1. 1) Importing an IDF file with CircuitWorks

3. CircuitWorks adds a Menu and Toolbar into SolidWorks

4. CircuitWorks adds a Menu and Toolbar into SolidWorks
CircuitWorks Menu
CircuitWorks adds a Menu and
Toolbar into SolidWorks

5. CircuitWorks Menu
CircuitWorks Toolbar

6. To process an IDF or PADS file, click the ‘Open IDF File’
icon or select ‘Open IDF File…’ from the menu

7. To process an IDF or PADS file, click the ‘Open IDF File’
Open IDF File icon
To process an IDF or PADS file, click the ‘Open IDF File’
icon or select ‘Open IDF File…’ from the menu

9. CircuitWorks will start, briefly displaying
licence and version information

11. Browse to an IDF or PADS file and click open to continue

12. CircuitWorks’ Import Wizard guides the
user through importing an IDF file.
The first stage is to select board cut-outs

13. CircuitWorks shows a preview of the board and its cut-outs
CircuitWorks’ Import Wizard guides the
user through importing an IDF file.
The first stage is to select board cut-outs

14. CircuitWorks’ Import Wizard guides the
Un-checking the boxes removes the cut-outs. Checking the boxes adds the cut-outs as required
CircuitWorks’ Import Wizard guides the
user through importing an IDF file.
The first stage is to select board cut-outs

15. These controls allow the user to zoom in or out of the preview image
CircuitWorks’ Import Wizard guides the
user through importing an IDF file.
The first stage is to select board cut-outs

16. When the cut-outs have been selected, clicking ‘Next’ continues to the next stage of the Import Wizard

17. The next stage shows how many
non-plated holes there are in the IDF file

18. The total number of non-plated holes found is shown here
The next stage shows how many
non-plated holes there are in the IDF file

19. The total number of non-plated holes found is shown here
Holes in the IDF
file are either
associated with
the board or with
the components
The total number of non-plated holes found is shown here
The next stage shows how many
non-plated holes there are in the IDF file

20. The next stage shows how many
Holes in the IDF
file are either
associated with
the board or with
the components
Checking this option creates the non-plated holes associated with the board
The next stage shows how many
non-plated holes there are in the IDF file

21. Holes in the IDF
file are either
associated with
the board or with
the components
Checking this option creates the non-plated holes associated with the components on the board

22. CircuitWorks displays the minimum and maximum diameters found for each hole type

23. By checking this option and editing the size range
By checking this option and editing the size range. CircuitWorks can be configured to only create board non-plated holes within a certain range of diameters

24. In the same way, this option configures CircuitWorks to only create component non-plated holes within the specified range of diameters

25. Checking this option will only include non-plated holes in the SolidWorks assembly that are associated with certain components

26. The user can select which components holes in include in the assembly from the pull-down list

27. In this example, only the non-plated holes associated with components PL7 and TR8 will be added to the board part in SolidWorks

28. When the non-plated hole options have been set, clicking ‘Next’ continues to the next stage

29. The next stage of the Wizard shows how
many plated holes are in the IDF file

30. The next stage of the Wizard shows how
Plated holes are
the conductive holes
in the board which
can be associated
either with the board
or the components
The next stage of the Wizard shows how
many plated holes are in the IDF file

31. 392 Plated holes found in the IDF file
The next stage of the Wizard shows how
many plated holes are in the IDF file

32. 392 Plated holes found in the IDF file
None of the holes are associated with the board
The next stage of the Wizard shows how
many plated holes are in the IDF file

33. None of the holes are associated with the board
All 392 holes are associated with the components on the board
The next stage of the Wizard shows how
many plated holes are in the IDF file

34. All 392 holes are associated with the components on the board
Plated holes can be filtered by size or component in the same way as the non-plated holes in the previous stage

35. When the plated hole options have been set, clicking ‘Next’ continues to the next stage

36. The ‘Component Heights’ page of the Import
Wizard allows the user to edit the heights of the
components in the IDF file if required

37. Green icons indicate components in the IDF file with a non-zero height
The ‘Component Heights’ page of the Import
Wizard allows the user to edit the heights of the
components in the IDF file if required

38. Red icons indicate components in the IDF file with zero height
The ‘Component Heights’ page of the Import
Wizard allows the user to edit the heights of the
components in the IDF file if required

39. Expanding the icon shows the current height and units
Expanding the icon shows the current height and units. Here the component height is 0 Thou

40. A new height can be defined for the component: 30 Thou in this example.

41. Display options allow the user to view the components by name or part number

42. Powerful search controls allow the user to locate a particular component easily

43. When any heights have be changed as required, clicking ‘Next’ continues to the next stage of the Import Wizard

44. The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

45. The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
Components can be
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

46. Components can be filtered by their name
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Components can be filtered by their name
The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

47. Components can be filtered by their name
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Components can be filtered by their name
The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

48. The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
Components can be
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Lists of components to include or exclude in the SolidWorks assembly can be added with full support for wildcard characters
The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

49. Commonly used filter settings can be saved to be used again in future
Components can be
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Commonly used filter settings can be saved to be used again in future
The ‘Component Filters’ page of the Import Wizard
allows the user to set criteria to include or exclude
components from the final SolidWorks assembly

50. Components can also be filtered from the assembly by their height
Components can be
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Components can also be filtered from the assembly by their height

51. Components can also be filtered from the assembly by their height
Components can be
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Components can also be filtered from the assembly by their height

52. Components can be filtered by the side of the board they are on
Filtered out of the
SolidWorks assembly
in a number of ways
Components can be filtered by the side of the board they are on

53. When any filters have been set as required, clicking ‘Next’ continues to the next stage of the Import Wizard

54. CircuitWorks is now ready to start building the board in
SolidWorks. The dialog lists summary information about
the IDF file, such as its source and creation date

55. Click ‘Build’ to start the build process
CircuitWorks is now ready to start building the board in
SolidWorks. The dialog lists summary information about
the IDF file, such as its source and creation date

56. CircuitWorks will now build the board model in SolidWorks
adding features for the different hole types if required

57. CircuitWorks will now build the board model in SolidWorks
A progress bar indicates how far CircuitWorks is through the build process
CircuitWorks will now build the board model in SolidWorks
adding features for the different hole types if required

58. A progress bar indicates how far CircuitWorks is through the build process
The user can stop the build process at any time. CircuitWorks can even continue processing an incomplete board from when it was interrupted

59. CircuitWorks prompts the user when board processing
is complete. The user can view the information
generated during the build process

60. Icons indicate CircuitWorks progress adding components to the board
CircuitWorks prompts the user when board processing
is complete. The user can view the information
generated during the build process

61. Icons indicate CircuitWorks progress adding components to the board
Clicking ‘OK’ closes the window

62. CircuitWorks has created an assembly of the board and
components in SolidWorks

63. CircuitWorks has created an assembly of the board and
Any components not already existing in CircuitWorks’ component library have been created and named automatically
CircuitWorks has created an assembly of the board and
components in SolidWorks

64. For more information or to download an evaluation copy of CircuitWorks, visit or