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CircuitWorks
Lite for SolidWorks
Every seat of SolidWorks from version 2005 onwards contains 'CircuitWorks
Lite' IDF Import functionality. CircuitWorks Lite is a simple free product written by Priware for SolidWorks to allow SolidWorks to convert IDF 2.0 and IDF 3.0 files
into a SolidWorks Part file.
CircuitWorks Lite is not available to download from this website, it is only available
as part of the SolidWorks 3D MCAD system.
How to use CircuitWorks Lite
To use CircuitWorks Lite, simply open SolidWorks 2005 or later, and browse to an
IDF file in the SolidWorks File/Open dialogue exactly as you'd open any
other file
(both parts of the IDF file need to be present with the same name and *.emn / *.emp,
*.brd / *.lib, *.brd / *.pro, *.bdf / *.ldf or *.idb / *.idl suffixes) . CircuitWorks
Lite will then build a part file representing the circuit board and its components.
CircuitWorks Lite Processing an IDF file in SolidWorks.
How CircuitWorks Lite compares to CircuitWorks for SolidWorks
So, if Priware are giving away basic IDF import functionality free
to every user of SolidWorks 2005 onwards, why should users upgrade to the full CircuitWorks
Product? What does the full product do that CircuitWorks Lite can't do? Well, there
are a huge number of differences between the two products, but some of the main
differences are listed below:
CircuitWorks Lite produces a Part file, CircuitWorks for SolidWorks
produces an Assembly:
While this sounds like a small difference, building an assembly has many advantages
over building a part file - firstly it's considerably faster especially for large
IDF files. CircuitWorks Lite has a limit of around 500 components before it becomes
too slow to use. CircuitWorks will work with IDF files containing many thousands
of components and can process a typical 600 part IDF file in less than one fifth
of the time it would take CircuitWorks Lite.
CircuitWorks uses a library of Component Models:
Whenever CircuitWorks needs a model of an electrical component to insert in an assembly,
it checks to see if a suitable model already exists in its component library. If
it does, it uses the pre-existing model, if not, it builds a new model and saves
it in the library for future use. This approach has two key advantages, firstly
it means CircuitWorks gets faster the more it's used as it builds up its library
of components, and secondly CircuitWorks can be used with much more detailed realistic
component models if required.
The SolidWorks Part File on the left was created using CircuitWorks Lite, the CircuitWorks
Assembly on the right was created using the full CircuitWorks for SolidWorks product
and a pre-existing library of component models.
CircuitWorks Lite is Import Only, CircuitWorks for SolidWorks
can Import and Export IDF files:
Unlike CircuitWorks Lite, which is import only, CircuitWorks for SolidWorks is a
bi-directional product. Parts and assemblies can be modelled in SolidWorks and then
exported as IDF 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0 files and read back into an ECAD system. Maintaining
a bi-directional link between the two disciplines allows any modifications made
to the assembly in SolidWorks to be updated back to the ECAD system. For more complex
shaped circuit boards, the board's shape, mounting holes, vital component positions,
keep-in and keep-out areas can be defined in SolidWorks and then exported to ECAD
for the electrical
design.
Once the Electrical Designer has finished with it, the
updated IDF files can be re-imported into SolidWorks, components moved or shapes
changed if required and then re-exported again, and so on until the design meets
the requirements of both the Electrical and Mechanical Designers.
CircuitWorks for SolidWorks supports all the information in
an IDF file:
CircuitWorks for SolidWorks can process all the information contained in an IDF
2.0 or 3.0 file and supports the majority of information contained in IDF 4.0 and
PADS files. This enables it to build models of the components, all hole types, all
keepout and outline types and add notes and annotations to the assembly. CircuitWorks
Lite only reads a subset of the information contained within IDF 2.0 or 3.0 files,
so can only model the board, components and main mechanical holes. CircuitWorks
Lite cannot read IDF 4.0 or PADS (*.asc) files.
CircuitWorks for SolidWorks has advanced filtering capabilities
CircuitWorks has advanced filtering tools which, in conjunction with its detailed
preview image allow the user to filter unwanted entities in the ECAD data before
building a model in SolidWorks. For example, all holes under a certain size can
be removed, or all electrical components of a certain type. This functionality gives
the CircuitWorks for SolidWorks user the capability to remove information contained
in the ECAD data which may not be required in SolidWorks. This facility is not available
in CircuitWorks Lite, which will attempt to model all the information in the file
it supports.
...and much, much more
The full CircuitWorks product also has a detailed Preview Image, support for the
IDF 4.0 and PADS (*.asc) file formats, support for custom properties, assembly annotation
tools, and much, much more.
Next Steps:
-
See the difference for yourself by trying a 20 day evaluation version of CircuitWorks
for SolidWorks from the
Free Download
page.
If you'd like to know more about the differences between the two products, why not
Contact Us?
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