The IDF Translator enables the transfer of PCA data between PCB layout and mechanical design within Inventor Professional.
You can open an Intermediate Data Format (IDF) board file (IDF version 2.0 or 3.0) in Inventor Professional. An IDF file can be opened as a new assembly or part document, or placed as a component in an existing assembly.
An IDF format consists of:
Board/Panel file |
The input IDF file (.brd, .emn, .bdf, or .idb file) contains the board or panel definition. |
Library file |
Contains board property information. The library file has a .lib, .emp, .ldf, or .idl extension and must always be in the same location and have the same name as the board file. |
These files have the name of the input IDF file name with different extensions.
The board components are summarized so you can determine which items to import.
With the Manage Author IDF Component Authoring command you can publish IDF parts to the IDF Component Content Center Library and build your own IDF component library.
Any component published to the Content Center library will automatically be used in the imported model. New parts will be created for components not in the Content Center library.
When imported as an assembly document, the board components are translated into multiple parts that are contained in the new assembly. Each part file contains the data for one or more component instance. The Autodesk Inventor browser and the BOM are updated with the IDF information.
The Autodesk Inventor IDF Translator supports many standard IDF board items:
Outlines |
Board and panel, Other, Routing, and Placement outlines are supported. Each outline has a different purpose, such as communicating board shape and cutouts, or regions for component placement, and are represented in the browser as either a part or sketch. When multiple outlines exist, a sketch is created for each one. Expand the part to view additional sketches. |
Keepouts |
Routing, Via, and Placement keepouts are supported. Each keepout specifies a region of the board where a type of item is not allowed. If multiple keepouts exist, a sketch is created for each one. Expand the keepout part to view the sketches. |
Group Areas |
Specifies an area where related components are placed. If a group area exists on both sides of the board, a sketch is created for each side. |
Drilled Holes |
Distinguished from circular cutouts in the board outline, drilled holes are always drilled and are placed onto the same sketch as the board outline. |
Components |
Board components, such as connectors, switches, and displays are listed with their package name and part number. Each component contains placement information. The package name and part number fields for each component are used to reference the component's definition in the IDF Library file. The reference designator followed by an underscore and a unique identifier is the display name for each occurrence of the component. |
All part files are named automatically based on existing board information. Notes defined in the IDF file are created and stored, but not displayed.
The only difference between a system that has Autodesk Inventor IDF Translator installed, and one that does not is that a nonlicensed site cannot import new IDF components. For example, both licensed and nonlicensed sites can do the following: