Few 2D ECAD parts missing - not importing correctly

[SS_10724812]

Using CREO 4.0 M120: CREO is not importing correctly some 2D components exported from Allegro Cadence V17.2.  Few 2D components are missing.  (They do have height attributes.).  

When exported from Allegro, export geometry looked fine on Allegro’s end but when imported into CREO, all the components using for ex, RES_0402_CUST didn’t read in and there were NO error messages. ( There was mention of an ecad log file, but we couldn’t locate this ecad log file at first.  Later when we tried again, the ECAD log file was generated showing error bringing in these certain components.)

We later ran test on this.  We did get an error asking if we wanted CREO to try to sketch/create geom.  We went with yes, it did and created a sketch but still did not show up in model.  We also tested it again saying no to try to sketch model, same thing and there was no error message after this saying the component still didn't read in.

Later the same exact files were read in again but in between this geometry was created in CREO. Because the geometries were created in CREO library, the components read in fine.

We then tried to create a copy of this slightly weird RES_0402_CUST (it’s slightly weird because the corners are not 90 degrees.  There are very tiny miters, cutouts in each corner.)   We renamed this new part test something.  We then placed it and went to see if this read into board.  It didn’t.  

Below is a sample test board assembly in Allegro Cadence R6 is the new copied 2D that is not in CREO library

When imported the files into CREO.  It warned that the geometry is missing. CREO gave option to try to sketch build or not.  We tried both options. 

What came up was this.  (See below. )  R6,the copied 2D RES geometry,is missing but had no message coming up missing.  We had to dig into ecad log file to see there was a problem.   We’re seeing cases where there are 2D being created no problem, but a few 2D are not being created.  Has anyone else experience this issue?

Any suggestions?

Thank you

[tbraxton]

The obvious solution to this would be to use the hint map file to place the Creo version of the package you created during testing. This should resolve the issue going forward for this package outline. If you face this issue across multiple components, then finding the root cause becomes critical.

Nothing comes to mind as to the root cause based on your description. If you are using the IDF format then query the IDF export from Allegro for that particular package to assess if the geometry may have issues (i.e. it is not a closed shape).

[SS_10724812]

That was one of the first things I wondered.  Was it a close shape?  Yes, it is. But this shape has tiny cutouts in corners and its a small component to begin with.  It a resistor part.

[tbraxton]

Tiny features may be an accuracy issue in Creo 4. Do you use a Creo start part template when importing ECAD symbols? If so, does it have absolute accuracy set?

I would need to see some data in order to speculate about other possible problems. There are many things that affect how IDF data is exported and imported between MCAD/ECAD systems.

[SS_10724812]

Would attaching the .emn, .emp and ecad log files help?

[tbraxton]

Yes, with one caveat. If there are many placed components in the IDF files I would ask that you strip out everything not relevant to the issue as a starting point. If it is just a few parts, then this is not necessary.

[SS_10724812]

Tried to upload and attach the emn and emp files but they're not acceptable files to upload here.  Thank you for all your suggestions.  Still trying to figure this out.

[tbraxton]

Zip (.zip extension) the files before uploading them.

[SS_10724812]

Thank you.  Here are the zip files.

[Lars_F]

Hi,

I tried to import the emn to Creo 9 with default settings but Creo complained that 

"This feature is defined with dimensions that are very small compared to the rest of the part."

I only got the board visible without any components. 

Freecad imported the emn and emp without any problems.

To test the accuracy theory I changed the "THOU" parameter to "MM" on both the emn and the emp file and the board was read in OK. The scale though was 40x I guess.

Then I tried to import the emn file using options

• On the "Import New Dialog" select assembly and check the "Include ECAD Import Dialog" option.
• From the "ECAD Input" dialog remove Check Mark from "Use Default Template"
• On template selection dialog I selected a template named "ecad". This template was available on our server. I do not know where this is from...

End result looked OK. I guess this is how it should look...

So my theory is that the problems are related to accuracy within the default template...

Br,

Lars

[SS_10724812]

Hi Lars,  Great suggestions and have tried Ecad and Ecad_pwb templates.  Unfortunately for us, still doing the same thing.  It's reading in fine R1-R5 which already have models in our CREO library but is failing on R6,  which does not.  I am wondering why yours is reading in fine.  The only thing I know that is different is the CREO versions.  Ours in 4 and yours is 9?  Appreciate all your suggestions.

[Lars_F]

Hi,

We actually have creo 4.0 M070 on our old machines so I tried to read your sample files test_board_hgt.emn and the test_board_hgt.emp with that... 

Surprisingly I did not have any issues reading the sample board. Both the default template worked (added some colors)...

And the ecad.prt template worked OK (I added the colums ecad_ref_des, ecad_name, ecad_alt_name)...

In my opinion the imports worked better on 4.0. I did have some issues with the 9.0 default template.

attached is the 4.0 M070 ecad template that is used on the above import...

Br,

Lars

[SS_10724812]

Are you getting the message as you import about fixing the part geometry in sketcher? 

Perhaps it is how we are importing?  Are you importing right from the beginning, Open - (all files) select .emn, Import, etc

select template, etc.

OR  are you opening an assembly and then doing Model - Get Data? 

Thank you

[Lars_F]

Hi,

No, I don't get any messages about fixing geometry in 4.0 (I got those messages when I imported the design with 9.0).

And yes, I opened the design from the beginning

• file open -> *.emn
• import type -> assembly (I don't need the checkmark to include ECAD import dialog on Creo 4.0, but it worked fine with the ecad.prt template also)
• then the import asks where the test_board_hgt.emp file is

After the import creo informs that

"Import succeeded with warnings (see ecad.log)"

The log file looks like...

------------------------------
Creo Parametric ECAD IMPORT Log File
------------------------------


Time Stamp : 13-Jul-23 10:01:34
Originating System : Creo Parametric 4.0 M070

Creo Parametric mode : Assembly

IMPORT from File : C:\Users\zzz\cbl_test\test_board_hgt.emn
File Type : Board
File Format : IDF3.0

IMPORT from File : C:\Users\zzz\cbl_test\test_board_hgt.emp
File Type : Library
File Format : IDF3.0

Import succeeded with warnings.

Successfully processed following items:
----------------------------------------
Component <RES-0402_CUST> (R1) assembled
Component <RES-0402_CUST> (R2) assembled
Component <RES-0402_CUST> (R3) assembled
Component <RES-0402_CUST> (R4) assembled
Component <RES-0402_CUST> (R5) assembled
Component <TEST> (R6) assembled

Warnings:
---------
Warning: part units were scaled to THOU (0.0010 of an inch).

Messages:
---------
Cannot find OTHER OUTLINE subsection.
6 components assembled.

Coordinate Systems used:
------------------------
<ECAD_DEFAULT> Coordinate system was used for the main part
<ECAD_DEFAULT> coordinate system was used for the component <RES-0402_CUST>
<ECAD_DEFAULT> coordinate system was used for the component <TEST>

Processing finished at: 13-Jul-23 10:02:12

br,

Lars

[Lars_F]

Hi,

As I mentioned previously in creo 9 the import doesn't work with our default template but the import works with the ecad template. However in creo 4 the import works with both templates. 

One thing we changed when we switched to  9.0 was that we changed the default template accuracy to "absolute". I then checked what is the ecad template accuracy in 9.0... and it was still "relative". So I think that is at least part of the reason why the .emn import worked only with the ecad template in 9.0 but worked ok for both templates in 4.0...

our default template...

Our ecad template

br,

Lars

[SS_10724812]

Hi Lars,  You have been amazing in trying to help us!   We have it set to relative and still having issues with that part coming in.  Took all your suggestions to a CREO administrator here too.   I thank you for all your time and effort.  Hopefully this will help someone else with similar problems but we still can't get it to read in the part.