Inventor IDF 3D Modeler

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Inventor IDF 3D Modeler

• This allows you to add electronics assemblies
  designed in Printed Circuit Board (PCB) CAD
  packages to your Inventor assembly.
• It uses the IDF standard which is supported by
  most PCB CAD packages.

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How Does it Work?

• Creates an Inventor assembly from IDF files
• Creates IDF files from an Inventor assembly

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ECAD Packages Supported

• Altium Designer
• Cadence
• Mentor
• ORCAD
• Pads
• P-CAD
• Protel
• Veribest
• Zuken
• Any that supports IDF

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When installed, this sub-menu items is added to
the Tools menu
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Creating An Assembly from IDFFiles

• Use the Import from IDF command
• The product dialog box displays

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Import Tab
IDF Board File
Assembly Directory
IDF Library File
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Settings Tab
Directory for Inventor parts
Color settings for auto created parts
IDF part heights
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Options Tab
Select PCB hole types to Import
Select IDF Features to Import
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Select Parts Tab
If any boxes checked, only selected parts are
imported
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Feature Names Tab
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Status Tab
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Board Tab
View the IDF Board file
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Library Tab
View the IDF Library file
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Choose the Create Assembly button on the Import
tab .

• An Inventor Assembly of your PCB is created

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Part for PCB is automatically created
User Created Inventor Parts
Parts named in Brower using their ECAD names
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Non Plated Holes
Plated Holes
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If no parts are exist, the program automatically
creates parts using geometry defined in the IDF
Library file
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Top Parts
Printed Circuit Board Part
Bottom Parts
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Creating IDF Files from An Assembly

• Choose the Export to IDF command
• The Export dialog box displays

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Set name of IDF files
Choose target ECAD system (sets extensions of
IDF files)
Choose IDF version
Choose IDF units
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Choose the Export botton

• IDF files are created

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Uses for IDF Files Created from Inventor

• Allows changes made in Inventor to be sent back
  to the ECAD system
• Eg
• Change to PCB shape
• Move Components
• Add or move mounting holes

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Starting a New PCB Design in Inventor

• Use the New ECAD Assembly command
• Creates a template assembly with all features
  appropriately named ready for Export
• The user modifies this Assembly as required
• The user then invokes the Export to IDF command
  to create IDF files that are sent to the ECAD
  system

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Features with correct names ready to be modified
Top and bottom Keepouts and Outlines ready tobe
modified
Hole features ready to be modified
Top and bottom template parts copy and rename
to create more parts
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Full IDF Support
Top Place Outline
Route Outline
Place Keepout
Bottom Place Outline
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Inventor IDF 3D Modeler Features

• Supports IDF versions 2 and 3
• Supports top and bottom placed parts
• Bi-directional
• Automatically creates parts if no library parts
  available
• Fully supports the IDF Specification
• route and place outlines,
• Route, place, via keep-outs
• Drilled Holes etc