"ODB++ is a printed circuit board manufacturing database originally developed by Valor. It was created to try to bring some order to the transfer of board data from the designers to the manufacturer. Because Valor also provides the dominant CAM tool to manfacturers the company was able to get the major industry players to adopt their proprietary standard. In recent years ODB++ has become more open after attempts by the IPC were made to replace it."
"The great majority of PCB design software (layout) can output a valid and correct ODB++ file. A free ODB++ viewer can be obtained from Valor (Frontline) that allows one to visualize the data."
