Creating 3D PCB Models from Board Station Files (EIF Format)

Extended modules > PCB > Creating 3D PCB Models from Board Station Files (EIF Format)

You can use existing PCB assemblies in Board Station format to create equivalent mechanical 3D PCB assembly models in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F). When you have completed your mechanical design work on the imported PCB assembly, you can export it back to its source format for EE detailing.

When you import a file, the bsasc file and (optionally) the comps file are translated by the sdmgtrans utility in the IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F). The translation is controlled by the settings in the sdpcb_eif.cfg file or your customized version of this file. The output of this translation is an eif file which can be imported to Creo Elements/Direct Modeling. The IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) also creates a rest file containing all elements from the bsasc file that are not required in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.

When you export a file, an updated eif file is created. The new eif file is translated by the sdmgtrans utility. This translation is controlled by the settings in the sdpcb_eif.cfg file or your customized version of this file. The output of this translation includes:

• a brd file to be applied to the Board Station librarian.

• an updated comps file (comps.comps_new) for the Board Station layout. This updated file is created from the rest file and the exported eif file. The comps.comps_new file overwrites the previously imported comps file (if any).

Import the new comps.comps_new file to the Board Station layout.

To save you time and effort, the IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) includes a 3D model library of 60 standard components for use in Board Station PCB assemblies.

Procedure

Perform the following steps to create a mechanical 3D PCB model from Board Station data:

1. Copy files from Board Station

Before you can use a Board Station PCB design with Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), you must generate the associated bsasc and comps.comps_nn files. Then you need to copy these files to a directory where they can be accessed by Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F).

Proceed as follows to generate the bsasc file in Board Station:

a. In Board Station Librarian or Layout, select File > Save > Ascii Geometries > All Geometries > OneFile.

b. In Pathname type the file name; this should be the assembly name which will be used by Creo Elements/Direct Modeling, it should have the extension .bsasc. The associated bsasc file is generated.

c. Copy this file to an empty directory which is accessible from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F).

Use one of the following methods to generate the comps.comps_nn file in Board Station:

a. In Board Station Layout, select File > Save > Design

enter a command string such as:

$save_component ("<directory path>/comps.comps_999", @replace, @pathname);

b. The associated comps.comps_nn file is generated. Copy this file to the directory in which you copied the bsasc file.

2. Translate Board Station files to EIF format

When you have copied the bsasc and comps files to a directory where these files can be accessed by Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), you can use the Translate command to translate these files to EIF format. The Board Station bsasc file and comps file data is filtered according to the Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) configuration. By default, this configuration is read from the sdpcb_eif.cfg file which is located in the following directory:

$INSTALLDIR/personality/sdpcb

Translate creates the following files:

*.bsasc.eif	contains the filtered elements from the bsasc and the comps file. This file is read by Import.
*.bsasc.log	Translate logfile.
*.bsasc.rest	contains Board Station elements from the bsasc file that Creo Elements/Direct Modeling does not require. Together with the comps.comps.new file, the bsasc.rest file is used to generate the brd file during the export process.

Proceed as follows to translate a Board Station PCB design for use in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F):

The Board Station files, bsasc file, and the comps file must be accessible from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F).

a. Copy the Board Station files of the PCB design to a directory where Creo Elements/Direct Modeling can access these files.

b. Click PCB and then, in the Filing group, click

ECAD Adapter.

c. Click Translate. The Translate dialog box opens along with the File Browser.

d. Click MGGeomFile to specify the Board Station bsasc file. The File Browser displays the files you can select.

e. Select the bsasc file from the File Browser.

f. Click MGCompFile to specify the Board Station comps file.

g. Select the comps file from the File Browser. This comps file will be updated when you export the PCB assembly from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) to EIF format.

h. Click OK.

Upon successful completion of the translation process, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) will issue a confirmation message.

If you only want to import parts without any placement information from Board Station, simply translate the associated bsasc file but not the comps file.

3. Import the EIF file

After you have translated an assembly and optionally the comps.comps_nn file from Board Station format to EIF format, use Import to:

◦ create the PCB assembly structure.

◦ create "surrounding box" models or load the corresponding models from one of the libraries (see below) to the LIB_PART assembly.

◦ automatically use height restriction profiles to generate thin red planes. These planes are located in the RESTR subassembly.

◦ add parts (based on the models included in LIB_PART) to the PCB assembly.

◦ optionally place the parts.

◦ create restricted areas (Keepout areas).

The Import dialog box provides the following options:

LibPath	Displays the Libraries browser to facilitate the task of activating or deactivating libraries. This button must be on if you want to apply 3D models contained in your active libraries.
Place	The parts are automatically placed in the PCB assembly.
Replace	When this option is enabled, a newly imported PCB assembly that has the same name as an existing PCB assembly in your current Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) session will replace (i.e. take the position of) the existing PCB assembly.

Proceed as follows to import an eif file:

a. Click PCB and then, in the Filing group, click ECAD Adapter.

b. Click Import. The Import dialog box opens along with the File Browser.

c. Specify the eif file or select it from the File Browser.

d. Click Owner and specify the owner for the imported PCB assembly. You can either select an existing assembly or type / in the Owner box to add the imported PCB assembly at the top (root) level.

e. Optionally, click LibPath to display the Libraries browser and any alternative library search.

f. Optionally, click Place for automatic placement of the parts in the PCB assembly.

g. Optionally, click Replace to replace an existing PCB assembly by the newly imported PCB assembly of the same name.

h. Click

4. Check the PCB model

Following importation, the 3D PCB model is displayed in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F). Proceed as follows:

a. Check whether the component parts in this 3D PCB models have been replaced by Creo Elements/Direct Modeling geometries as expected.

b. If your 3D PCB assembly indicates that you need to define additional 3D component models in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), use the New command on the PCB tab, in the Model group of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) to create these models.

c. In the Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) Assembly group, use Update to apply all of your changes and additions to the current assembly.

5. Export a PCB model to Board Station

Use the Export command to export an assembly to a Board Station brd file. You can generate a board file without the need to specify an EIF file. Note the following:

◦ If you originally imported the assembly from Board Station, Export generates an updated comps.comps.new file from the original comps file and builds a new brd file from this comps.comps_new file and the bsasc.rest file retained during the import.

Export validates the PCA. If the PCA passes this validation, it is automatically written to the same directory from where it was imported. In the Export Attributes section of the Export dialog box, the export mode is CreateBS, and names of the original bsasc and comps files are displayed.

The Export command creates the following files:

eif	Contains all the elements from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling which should be exported.
log	Translate logfile.
brd	The Export utility builds the brd file from the updated comps.comps.new file and the rest file.
comps.comps_new	Contains updated part placement information.

You must first load the brd file in Board Station Librarian before continuing to work in Board Station Layout.

◦ If you translate data from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling to a Board Station file which you did not originally import from Board Station, the Export command translates the assembly data directly to a new brd file. In the Export Attributes section of the Export dialog box, the export mode is CreateBS, and no bsasc and comps filenames are displayed.

◦ The exported file(s) must be moved to a workstation and directory where it can be accessed by the destination system (for example, the design_geom subdirectory of the Board Station design directory).

◦ If the design was completed in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling, the file must be checked by the Board Station Librarian. Otherwise you must complete the design in the Board Station Librarian before you continue with Board Station Layout.

Proceed as follows to export a PCB assembly for use in Board Station:

a. Click PCB and then, in the Filing group, click ECAD Adapter.

b. Click Export. The Export dialog box opens along with the File Browser.

c. Select the assembly you wish to export. By default, the current assembly is selected. If you want to export a PCA other than the current one, click PCA to display the PCB Assemblies browser for selection.

Only the active PCB assembly can be exported.

d. In the Export Parameter section, specify whether or not to generate an EIF file.

e. If necessary, use the File Browser to select or specify the name of the EIF file to which you want to export the PCA.

f. Optionally, specify a unit of measure.

New PCB assembly uses the default value of unit of measure for export from the configuration file. The imported PCB assembly retains the unit of measure during the import.

g. Optionally, use the StoreExpParts function to store the expanded part structure.

h. Click OK.

6. Copy files to Board Station

When the 3D PCB model has passed your mechanical analyses, you can transfer the model back to Board Station for EE detailing. Proceed as follows:

a. Copy the brd file to a directory which is accessible from the Board Station Librarian.

b. In the Board Station Librarian, use Delete to remove the old PCB board geometry.

c. Use File, Restore, From Ascii name .brd to load the updated PCB assembly geometry.

d. The design geometry is verified in Board Station Librarian and stored. To view the design changes, open the updated design using the Board Station Layout command.

e. Copy the comps.comps_new to the Board Station design/PCB subdirectory of the original design with its original name. Use a command such as:

$$read_components ("<directory path>/comps.comps_new",@match_refdes_only, @override_protection,@report);

7. Board Station file formats

Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) reads and writes the following Board Station file types:

◦ The Geometry ASCII File

◦ The comps File

From these files, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) reads information to create 3D models in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling and/or to write 2D data files for use with Board Station. When you import Board Station PCB assemblies to Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) or when you export PCB assemblies from Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) to Board Station format files, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) uses an intermediate file format called EIF—this is a Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) proprietary format for the exchange of PCB and associated data between Board Station and Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.

8. The geometry ASCII file

This Board Station file type has the filename extention .bsasc. It contains board and/or component geometry data. Board Station geometry includes the following types:

◦ generic

◦ board

◦ component

◦ padstack

Each record in this file is a macro statement coded in Mentor Graphics proprietary language. Refer to the Mentor Graphics PCB Products Design Reference Manual for a description of this language and related information. The "Design Objects", "Layers" and "Attributes" sections in this file describe the associated Board Station design objects in detail.

In terms of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), the macro statements in the geometry file can be divided into the following four groups:

Regional Attribute	Defines a polygon that has a specific meaning to BoardStation. For example, the attribute named BOARD_PLACEMENT_ KEEPOUT defines a restriction for a parts area. The attribute value defines the layer on which it is effective. This attribute holds the coordinates for the polygon's vertices.
Functional Attribute	Defines a non-graphical attribute's name/value pair. For example, the attribute named BOARD_DEFAULT_PADSTACK defines the default padstack and it's value.
Layer Geometry	This defines geometry elements on a specific BoardStation layer. Geometry can be of the type path, circle, arc, polygon or text.
Commands	These contain commands that have a specific meaning for BoardStation products.

The geometry ASCII files are stored either in a library or together with an individual design. The library stores commonly used geometries in a directory structure and exists only once on a network. It can be accessed by all Board Station users.

For individual PCB designs, Board Station stores all files in a design directory which contains multiple subdirectories. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) uses two of these subdirectories:

◦ design_geom

◦ pcb

The design_geom directory contains the ASCII files for all geometries used in the design, and pcb contains the comps.comps_n files.

For use with Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), the geometry ASCII files must be saved in either the Board Station "layout" or "librarian" subsystems. All geometries for one particular design must be saved in one file.

9. The comps file

This Board Station file type has the name comps.comps_n where n is the version number. Usually the last 3 versions of this file are stored. The comps file contains part placement information. This information consists of:

◦ reference designator

◦ geometry name

◦ location

◦ orientation

◦ placement

◦ side

◦ properties

comps files for individual PCB design are stored in the directory pcb which is a subdirectory of the Board Station design directory.

For use with Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F), comps files must be saved in the "layout" subsystem.

Each PCB design created in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling IDF Data Adapter (PCB I/F) should have its own directory on the Creo Elements/Direct Modeling side. This directory should contain the geom file and the comps file for that particular design in order to keep these files unique.

For a detailed description of these file formats, refer to the documentation supplied with Mentor Graphics Board Station.