Documentation tools

CAMMaster offers integrated documentation production.

Documentation features

• Create a construction plan
• Layer charts
• Drill diagrams and tool drawings
• Readme / job traveler production
• Measurement and annotation tools

9. User interface and productivity improvements

CAMMaster is known for its user-friendly interface designed for CAM engineers.

User interface features

• Multi-window workspace
• Adjustable layer colors and filters
• Keyboard shortcuts for quick editing
• Smart alignment and Snap-to-grid
• High-precision measuring tools

10. Quality assurance and traceability

• Audit trails for edits
• Work history tracking
• Edit comparison tools
• Checklists for production verification