New in Version 6: Simplified Export to DesignSpark Mechanical
With our recent launch of DesignSpark Mechanical 3D Design Software many of you requested a simplified export method. While exporting designs to MCAD was possible in previous versions of DesignSpark PCB, it required some configuration which you pointed out is likely to not be necessary for most users. We kept the standard fully configurable IDF export in case if you are exporting your design to another MCAD tool and added a simplified IDF export interface dedicated for DesignSpark Mechanical.
How to use the DSMech IDF export
This feature is available from Main Menu > Output
The IDF format is used by DesignSpark Mechanical for importing board and component data from your PCB design. This option writes the IDF files in a form suited to this system.
If you are using a different mechanical system it may be better to use the Standard IDF Output option, also from the Output menu.
IDF output requires two files to be output for import into DesignSpark Mechanical system. These two files define the board outline and component instance positions, and the component boundary, height, units and component name.
Output Settings
Output Filename is used to define the location and name of the 'board' file which contains board and component position information. The default location for the file is in a 'DesignSpark Mechanical' folder below the PCB design folder. The file extension is .idb. The 'library' file is used to define information about the components used in the 'board' file. It is saved to the same location and file name as the 'board' file, but with a file extension of .idl
Board Thickness is used to define the actual thickness of the finished PCB. This is always defined in millimeters.
As the text in the Height Value box indicates, The 'Height' value can be used on components to define their height in the mechanical system.
When assigning the 'Height' Component Value to define the height of components, it is advised they are defined in the Component library and not local Value attributes on component instances. Each device would then have a height assigned to it. This avoids having different values on different instances of a component, which DesignSpark Mechanical cannot handle.
If your design does not contain Values for height, they should be added to the component library for that device and then an Update Component performed on the design. If no value is found ，an attempt will first be made to extract the height from the 3D package representing the component. If this was also not found, the value of one millimetre will be output.
Read our Tutorial on Exporting designs from DesignSpark PCB to Mechanical CAD which can also be used with this new simplified export。