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CircuitWorks
for SolidWorks
 CircuitWorks for SolidWorks is a bi-directional IDF and PADS file interface for the SolidWorks 3D CAD system.
CircuitWorks adds in to SolidWorks and allows it to read and write the industry standard IDF 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0 format
files produced by Electrical CAD (ECAD) systems used for Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
design. It can also read *.asc files from
the Mentor PADS ECAD system.
What CircuitWorks for SolidWorks does
Once a compatible file is opened in CircuitWorks for SolidWorks, its contents are shown as a tree
and preview image. The tree and preview show the various types of entities in the
file such as the Board, Plated and Non-Plated Holes, Components, Keepouts, Outlines
and Annotations. When used with files written in the IDF 4.0 format, CircuitWorks
can also show Pads, Traces and Filled Areas:
An IDF 3.0 format file open in the CircuitWorks for SolidWorks user interface.
Click the image to enlarge.
An IDF 4.0 format file open in CircuitWorks for SolidWorks showing the traces.
Click the image to enlarge.
Once a file is open in CircuitWorks, it can be modified if required using the advanced
property editing and filtering tools in CircuitWorks. Small components which might
not be required in SolidWorks can be filtered out for example. When the user is
happy with the data, the Circuit Board and components can be built in SolidWorks
as an assembly.
A SolidWorks Assembly modelled by CircuitWorks for SolidWorks.
The CircuitWorks 'Locate Component' window is also shown.
Click to enlarge.
CircuitWorks can be used with existing SolidWorks component models, or can build
its own simple component models using the data in the ECAD file. CircuitWorks stores
the component models it creates in its Component Library for re-use in future. CircuitWorks
gets faster the more it's used as it builds up a collection of component models.
The CircuitWorks Component Library:
Component names from the ECAD file can be cross referenced against the SolidWorks
model to used to represent it. The library supports Parts, Assemblies and Configurations.
As CircuitWorks is bi-directional, SolidWorks parts and assemblies can be exported from SolidWorks
back into the CircuitWorks user interface, they can then be modified
if required and then saved as IDF files to be read back into an ECAD system.
What can the models CircuitWorks
for SolidWorks generates be used for?
CircuitWorks uses the information in IDF or PADS ASCII files to produce a fully
detailed 3D SolidWorks assembly of a Printed Circuit Board and its components. The completed SolidWorks assembly
can be used in a number of ways:
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Checking For Interference: By transferring an accurate model of a PCB and its
components accurately into SolidWorks, users can check for any potential
clash between the Circuit Board and its surroundings. If there is a clash, then the board shape
or the positions of components on it can altered and the resulting changes saved back
out for use with the ECAD system.
- Creating Complex Board Shapes: Often the shape and size of
a PCB is driven by the product that will contain the board. Using CircuitWorks,
the board and any key components can be modelled initially in SolidWorks, and the
shape captured and exported to an ECAD system.
- Visualization: CAD models are increasingly used for visualisation
and sales use, often before the product has been manufactured. Using CircuitWorks
for SolidWorks, accurate models of Printed Circuit Boards with their components
can be generated to create images for sales use.
- Prototyping: SolidWorks models created by CircuitWorks can be used
to create physical prototypes in conjunction with Rapid Prototyping systems.
- Manufacturing: CircuitWorks embeds ECAD information into
the SolidWorks Assemblies it creates. This information can then be used to add annotations such as Reference
Designators to assembly drawings which can then be used as aids to manufacturing
the PCB assembly.
- PDM: CircuitWorks adds custom properties defined in the IDF
file format into the SolidWorks component models it creates, these attributes can
then be used to describe the component in a data management system such as PDM/Works.
- Analysis: The 3D PCB models generated from ECAD data can be used for thermal analysis
within Mechanical CAD systems, especially in the case of products with tight packaging
constraints such as cellular phones and PDAs where localized heat build up can cause
problems.
A model created with CircuitWorks undergoing thermal analysis in Ansys software.
Next Steps:
- To see CircuitWorks for SolidWorks in action, why not watch the video demo on the
Product Tour
page?
If you'd like to know more, why not take a look at our
FAQs
or
Contact Us?
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