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DN_120073126-Contributor
6-Contributor
May 12, 2026
Question

Imported IDX files into Creo show imported resistors/capacitors as small assemblies

  • May 12, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 21 views
I am using Creo Parametric Release 11.0 and Datecode11.0.4.0 When I import a .idx file, many of the ECAD components are imported as assemblies. For example, some small resistors end up being 3 different parts that are combined into one assembly. Is this how this is supposed to work?

2 replies

tbraxton
22-Sapphire II
tbraxton22-Sapphire II
22-Sapphire II
May 12, 2026

No. Discreet components on the ECAD side should generally come across as parts into Creo. Are you using a hint map file and library parts on the Creo side? If you are not using the hint map file, then you also need to make sure that the ECAD tool is configured to export parts as solid parts and not assemblies.

D
DN_120073126-ContributorAuthor
6-Contributor
May 12, 2026

We have a hint.map file that contains all the parts that are larger than 0.5 inches because the mechanical engineers need the ability to move those parts as needed. For capacitors and resistors we don’t keep those in the hint.map file because there are too many of them to maintain. Is there any downside to having them show up as assemblies when imported?

tbraxton
22-Sapphire II
tbraxton22-Sapphire II
22-Sapphire II
May 12, 2026

Regarding downsides of having assemblies for it will slow things down and use more memory but if you are not having rendering or regen lag maybe you don’t care about this. If you have a PCB with 1,000 placed components then you are going to notice the difference in performance on the Creo side.

Ideally all ECAD packages would have library entries on the ECAD and MCAD side to deal with this. I have always worked with the hint map used to manage everything including resistors, caps etc. We had librarians that would have a max 24 hr turn around on all library requests for new parts to maintain this though.

tbraxton
22-Sapphire II
tbraxton22-Sapphire II
22-Sapphire II
May 12, 2026

It can be done with the ECAD library symbol names. This is the typical method used in my experience.

 

To map objects by name:

Maps an ECAD_NAME and ECAD_ALT_NAME pair from the ECAD side to MCAD_NAME (solid part or assembly) name in Creo. For example:

map_objects_by_name->
ECAD_NAME "<ecad_name>"
ECAD_ALT_NAME "<ecad_alt_name>"
ECAD_TYPE ""
MCAD_NAME "<mcad_name>"
MCAD_TYPE "<part/assembly>"
MCAD_LAYER "<layer_name>"
END

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