Scaling bitmaps

[KevinPinks7697]

Hello, I often use bitmap files in my Inventor models to reperesent the silkscreen on my PCB's.  Most often I cannot seem to scale the bitmap properly so that everything is in the correct position. If I get the silkscreen to fit properly in one area on the PCB, other areas are off. Is there another way or a better way to do this?

Frustrated

Thanks

[wimann]

First off, diggin the profile pic. Second, I've used bitmaps in my inventor models before and not had many issues. Could you attach an example? What version of Inventor are you using?

[KevinPinks7697]

Hello, I am using Inventor 2013 Professional Product Design Suite.
Here is an example. I receive the silkscreen in DXF format. I open it in
AutoCAD and scale it down 1/1000 and then convert it into a bitmap.

Thanks for your help
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Kevin J. Pinks | Schneider Electric | End User Business Group -
Industry Business | Plant Solutions | Telemetry & Remote SCADA
Solutions, Mechanical Draftsperson & Document Control
Phone: +1-613-591-1943 ext. 79387 | Fax: +1-613-591-1022 |
Email: Kevin.Pinks@schneider-electric.com | Site:
www.schneider-electric.com | Address: 415 Legget Drive, Kanata, Ontario
K2K 3R1 CANADA

*** Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

[bob_holland]

Kevin,

Can you please try attaching your bit map again.

It does not seem to have come through.

We have found that using a different browser seems to help.

Thank you.

[mcgyvr]

Have you tried to import the dxf (or dwg) as a sketch and extrude the silkscreening?

Thats what I do for ALL my silkscreening.. Just extrude .001" or whatever..

I HATE the decal function in Inventor.  Mostly because you MUST shade the drawing which I highly dislike and it can result in overly large or low quality results. 

You can use this WONDERFULL ilogic code from Curtis to have it automatically pick all the text/profiles in the sketch and extrude at 1 time vs having to manually select each piece of text or profile.. 

If TypeOf ThisApplication.ActiveEditObject Is Sketch Then
'Do nothing
Else
MessageBox.Show("Activate a Sketch First then Run this Rule", "ilogic")
Return
End If

Dim oPartDoc As PartDocument
oPartDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

Dim oCompDef As PartComponentDefinition
oCompDef = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition

Dim oSketch As PlanarSketch
oSketch = ThisApplication.ActiveEditObject 

' Create a profile.
Dim oProfile As Profile
On Error Goto NoProfile
oProfile = oSketch.Profiles.AddForSolid

'get user input
oDistance = InputBox("Enter Extrude Distance", "iLogic", ".001 in")
oDirection  = InputRadioBox("Select Extrude Direction", "Up (+)", "Down (-)", True, Title := "iLogic")
oJoinOrCut  = InputRadioBox("Select Extrude Solution", "Join", "Cut", True, Title := "iLogic")

If oDirection = True Then
oDirection = kPositiveExtentDirection 
Else
oDirection = kNegativeExtentDirection
End If

If oJoinOrCut = True Then
oJoinOrCut = kJoinOperation
Else
oJoinOrCut = kCutOperation
End If

' Create an extrusion 
Dim oExtrude As ExtrudeFeature
On Error Goto NoExtrude
oExtrude = oCompDef.Features.ExtrudeFeatures.AddByDistanceExtent( _
oProfile, oDistance, oDirection, oJoinOrCut)

ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item("FinishSketch").Execute

iLogicVb.UpdateWhenDone = True

Exit Sub

NoProfile:
MessageBox.Show("No closed profile found", "iLogic")
Return

NoExtrude:
MessageBox.Show("No extrusion created, check your inputs.", "iLogic")
Return

[KevinPinks7697]

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Kevin J. Pinks | Schneider Electric | End User Business Group -
Industry Business | Plant Solutions | Telemetry & Remote SCADA
Solutions, Mechanical Draftsperson & Document Control
Phone: +1-613-591-1943 ext. 79387 | Fax: +1-613-591-1022 |
Email: Kevin.Pinks@schneider-electric.com | Site:
www.schneider-electric.com | Address: 415 Legget Drive, Kanata, Ontario
K2K 3R1 CANADA

*** Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

[KevinPinks7697]

I am not familiar with Ilogic codes . . . .how do I use this macro thingy?

Thanks

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@KevinPinks7697 wrote:

I am not familiar with Ilogic codes . . . .how do I use this macro thingy?

Thanks

---

Hi KevinPinks7697,

Here are some links that might help:

http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/2012/01/creating-basic-ilogic-rule-with-event.html

http://autodeskmfg.typepad.com/blog/2012/01/working-with-external-ilogic-rules.html

I would create this as an external rule, so you can use it in any file that needs a silk screen in the future.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[mcgyvr]

What I do is drop that all into a text file..

Save it as Silkscreen.iLogicVb

Then go to tools..options section and expand the flydown to expose ilogic configuration.. then pick the folder where you saved it.

Then get your ilogic browser out (view..user interface.. ilogic browser and it should show up in the external rules section.

Then just start a new sketch.. insert the autocad drawing and before you finish the sketch right click on that rule in the ilogic browser and select run.

and voila.. 

[KevinPinks7697]

Tried this, but it does not show up under "External Rules"?

[mcgyvr]

maybe restart inventor?

Did you select the proper default extension for external rules?

[sam_m]

doesn't extruding the silkscreen cause a load more problems tho?

1) isn't it slower as all that additional 3d geometry will be far more computationally intensive than a decal?

2) doesn't it make a mess of idw prints, as the assembly drawing calling up the pcb will be a mess with all the extruded tracks?

dxf of pcb silkscreen/tracks into AutoCAD.  I think I remember the bmp output of this is linked to the screen's content and thus the zoom value changes the output?  So, depending on what's on the screen for each silkscreen/track layer/file the output is slightly different.  So, I actually use a wmf out and then generate the decal from CorelDraw...

My method:

1) dxf of tracks/silkscreen into AutoCAD

2) sometimes I use Overkill to remove any extra lines

3) zoom extents

4) WMFOUT and save a wmf of the tracks

5) Open CorelDraw and import the wmf into a new file

6) In AutoCAD I measure the distance across the width of the tracks/file (here the pcb import is in thou, so I need to convert into mm first).

7) In CorelDraw I scale the wmf to the dimension from above

😎 sometimes I tweak the line thickness in CorelDraw to make the tracks distinct (and even change the line colour)

9) export a bmp from Coreldraw, non aliased, 2 colour, with a dpi of about 150.

10) In Inventor - new sketch and import the bmp and set the background to be hidden.  set to the same dimension as earlier and usually it's pretty close to desired.  Use features/holes on pcb to align the texture and tweak the scale and tada...

Admitedly it's more work than just bmp out from AutoCAD but (personally) I find it produces the best visual results with the least messing about scaling and guessing dimensions in Inventor.

[mcgyvr]

yes extruding can lead to a larger file size.. Thats never been a problem for me though personally.. 

Just offering another suggestion here as it seems bitmaps aren't really working for the OP either.. 

But I don't do 2d drawings anymore either. All our "assembly" documentation is created directly from screenshots of the 3d model and brought into our "shop aid" system where images of the 3d model are used vs 2d drawings.. We have found an improvement in quality and a reduction in questions/issues,etc.. since the move away from 2d..

Many people just can't grasp a 2d drawing and how it relates to a 3d product.  

IMO traces don't even need to be on any assembly documentation either.. The only thing I really include is ref designators and orientation markings (diode bands, pin 1 indicators,etc..)