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PCB design exported to mechanical solid modeling

[This followup was posted to sci.electronics.design and a copy was sent to the cited author.]

I'm an M.E. and part of a startup medical device company. Our hw/sw guy has designed boards using Eagle. My objective is to get his work into SolidWorks (a mechanical solid modeling program). So far, I've received his results as 2D DXF files, but I have to chase down solid models of the components from manufacturers, or create my own models. (Did I say that mechanical/electronic parts are so tightly packed that physical clearances and ventilation spaces are a big concern?)

We've been thru the Mark I model, but before we start the Mark II, I want to make my life simpler.

Can anyone make recommendations for a PCB layout software (with autorouter) that can export a decent 3D solid model of the populated board? Obviously, there's some push and shove here. I'd like a quick, simple export of the board design, and our electron wizard wants a capable tool for for his needs.

TIA for your advice,

Art W.

Reply to
Art Woodbury
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I bookmarked this years ago. Never messed with it. m=2Eweisser (Matthias Wei=DFer) http://72.14.203.104/search?q=3Dcache:lM5Wr6E5xTAJ:

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Reply to
JeffM

You could try Kicad. It has a built in 3D component modeler but I do not know about its export formats. However, is free so it is easy to try.Find it at:

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Ian

Reply to
Ian Bell

It has been my experience that one can build and test *a lot* of prototypes for the time and money "invested" in getting tools to calculate what must be measured & verified on protypes anyway!

The "Big Shop" Kilobuck packages can generally do it - Mentor Graphics come to mind. A.F.A.I.R, the license runs into five digits with special hardware+OS+support requirements to finish off any alledged productivity gained by using them.

In the case of Mentor, a mechanical interface will be an ex$$$$tension module and will - of course - only work with more Kilobuck upstream tools; Catia/Cadence from IBM or something like that.

*I* would not want to go there - sometimes, worse is simply better!

PS:

Maybe, just maybe, one can write a script that parses design information from the layout package and into something that the mechanical tool can pick up with less work remaining than now (i.e. one needs to write a compiler tool).

My previous experience with that approach, was that all design tools tend to be hermetically-closed-binary formats that maybe only God can get a specification for - *after* making an old testament example of some of the CAD vendors legal people in front of management ;-).

This was a while ago, maybe times have changed.

Reply to
Frithiof Andreas Jensen

In article , Art Woodbury writes

Assuming Windows, Vutrax has an export module for IDF format for 3D Modelling software such as Solidworks and Pro-Engineer.

Although the module can be downloaded it is not runable with the standard 256 pin free issue download (about 10MB). If the initial look seems likely to satisfy for PCB design, ask Vutrax support for a

30 day trial of a system with this module included to check it does what you want.

Initial downloads (installer and the three 'System' files) from

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(Main UK site for Vutrax CAD) or
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(Central Europe Mirror)

--
Roy Battell.
    To use this address remove the digits included to remove Spam ...
    Mail: news@vutrax666.co.uk
Reply to
Roy Battell

EZPC from Numberone Systems allows 3D modelling of components, as well as all the PCB design tools. I think you can export the 3D part to DXF, although I havent actually tried it.

Most of the high end PCB tools will do it too, at a price.

--
Regards,

Adrian Jansen           adrianjansen at internode dot on dot net
Design Engineer         J & K Micro Systems
Microcomputer solutions for industrial control
Note reply address is invalid, convert address above to machine form.
Reply to
Adrian Jansen

We use Mentor Expedition. It will export IDF Version 2 or 3 files which can then be brought in by the mechanical application. ie...Pro-E, Solidedge, or Solidworks. We do this on a regular basis with Pro-E but I'm sure Solidworks will do it too.

Hope this helps.

Mark

4th Dimension PCB Sunrise, FL 33323
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Reply to
Mark.Eckert

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