USING CIRCUITWORKS WITH PADS

[cocobob7]

New to CircuitWorks environment. Can read in Pads assemblies fine.
Having an issue only with generating a part file (board outline) that can be read by Pads. I've changed the names of the extrudes and thru holes per SW recommendation. Is there a secret to writing the file that I haven't discovered? Any recommendations for creating a clean file for pads to read would be appreciated.

 

[GRF]

The manual and help for Circuitworks is useless and good luck finding a course at a reseller as well. To answer you questions you need to name the features correctly.

It has been a year or so since I used circuit works but I will try to remember it.

1st feature is an extrusion that is the board outline and has to be named outline or something similar. Check the name on the files you imported. You can not make cuts to change the board outline.

2. Plated holes are named something like PLT_holes again check your imported files. All the plated holes have to be created in this feature.

3. None plated holes are names something line non_plt_holes again check you imported files. All your none plated holes have to be created in this feature.

I was able to dig this information out from the circuitworks manaual or by asking questions to the circuitworks people.

 

[rfus]

First post in some time.

First, you need to be on 2011, not 2010, to have the pads .asc export, PowerPCB 2007

You need to name the sketch of your board Board_Outline, and all the other names right and it should work like this.

In SolidWorks in the CircuitWorks Tab Select:
Export to Circuitworks
Select the appropriate face for the orientation
In circuitworks save as PowerPCB 2007 .asc
Open .asc in pads. Zoom to Extents.

I am on SolidWorks 2011 and PADS 9.3. It opens right up.

rfus