Importing dxf files

Kalyan Durbhakula
Kalyan Durbhakula Altair Community Member
edited November 2020 in Community Q&A

Hello,

 

In the attached B1.cfx file, I have three dxf files, which needs to be aligned on top of each other. These dxf files were sent to me by my fellow researcher. However, one dxf file is not aligning with other two files. Since I do not know their exact coordinates in 3D space, is there any way in CADFEKO that I can drag or arrange all three dxf files to the origin? 

 

The M1is a ground plane, M1_1 are the PCB traces and M1_2 is the substrate. The M1_2 needs to be sweeped in postivie z direction of certain thickness. The M1_2 is offset by some distance to M1 and M1_1 designs. 

 

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

--Kalyan

 

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Answers

  • Altair Forum User
    Altair Forum User
    Altair Employee
    edited April 2018

    Hello @kalyan,

     

    You will be able to aline the layers using the Translate function - it is not necessary to know the 3D coordinates, you can simply use point entry (check the user manual for details) and e.g. select the corner points of a layer to perform the translation.

    You will also a find a sweep function to create the substrate layer that you need.

     

    Kind regards,

    Peter 

  • JIF
    JIF
    Altair Employee
    edited April 2018

    Hello Kalyan Durbhakula,

     

    I can't help you or look at the DXF import, since you only added the imported model (result), but I can help you with the alignment to fix the problem. CADFEKO has a number of alignment tools including a translation and a rotation tool. For your model it looks like a simple translation would be sufficient. The more general alignment tool allows the user to align a source workplane with a target workplane as in the recording below:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>align_parts.gif

     

    For your specific case, the more simple 'translate' tool should be sufficient. See below.

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>translate_parts.gif

    The M1_2 needs to be sweeped in postivie z direction of certain thickness.

    Unless this is a very thick track, the thickness is usually not modelled in MoM by creating a finite thickness. I would rather not do the sweep, unless it is really an issue for your model and needs to be taken into account (it will also require a much finer mesh).

  • Kalyan Durbhakula
    Kalyan Durbhakula Altair Community Member
    edited April 2018

    Hi Peter and Jif,

     

    Thanks a lot for those great examples. I was aware of the translate and apply option, however, I was not aware that I could drag the designs using ctrl+shift to any reference locations. Your suggestions really helped expedite the process.

     

    JIF,

    I can understand that creating a finite substrate and solving it using MoM takes huge time. Are you recommending to use the planar multilayer substrate option? Also, Can I use the layered dielectric option to assign dielectric properties to the flat 2D face in my previously attached design (B1.cfx)?

  • JIF
    JIF
    Altair Employee
    edited April 2018

    Hello Kalyan,

     

    I can understand that creating a finite substrate and solving it using MoM takes huge time. Are you recommending to use the planar multilayer substrate option?

    No, my comment was w.r.t. the finite thinkness of the track, not the substrate. For MoM simulations, the tracks are usually not modeled as finite thickness strips.

     

    Also, Can I use the layered dielectric option to assign dielectric properties to the flat 2D face in my previously attached design (B1.cfx)?

    That doesn't sound like a good idea. I think my comments may have caused more confusion. You can model the substrate as a finite substrate using SEP (default MoM dielectric solution) or as infinite (using planar multilayer substrate). As I have mentioned, my comment was w.r.t. the microstrip tracks and not the substrate.

     

    My comments were probably influenced by what I noticed in the model added to:

     

  • Kalyan Durbhakula
    Kalyan Durbhakula Altair Community Member
    edited April 2018

    I apologize for the confusion. Now I understand what you mean by finite thickness strips. All my models did not have finite thickness for strips except in my other post talking about Error 3977, where I wanted to use finite thickness for strips. I have got satisfactory answers on this post and thank you so much for your time.

     

    --Kalyan

  • Altair Forum User
    Altair Forum User
    Altair Employee
    edited June 2018

    Hi...as per my observation you only added the imported model, but I can help you with the alignment to fix the problem. CADFEKO has a number of alignment tools including a translation and a rotation tool. For your model it looks like a simple translation would be sufficient.

     

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