3d pcb info in idf

[moyesboy]

3d pcb info in idf

My associate just updated his pcb design software and now he can view his pcb design in 3d and export it as idf producing emn (component position info) and emp (component definition info) files.
So far I found out that circuitworks (SW plug in) and autopcb (autocad plug in) will get this 3D info into those packages.
Anyone know how I can get this data into something I can read with alibre such as step or iges?
...preferably for less than the cost of the PCB software and Alibre combined!

 

[Gaspar]

Hey Moyesboy,

Maybe if I knew what PCB stands for

 

[cclark440]

Doens't it stand for "Printed Circuit Board"?

 

[Gaspar]

Thanks! I got as far as "circuit board" but was lazy to think it up to "printed".

Dumb question for Moyesboy would be, if someone in your organization is getting the stuff into SW or Autocad, why not export from there to Stp or the such?

 

[moyesboy]

Yes, Gaspar. My friend who runs solidworks is translating to step for me.
Of course solidworks exports to step rather than stp which alwayts causes a failure until you realise you must change the filename to stp

I just look for a way to do the whole job myself without hassling a guy down the road!
Probably for the 3-4 new PCBs per year its no problem!