PCB Tech - DXF file transfer to PCB design PowerPcb problem

DXF is a Multi-Layer file with Vector, Text

PADS/PCB design PowerPCB will read 2D-Line (a kind of Vector), Text these two items

PADS/PCB design PowerPCB Layer Name naming rules

▲PADS Layer Name example

BRD00: Board frame

LIN01: 2D-Line, PADS layer 1

TXT01: Text, PADS layer 1...

Layer Name will be loaded only if PADS can recognize it

And will not load the Text of LIN01 (2D-Line)

And will not load the 2D-Line of TXT01 (Text)

PADS cannot read 2D-Line Circle

▲PCB design PowerPCB Layer Name example (- same as _)

BOARD_OUTLINE_00: Board frame

2D_LINE_01: 2D-Line, PCB design PowerPCB layer 1

TEXT_01: Text, PCB design PowerPCB layer 1

01: PCB design PowerPCB layer 1 (cannot be 1)

XXXX: PCB design PowerPCB layer 0 (because there is no number)...

The last two digits represent the layer of layer, unrecognizable means the 0th layer, and one digit will not be loaded

The letter in front means Item, which has no meaning when Import 2D-Line/Text, you can choose whatever you want

Because the PCB design PowerPCB will judge by itself whether it is 2D-Line or Text

DXF to PAD/PCB design PowerPCB is divided into three types according to the source

▲AutoCAD Export DXF is directly designed by PADS/PCB PowerPCB Import

In AutoCAD, the Layer Name is for PADS/PCB design PowerPCB, but there seems to be other problems

▲After AutoCAD Export DXF (recommended R13 DXF), first CAM350 Import/Export DXF,

Then transfer to the PCB design PowerPCB to merge all the Layers into a DXF containing 2D-Line, Text,

▲Transfer any file to DXF, and finally transfer to PCB design PowerPCB

AutoCAD can also use this method to export PS/PDF for the same action

This conversion method only contains 2D-Line, because all Text is expanded into 2D-Line, so DXF will be much larger

Generally, the entire machine drawing cannot be transferred to PADS by this method, but the PCB design PowerPCB can

But only in this way Chinese will not become garbled

After AutoCAD Export DXF, directly designed by PADS/PCB PowerPCB Import

▲The relevant Layer and Layer Name settings must be made in AutoCAD

After AutoCAD Export DXF, first CAM350 Import/Export DXF, then transfer to PCB design PowerPCB

▲AutoCAD Export DXF (recommended R13 DXF)

▲CAM350 Import DXF

Import Unit depends on AutoCAD, generally choose MM

Scale Factor (DXF:CAM350) select 1:1

Tick "Map all layers to one CAM350 layer"

Choose "Explode Line Style" in the lower right corner, if you can choose

▲CAM350 Export DXF

▲CAMtastic! LT 2000 Import DXF

▲CAMtastic! LT 2000 Export DXF, tick Filled (No Endcaps)

PADS/PCB design PowerPCB can’t recognize the round converted from CAM350, but CAMtastic! LT 2000 can

▲Select Setup/Preference, select Inch for Design Unit (Unit of CAM350)

▲The DXF obtained by this conversion method contains 2D-Line, Text

▲Import DXF

Because the Default of Layer and Item are All, so it will use the Layer Name of DXF

As a basis, don’t have to move it

DXF-File Unit select Inch (Unit of CAM350)

Note that the required Mode is New or Add

▲Over

▲This kind of conversion to Chinese will become garbled, but the file size is relatively small

▲Note that CAMtastic! LT 2000 is easy to fail to read the DXF exported from AutoCAD

Convert any file to DXF, and finally to PCB design PowerPCB

▲ Convert any file to DXF to PS/PDF

▲Do not use the EPS file of AutoCAD Export, it is prone to problems

▲Select Setup/Preference, select Inch for Design Unit (Unit of CAM350)

▲The DXF obtained by converting any file to DXF only contains 2D-Line

▲Import DXF

Because the Default of Layer and Item are All, so it will use the Layer Name of DXF

As a basis, don’t have to move it

DXF-File Unit select Inch (Unit of CAM350)

Note that the required Mode is New or Add

▲Over

Transfer to PADS

The method is the same as switching to PCB design PowerPCB, but there are a few more things

▲The source is DXF transferred from AutoCAD, after CAM350 is merged into one layer,

It must be split into two Layers containing 2D-Line and Text Iterm respectively

Or expand Text into 2D-Line in CAM350

▲Steps to split into two Layers

->Add a new layer

->Edit/Copy, select Filter, uncheck Font, select A(All), select To Layers, select the newly created Layer

->Edit/Delete, select Filter, uncheck Font, select A(All)

->This is divided into 2D-Line, Text two layers

▲Steps to develop Text into 2D-Line

->Edit/Change/Explode/Text, select A(All)

->If you use CAMtastic! LT 2000 Export DXF, tick Convert Text to Plines

▲The DXF file cannot be too large, more than 2M bytes may cause problems

▲If you use CAMtastic! LT 2000 Export DXF, select Filled (End Caps)

▲Remember to choose the origin first in PADS

▲Select All for Layer and Item of Import

▲Another method is to transfer to PCB design PowerPCB first, and then Export ASC (PCB design PowerPCB v1.1, Basic)

Then use Text Editor to change the first line of ASC to

*PADS-PERFORM-V6-BASIC* DESIGN DATABASE ASCII FILE 1.0

PADS can import this ASC

The reason why PowerPCB failed to transfer to PADS/PCB design

▲Scale is wrong

▲Origin is too far away from the drawing surface, guide Mei PADS/PCB design PowerPCB is out of the coordinate system range when reading