PowerPCB to Solidworks

[Dan]

Is there a software package that will bring in intelligent geometry.height data from PowerPCB to Solidworks?

thanks,

Dan

[Ralph.Myers]

Dan,

We've been using Ciruitworks from Zeil Solutions along with the Pro-E (IDF) interface from Pads. Circuitworks can also use a PADS ASCII file to convert to Solidworks which will save you some money but will give up some features. Their web page explains the differences between using tha ASCII data vs using IDF output. There is a minor flaw with the Pads IDF translator in that it won't output the holes of thru-hole parts. It will give you the mounting holes if you enter the correct attribute but if a component has more than one "hole/pin" it will extrude it without showing the holes. I've figured out how to cut and paste the hole data into the IDF file but it ain't pretty. Pads realizes it is a problem but I don't think it's high on their priority list. Here's the link to Circuitworks:
http://www.zeal-solutions.com/

[randychase]

Anyone have any luck just using DXF to Solidworks as a 2D model?

[Ralph.Myers]

Randy,

You can bring over the 2D DXF file from Pads into Solidworks but the file contains so much extraneous data that the file is very cumbersome to work with especially with large boards. This is the same problem everyone experiances using the Pads DXF file into Autocad. I find it much easier to use the DXF file created by CAM350. The file is much smaller and easier to work with. As for creating 3D files, we use Circuitworks to convert in to Pads.

[Dongleboy]

Randy,

Ralph is right. There is an enormous amount of unneeded data that exports from PPCB to SolidWorks and although you have check boxes to toggle what data you want, there appears to be data that is extracted from the code itself.

I also use the DXF export feature in Cam350 to create 2D drawings for SolidWorks. They are still quite large and cumbersome to work with, but after alot of "tweaking" you can create some fairly nice documents.

We purchased Circuitworks about three years ago and had nothing but problems with it. The bugs may have been worked out by now, but we find it easier to create 3D models of critical parts and pattern them on the board when needed. Obviously, this is not something you would want to do with very large designs, but for detailing flex circuits, (bends, etc.), and detecting interferences with other entities, it saves me from multiple revisions. The nice part about that is you can prototype within the design and detect collisions, conflicts, etc.

Dave

[varora]

Get rid of the DXF garbage in AutoCad, export ASIC and import
to Solidworks does work very well.

[gole]

Ralph,
You mention ".....It will give you the mounting holes if you enter the correct attribute but if a component has more than one "hole/pin" it will extrude it without showing the holes. I've figured out how to cut and paste the hole data into the IDF file but it ain't pretty....." I'm having a problem from my layout house who use PADS that the mounting hole and thru-hole info is not being put in the IDF (.emn) file. Could you tell me which attribute has to be set and how to set it? Also, where do you cut the hole data from to paste it into the .emn file?

Thanks

[Ralph.Myers]

Gole,

The "Hole" problem has been fixed in the newer versions of PowerPCB. My post was from 2002 but it is still valid if you are using version 5.01 as we are. The good news is that someone developed a VB script which will add all of the holes to the IDF file so you don't need to "cut and paste" as I was doing 5 years ago. I have attached the script which was written by Tom Frayda and modified slightly to work bettter with Solidworks. One other note if you are going to use this script. After running the script the new .emn file will open and you will see that the mounting and component thru-holes have been added. At this point you might want to manually edit the PCB thickness since Pads 5.01 does not provide the correct PCB thickness.

Also note that from the Solidworks side you must turn on the option of reading in the "holes" or they will not show up even thought they are in the IDF data.

If you're using a newed version of Pads then you shouldn't need to use this script, but you will need to set up the import options correctly in Solidworks.

[zerink]

I am currently working on a traslator that will take a gerber layer and make it importable in SW using the IDF option.
It converts traces or whatever you have on your Gerber into solid.
The only drawback is the time it takes to import. 30 minutes for this sample
CircuitWorks does it fast, without the solid features, SW takes a long time and creates

I designed that tool, because we use SW as the main CAD for documentation, but PADS for circuitry, (PCB , but hybrids mostly) and we wanted to show the layer of metal on the model.

[sflippen]

I am interesteed in the translator that was posted allowing the transfer of gerber data to IDF (version ?) When will this be available and does the translator work independent of any CAD software such as Solidworks, ProE or OneSpace Modeler ?

[zerink]

I am sorry, but the tool will not be free.

Read more here (http://polyconceptz.com/gbr2idf.aspx):

[zerink]

Although it was looking good, I decided to stop this project.

I attended a seminar where they showed CAM350, this software is able to exctract the outline of traces on pads.

I did not try this, but it should be enough to dreate an outlined DXF, import it straight to solidwork as a model base for extrusion.

My assumption that none of the DXF export tool was able to do an outline was wrong.

[morgandeo]

hi,
I think its possible but i am not sure about it.

[zerink]

I forgot to come back and mention... yes, it is possible indeed, I wrote a whole procedure on how to do it.

Some of the polylines are sometimes not closed, but with a minimum effort, the 3d rendering can be done in a few minutes, depending on the complexity of the pcb.

Please wrtie on this forum if you are interested, I will post the procedure.

Please don't just ask for it, if you don't need it.

[wheels]

I would like to know how to do it!

Thanks,

Wheels

[varora]

I am very interested as well.

TIA

[zerink]

Good luck
this should do it.