mentor dxf import

[nazir]

Hi,

Anyone can tell me how to import the DXF in the mentor boardstation.
if DXF is not possible how we can take 2D mechanical board outline to layout.

[Skip Yutkus]

BoardStation will only import from 3D design tools, (for a huge price), there is 2nd party software available to import dxf the program is called dxf2men, try a websearch for that, I forget who makes it.

But if you have a gerber editor it can be done with no expense, here is how I do it - read the dxf into the gerber editor, (CAM350 here), export as a rs274x gerber with the same gerber settings as your design, as artwork_xx, (I usually use 99), make sure everything is on one layer before you export, put this file in your design's pcb/mfg container, then use fablink - open art data to bring it up in the design, if you have no matching apertures BoardStation will enter the definitions into the aperture list and issue a warning - from there turn your drawing into a geom and you can place it in your design.

I usually create a layer beforehand to put the data on.

If you dont have a gerber editor that will do this I think Graphicode is now selling one that will convert dxf to gerber for about $400.00

Skip

Isn't BoardStation fun!!!

[nazir]

Thanks for ur response Skip.

I have still some query in importing dxf.

I have to import the board ouline, as i know in boardstation we can not go directly to fablink unless we have the pcb data.

One thing i tried is i imported the dxf into cad tool and exported as IDF (3d) i think this will work out. am i going right?

Nazir

[Skip Yutkus]

Nope! I don't think Board station is current enough to do an IDF file - I could be wrong! create a bogus board outline with place and route keep-outs in librarian and then open it in fablink.

Skip

[Gizzmo]

Originally posted by Skip Yutkus
BoardStation will only import from 3D design tools, (for a huge price), there is 2nd party software available to import dxf the program is called dxf2men, try a websearch for that, I forget who makes it.

But if you have a gerber editor it can be done with no expense, here is how I do it - read the dxf into the gerber editor, (CAM350 here), export as a rs274x gerber with the same gerber settings as your design, as artwork_xx, (I usually use 99), make sure everything is on one layer before you export, put this file in your design's pcb/mfg container, then use fablink - open art data to bring it up in the design, if you have no matching apertures BoardStation will enter the definitions into the aperture list and issue a warning - from there turn your drawing into a geom and you can place it in your design.

I usually create a layer beforehand to put the data on.

If you dont have a gerber editor that will do this I think Graphicode is now selling one that will convert dxf to gerber for about $400.00

Skip

Isn't BoardStation fun!!!

Hummm could i get a little more detail on this....when we try to bring in DXF's they come in with too small .0005 lines that will not photoplot :(
So the designer ended up polyfilling (hopefully i am wording that right) it but that takes some extra time.....

[Skip Yutkus]

If you are talking about DXF's into your gerber tool, simply change the aperture size, usually D!0.

Skip

[Gizzmo]

Originally posted by Skip Yutkus
If you are talking about DXF's into your gerber tool, simply change the aperture size, usually D!0.

Skip

Alright being more of the IT guy than a designer, (started as a Jr designer but moved into more of the IT/Support department) i took an Image a designer wanted to put on a board (a logo) and converted it to dxf but when it was imported into the board it was too big, the designer had to reduce it which made the lines too small for it to be able to be photo plotted, so the designer had to pollyfill it (again hopefully wording that right)

Of course in the end the customer ended up having to remove the logo since they didn't have rights to it anyways, but it would be interesting to know how to do it correctly in the future.