Circuit Artwork Import from AutoCAD

[Anonymous]

Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into Inventor?

I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.

[Anonymous]

Why do you want it in Inventor? Basically Inventor doesn't do Widths in IPT files.

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
news:E6D9D0D6EF5023EB092ED14931EF94FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
> contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into Inventor?
>
> I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.
>
>
>

[Anonymous]

If you are trying to get circuit trace layouts onto a part then you could
BMPout from AutoCAD (which retains widths) and then use the decal tool to
put it on the part in Inventor.

--
Sean Dotson, PE
http://www.sdotson.com
...sleep is for the weak..
-----------------------------------------
"Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
news:E6D9D0D6EF5023EB092ED14931EF94FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
> contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into Inventor?
>
> I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.
>
>
>

[Anonymous]

In this case the circuitry is the "heart" of the design. The circuitry is a
hybrid circuit for our patented "Stripline" antennas. We like to show this
circuitry on the drawings and on the parts is required. Everyone on our
team is used to viewing this data.

Also keep in mind that we are intested in the accuracy of this data. Bmp
representation will not be accurate enough. We need to support a
significant number of users that argue over trace width and length of the RF
circuits.

"Kent Keller" wrote in message
news:E6B0B8D864AA1655705BFFFAFE1488F1@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Why do you want it in Inventor? Basically Inventor doesn't do Widths in
IPT files.
>
> --
> Kent
> Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program
>
>
> "Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
> news:E6D9D0D6EF5023EB092ED14931EF94FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
> > contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into
Inventor?
> >
> > I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

To be honest, this sounds like a job for AutoCAD...sorry...

--
Sean Dotson, PE
http://www.sdotson.com
...sleep is for the weak..
-----------------------------------------
"Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
news:3A06A8EFC3C0930882F256BA7506759C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> In this case the circuitry is the "heart" of the design. The circuitry is
a
> hybrid circuit for our patented "Stripline" antennas. We like to show
this
> circuitry on the drawings and on the parts is required. Everyone on our
> team is used to viewing this data.
>
> Also keep in mind that we are intested in the accuracy of this data. Bmp
> representation will not be accurate enough. We need to support a
> significant number of users that argue over trace width and length of the
RF
> circuits.
>
> "Kent Keller" wrote in message
> news:E6B0B8D864AA1655705BFFFAFE1488F1@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > Why do you want it in Inventor? Basically Inventor doesn't do Widths
in
> IPT files.
> >
> > --
> > Kent
> > Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program
> >
> >
> > "Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
> > news:E6D9D0D6EF5023EB092ED14931EF94FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > > Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
> > > contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into
> Inventor?
> > >
> > > I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

The only thing I could think of would be to either plot it to a HPGL file from AutoCAD
and then use express tools plt2dwg to read that back in, and finally import the new file
into Inventor. I am not sure does DXB make the same type of file as plots? Anyhow you
will end up with a thousands of sketch lines that is likely to be extremely slow, but they
should represent the width.

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
news:3A06A8EFC3C0930882F256BA7506759C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> In this case the circuitry is the "heart" of the design. The circuitry is a
> hybrid circuit for our patented "Stripline" antennas. We like to show this
> circuitry on the drawings and on the parts is required. Everyone on our
> team is used to viewing this data.
>
> Also keep in mind that we are intested in the accuracy of this data. Bmp
> representation will not be accurate enough. We need to support a
> significant number of users that argue over trace width and length of the RF
> circuits.

[Anonymous]

I agree Sean. I saw this in an R6 demo last week and seemd to work well. I
guess one could even take it a step further by taking a actual digital photo
of a manufactured board and "decal" it.

--
Keith Bradford
CAD Director
SCS/Frigette
817.293.5313
www.scsfrigette.com
(Remove All Numbers From E-mail)
"Sean Dotson" wrote in message
news:26E7691ECBF94920CCD9CFD3D93C48F1@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> If you are trying to get circuit trace layouts onto a part then you could
> BMPout from AutoCAD (which retains widths) and then use the decal tool to
> put it on the part in Inventor.
>
> --
> Sean Dotson, PE
> http://www.sdotson.com
> ...sleep is for the weak..
> -----------------------------------------
> "Chris Ludtke" wrote in message
> news:E6D9D0D6EF5023EB092ED14931EF94FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > Does any one know how to import AutoCAD files (dxf or dwg) files that
> > contain PolyLines with Width and Trace Entities with Width into
Inventor?
> >
> > I can import the entities, the width of the lines are reset to 0.
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[joebeauche]

Sorry if the formatting of this is messed up, I'm trying to get fancy...



Speaking as someone who does this for a living, ignore these other folks on this one...



Chris, we import the artworks, but we create them with closed polyline outlines and thus they import

relatively cleanly. I'd say about 2%-5% of the traces require cleanup (ends don't match, double entities, etc.)

But again, that's all closed polyline stuff. You might try (and I'll emphasize TRY) to create gerber files

and then import them back in. It may help out, but I tend to doubt it. There may be an Autocad LISP routine

that would help you,



In our case, we developed a pair of routines that facilitated this. The first one takes said polylines and

creates the trace of a fixed width on a seperate layer (so you freeze the centers to preserve them) The

second routine basically does the same thing but creates differential pairs with fixed width/spacing.



Unfortunately, since I'm pretty sure you work for someone whom Boeing would consider a direct competitor,

it would be inappropriate for me to pass the routines on. They aren't all that complex, but without

understanding your needs its hard to say if they would work for you. The guy who programmed these for

us may be available, I'm not sure what happened to him over the last couple of months. He left us to

work for Autodesk, but I think he's moved on. I can try to track him down if you'd like. E-mail me offline if

you're interested, my e-mail is below.



Depending on how complex the artwork is, this stuff will really, really, kill system performance. I've

done a lot of small (2X2) alumina stuff this way, but some of the larger (5X7) TMM-10 boards we've tried

have really bogged down. For large stuff, you have to do it in sections. The more information on a complex

the slower the recalcs.



Joe Beauchesne

Boeing Satellite Systems

joebeauche@excite.com