How to import dxf file as board outline directly?

mentor expedition dxf cell

dxf file or emn file.

board outline+pads

Your question is so vague that one cannot answer it.
Please specify what software or tool you are refering to.
Very often people ask questions on this board about tools with out specifying tools or version of the tools.

Regards,

Majnoon

dxf mentor outline

I use Mentor Expedition.

dxf to emn

I'm not sure about Expedition, but Mentor Boardstation will only import from somewhat expensive 3D design tools. There is 3rd party software available to import DXF - the program is called dxf2men. It costs about $1K(US). There is info here: **broken link removed**

If Expedition has the same Gerber import capability as Boardstation, and you have a Gerber editor, it can be done with no additional expense. Read the DXF file into a Gerber editor (such as CAM350). Export the result to a RS274x Gerber file with the same Gerber settings you have set for your design - make sure everything in your DXF file is on one layer before you export.

Now, if Expediton has Gerber import, you should be able to import the DXF to Gerber conversion. I recommend you import to a new layer to reduce the chance of messing up other work.

I hope the above is of some use - I don't use Expedition, but I have used Boardstation.

pads autocad boardoutline

sonicss said:

I use Mentor Expedition.

Click to expand...

Open up your board design, then open up the cell editor.
select "drawing" , then file,import,dxf. Be sure to select the correct
units of measure. Be sure to check/highlight all levels that the import process wants to import. After they're imported, you can select all item (in the draw mode), and change them to 1 unique layer (but not on the board outline layer)

You can then close the cell editor, and then select edit,place,component, select
drawing, and place the imported outline.

Now you need to trace over this imported drawing with the edit,place,board outline routine.

import polygon mentor expedition

Should I must trace over the import dxf file?

pads board outline autocad

sonicss said:

Should I must trace over the import dxf file?

Click to expand...

Yes, using the draw command "place board outline".

The board outline has to be a closed shape, while the dxf file is broken into separate entities.

mentor pads import board outline

It's very difficulty to draw a complex boardoutline in expedition pcb. Why there is a error when I import emn file which export by pads2005?(I want to draw a boardoutline in pads and import to expediton pcb directly)

pads import board outline

sonicss said:

It's very difficulty to draw a complex boardoutline in expedition pcb. Why there is a error when I import emn file which export by pads2005?(I want to draw a boardoutline in pads and import to expediton pcb directly)

Click to expand...

Are you getting these errors using Import, IDF ?
Do you have a hint file with the emn import?
Take a look at the error file with the file viewer button(File,File_Viewer). This should tell you what the problem is. It should be the first file in the viewer list after the import fails.

If all else fails, get the pads file in dxf format.

cam350 error importing dxf

I know how to import dxf file as boardoutline directly.
U can follow the 4 step below.

1. change the dxf lines as polygon in Autocad.
2. import the dxf to expedition.
3. push the ctrl button drag the import sharp and drop it , now u can build another sharp.
4. in the properties of the sharp ,change the type as boardoutline.

the rar file include 2 dxf file. "1.dxf" is a normal sharp. the "2.dxf" is a sharp whick u can change it to boardoutline directly.

board outline tools

I have make a movie file(swf format).
open it by internet explorer
**broken link removed**