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Circuit Board Design - Methods for Design and Export to vendors

Hey I am generating a circuitboard.sldprt and creating a circuitboard.slddrw with title block, rev, notes, dims etc. Then I save as the (.slddrw) to (.dxf) and map layers to generate a (.dxf) with layers for a PC board manufacturer to import the various geometry ( PC board, circuit-1, circuit-2, circuit-3). I can map Hidden Lines and Solid Lines from each (.slddrw) view w/hidden line shown. These will show up in the (.dxf) in their own layer. The problem is that I can't get each separate feature onto its on (.dxf) layer like (PC board, circuit-1, circuit-2, circuit-3).

I found that I can create a circuitboard.sldasm consisting of each item that I want on a layer as a (.sldprt), then I can create a (.slddrw) of that assembly and SWX will let me assign each component of that assembly to its own layer. This will let me map those solidworks layers out to a (.dxf) with the same layers.

Problem is creating the circuitboard.sldasm is overkill and will require me to have to create part numbers for (PC Board, Circuit-1, Circuit-2, Circuit-3). This is not very efficient for me and I am open to suggestions for a completely different process.

Does anyone else create circuit boards with SolidWorks and then source them from a vendor who needs your (.dxf) or other format to produce them?

Let me know what the methods are for doing this?

Reply to
whynotdesign3d
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Thanks for your input

Yes the board is fairly simple ( RF Antenna Design ) one trace with one ground plane and then PCB profile with mount holes and connectors. My biggest obstacle is many revisions come back to me from RF Engineers and I must update my models, drawings and revisions. Solidworks (.slddrw) is the controlled file in our systems, Then we make uncontrolled (.dxf) output on demand.

My PCB vendor massages a (.dxf) w / layers that I save out from a (.slddrw), then they use E-CAM "Gerber" format to create the PCB.

I looked at CircuitWorks for Solidworks but it needs IDF format and I only get (.dxf) from my RF Engineers.

Thanks

Reply to
whynotdesign3d

Designing Printed circuit boards is my primary function here where I work. I also do mechanical design with Solidworks and wish I had more to do (Solidworks is a, way cool) The software I use for PCB design costs twice as much as Solidworks does.

IF I was to do a pcb layout us> Hey

Reply to
FrankW

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