ODB++ is a structured data format that carries a whole board design in one package: every layer, drill spans, the netlist, component placement, the stackup and attributes. Fabricators and assemblers can load it without reassembling separate Gerber, drill and centroid files, and the embedded netlist makes electrical test comparison straightforward. IPC-2581 is an open format with the same goal.
If your tool can export ODB++, send that instead of Gerbers, it saves us a day of CAM setup.
Also heard as
- ODB
Related terms
Gerber
Standard file format describing each board layer as a 2D image, sent to the fabricator to build the board.
Netlist
List of every electrical connection in a design, naming which pins belong to which net.
Centroid file
File listing the X-Y position, rotation and side of every surface mount part for the pick-and-place machine.