Join us to review What's New in Valor NPI version v2409. This webinar will showcase the enhancements to Valor NPI v2409. 

It's easy to keep up with the most recent additions to our software by attending the webinar for explanation and demonstration of new and upgraded functionality. After the presentation, you'll have a chance for live Q&A with the Valor Support team. 

What You Will Learn

• Manage Enterprise-wide DFM Profile using PCBflow

• Detect non-functional pads with your DFM Profile

• Detect missing teardrops with your DFM Profile

• ODB++ new layer subtypes

• Component Analysis considers multiple silk screen layers on each board side

• Maintain Assembly Merge defaults across the company

• Now available on Linux as well- Valor NPI 3D viewing solution

• Feature source information from Cadence Allegro

• IPC2581 geometry Usage

• Integration of VLM Installer into Valor NPI Installation Flow

Question and Answers

What steps must be followed to access and utilize the 3D View in your design?

You should have an m3dpluginps license to access the 3D View. This feature is included in the following part numbers.

What configurations need to be set in the Valor env file to enable access to PCBflow DFM profiles?

Make sure to add PCBFLOW_ACCOUNT=YES to your environment file. You might find this option in your file because you will be prompted to connect to PCBflow during installation. If you select this option, you will see this line in the environment file.

How do you download and manage DFM profiles from PCBflow within the Valor NPI environment?

As seen in the Demo, there is a “Download Company DFM Profiles from PCBflow” icon; click on it and select the DFM profile you want.

What is the process for uploading customized DFM profiles for use across your organization?

As seen in the Demo, there is an “Upload the Selected DFM Profile to PCBflow” icon; click on it and select the DFM profile you want to upload.

How are external DFM profiles organized in Valor NPI, and who can approve these profiles?

The manufacturer you are connected to creates the External DFM profiles. If they share these DFM, you can accept them. Only the Admin can accept those External DFM profiles.

What steps must be taken if an external DFM profile needs to be updated or modified?

External DFM profiles cannot be modified or updated.

Does the NFP check also remove NFP?

No, it only detects the Non-Functional Pads

What is the check used to delete the NFPs?

For NFPS, several actions can be done here; you can use the Remove Spot Pad or Remove Isolated Pad in MRA to delete NFPS.

What is the check used to Add missing teardrops?

You can use Add Teardrop Fillet or Add Teardrop Snowman Pad actions on the ADM.

Are the DFM profiles synchronized automatically?

No, you should click on the “Check for an Update on PCBflow for the Selected DFM Profile” icon; this will make sure that you’re using the up-to-date DFM profile.

Are there any additional licenses needed for these new features?

No additional licenses are required except for the 3D; check the previously answered question above regarding 3D part numbers.

Does 3D viewing work for rigid-flex designs? It’s not clear if 3D View is also available on Windows machines.

Yes, it works for the Rigid-Flex designs, and it is now available on Windows machines and Linux.

Where can we find the recording of this session and other sessions in this web series? 

You can find all our previous Webinars on this link:

Valor DFM Products Webinar Series Index (siemens.com)

Is the 3D View feature available in Graphic Station?

Unfortunately, it is only on the MRA.

Can these new options also be used in Graphic Station? Are they not only available on MRA?

Unfortunately, these new updates are valid on the MRA

3D is Great. Only in your presentation when you changed / highlighted layers, nothing happened.

The attached screenshots show a noticeable difference when toggling the SPT layer on by itself compared to when both the SPT and SMT layers are toggled on together.

It seems that NPI 2049 has no update on the UX, as with other refreshed Mentor/SEDA tools. Is there any roadmap for this?

Yes, we are developing its GUI and will announce when it should be released soon.

Is there a method to integrate a variant BOM exported from the schematic to be included in the ODB++? The goal is to create a variant specific ODB for assembly.

We recommend opening an SR to assist with this matter.

Have you heard of AFNOR Spec 2212? If yes? Do you want to introduce this specification into your standard rules?

At this time we have no plans to include this in our standard rules. Customers can use this spec to create their own DFM profiles using the spec.

When detecting non-functional pads, can you identify NFPs that are on thru hole components to ensure they are not deleted per IPC-2222, 9.1.4 Non-functional pads? These should not be removed to ensure the integrity of the supported hole. Understanding this check does not delete NFPs.

As stated, this check does not delete the NFP’s it only identifies them. It will identify all NFP’s on a thru hole. The check does not use IPC-2222 to identify NFP’s.

If the Silkscreen text orientation is incorrect means, will it detect 

There are checks to identify silkscreen text rotations.

Are there any new features to segregate the details of the Via structures?

For this release there are no enhancements for via structures.

I understand that you must be an admin to upload, modify, and download profiles. But why do I have to be an admin to perform a test? Once a profile is loaded, why does one have to be logged in 2 must be an admin / anybody could mess up with this. Is this not a security concern?

The test function is meant for the DFM SME to test the changes made to a DFM profile before it is published.

Only an admin has rights to change or delete a DFM profile. A normal users only has read access to the DFM profile so they cannot modify a DFM profile.