| Author |
Message |
Teece
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:42 am Post subject:
How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into Solidw |
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Hi,
Simply put, what I am trying to do is to import a DXF file of a PCB layer
(which was converted from a gerber file) into Solidworks and make the signal
traces 3D. It seems simple enough but I am having trouble with the Extrude
process. Has anyone out there done this? Are then some techniques that I do
not know about?
Thank You
Tom
tom_cip_11551@hotmail.com
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smith
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:37 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
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I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that when I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a part, it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW has an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring it in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but all my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit this?
helen |
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Tom
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Dec 24, 2004 8:25 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
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Helen,
Thank you for the reply. I will try your suggestions after the Christmas
crazyness is over, in the next few days.
Tom
tom_cip_11551@hotmail.com
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that when I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a part, it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW has an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring it in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but all my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit this?
helen
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| Back to top |
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Stan
Guest
|
| Posted:
Mon Jan 03, 2005 3:17 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
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|
Tom,
Are you importing component or track information? CircuitWorks
(www.circuitworks.net) will create a 3D assembly of your PCB.
Stan
"Teece" <tom_cip_11551@hotmail_NOSPAM_.com> wrote in message
news:IM6dndAeyb7Ld1TcRVn-2g@giganews.com...
| Quote: | Hi,
Simply put, what I am trying to do is to import a DXF file of a PCB layer
(which was converted from a gerber file) into Solidworks and make the
signal
traces 3D. It seems simple enough but I am having trouble with the Extrude
process. Has anyone out there done this? Are then some techniques that I
do
not know about?
Thank You
Tom
tom_cip_11551@hotmail.com
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stan
Guest
|
| Posted:
Mon Jan 03, 2005 3:17 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
|
|
Helen,
It sounds like you should try CircuitWorks (www.circuitworks.net)
It will turn your PCB board outline, components and drilled holes into a
SolidWorks 3D assembly.
Regards,
Stan
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that when I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a part, it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW has an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring it in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but all my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit this?
helen
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| Back to top |
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smith
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:11 am Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
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|
I heard of that (either read it in help or heard at the course) but
when I checked Orcad, it didn't offer to create an idf file.
helen
Stan wrote:
| Quote: | Helen,
It sounds like you should try CircuitWorks (www.circuitworks.net)
It will turn your PCB board outline, components and drilled holes
into a
SolidWorks 3D assembly.
Regards,
Stan
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that when
I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared
corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a part,
it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to
consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave
onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW has
an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring it in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but all
my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit this?
helen
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| Back to top |
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Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:38 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
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|
In Orcad, select File>Export>Layout to IDF. We have been using this
successfully with CircuitWorks since its inception (CircuitWorks that
is).
Pete
smith wrote:
| Quote: | I heard of that (either read it in help or heard at the course) but
when I checked Orcad, it didn't offer to create an idf file.
helen
Stan wrote:
Helen,
It sounds like you should try CircuitWorks (www.circuitworks.net)
It will turn your PCB board outline, components and drilled holes
into a
SolidWorks 3D assembly.
Regards,
Stan
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that
when
I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared
corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a
part,
it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to
consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave
onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I
temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW
has
an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring it
in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but all
my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit this?
helen
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smith
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Jan 07, 2005 8:32 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
|
|
I don't have that option. but just tried it using the to ProE option,
which made files solidworks opened... however, it didn't do any of the
holes.... thanks for pointing me in the direction! this is a lot
easier than what I used to do, asuming I can get the holes to show
helen
peter.nichols@megger.com wrote:
| Quote: | In Orcad, select File>Export>Layout to IDF. We have been using this
successfully with CircuitWorks since its inception (CircuitWorks that
is).
Pete
smith wrote:
I heard of that (either read it in help or heard at the course) but
when I checked Orcad, it didn't offer to create an idf file.
helen
Stan wrote:
Helen,
It sounds like you should try CircuitWorks (www.circuitworks.net)
It will turn your PCB board outline, components and drilled holes
into a
SolidWorks 3D assembly.
Regards,
Stan
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that
when
I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared
corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a
part,
it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to
consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave
onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I
temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW
has
an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring
it
in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the
component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but
all
my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit
this?
helen
|
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| Back to top |
|
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Steve
Guest
|
| Posted:
Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:20 pm Post subject:
Re: How best to import a Printed Circuit Board layer into So |
|
|
I use the DXF output from my PCB package. It's not ideal though.
What I tend to do is export to DXF the board profile and the holes.
That gets me two circles per hole, for internal and external diameters of
the pads defining the holes.
I then extrude that to make the PCB.
If I want to extrude the tracks on top of that, then I export again and edit
up the sketch to tidy it up. This is often a messy way, and sometimes I
can't find the places that cause the type of errors you mention.
I did try out Circuitworks, which is quite good, but also needs some
fiddling in my experience.
It also needed an add-on from my PCB package to export in IDF format.
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1105111951.518871.310060@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I don't have that option. but just tried it using the to ProE option,
which made files solidworks opened... however, it didn't do any of the
holes.... thanks for pointing me in the direction! this is a lot
easier than what I used to do, asuming I can get the holes to show
helen
peter.nichols@megger.com wrote:
In Orcad, select File>Export>Layout to IDF. We have been using this
successfully with CircuitWorks since its inception (CircuitWorks that
is).
Pete
smith wrote:
I heard of that (either read it in help or heard at the course) but
when I checked Orcad, it didn't offer to create an idf file.
helen
Stan wrote:
Helen,
It sounds like you should try CircuitWorks (www.circuitworks.net)
It will turn your PCB board outline, components and drilled holes
into a
SolidWorks 3D assembly.
Regards,
Stan
"smith" <rnlbel4me@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:1103812629.649440.22800@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've tried/done it several times. the problem I had was that
when
I
tried to extrude I got errors about .. I think it was shared
corners?
anyhow, last time I did it, while I was opening the dxf to a
part,
it
offers to choose the distance between points for solidworks to
consider
joined. I chose 0.1", and all of a sudden it extruded fine.
in my circuit software (Orcad layout as it were), I only leave
onscreen
the layer that has actual circles for the holes, and I
temporariry
create a board outline in that layer. so when I extrude, I SW
has
an
outline to use, and I get a board with holes.
If you also want your silkscreen to show, you'd have to bring
it
in
seperately (with an outline) and mate it, otherwise the
component
outlines would be cut out of the board.
BTW, when I did this last, my xy dimensions were perfect, but
all
my
hole diameters were 1/2 what they should be?? anybody hit
this?
helen
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