What's Good About Mechanical Parts in ADW? Check Out the ADW16.3 Release and See!

Mechanical part support! It's here in the Allegro Design Workbench (ADW16.3) release! 

There are new data model types in ADW16.3 that provide a solution for the support of mechanical models in the library and design flow. The mechanical model types supported in this release include three basic model categories – Allegro PCB Editor, Design Entry HDL (DEHDL), and Mechanical Kits.

Allegro PCB Editor mechanical models include board (.bsm) and in some cases package (.psm) models.  A subset of these models include stand-alone or Zero-pin component models. These models are associated with part selections in the Component Browser, which in turn are imported into the BOM.

Mechanical kits are a mechanical part that consists of multiple mechanical parts typical of subassemblies. 

Zero-pin mechanical parts
–    Treated same as electrical parts
–    Placed directly on the schematic
–    Supports both PSM and BSM

Mechanical parts and mechanical kits
–    Managed and created separately from electrical parts
–    Can be associated with an electrical part (e.g.  Heat sink)
–    Can be added directly into the shopping cart (e.g. Standoff) and allows easier management of callouts file

Read on for more details …


Mechanical Flow Overview

Mechanical Model Classifications

Mechanical model classifications define properties associated with these parts similar to the electrical parts with the exception that the mechanical part properties are saved in the mech_ptf.txt file. When the parts are selected in the design flow, the data is copied to the bom.callouts file.

Remember that a mechanical model is similar to the schematic model in that it defines the header for the mechanical PTF. Mechanical parts can be associated to electrical parts by association. When a mechanical part is associated to the electrical part, the mechanical part information is passed through to the Component Browser and passed to the BOM when the electrical model is added to the design.

Remember, Mechanical Models and Classifications are handled separately from, but analogous to electrical parts:
–    Mechanical Model defines mechanical part table definition
–    Mechanical Model Classification used to classify mechanical models


The attributes on the mechanical model define the attributes in the mechanical PTF. This is similar to schematic models for electrical components. These attributes can be Key or Injected, Mandatory, etc. The attributes defined on the mechanical model classification can assist in finding mechanical models. Generally mechanical models indicate type (e.g. Screw, Nut, and Washer) rather than instance (e.g. 1 inch, 10 pitch, machined).

Mechanical Parts

Mechanical parts must be classified and must be associated with a mechanical model (but, they can be associated to an electrical part). The mechanical part classification is used to find mechanical parts. The library flow is used to validate and release mechanical parts. You can use the Component Browser for selecting mechanical parts and adding them directly to the shopping cart and for selecting electrical parts with associated mechanical parts, which in turn are automatically included in the BOM. Separate electrical and mechanical classifications are now shown in the Component Browser, and the Shopping Cart viewer has been enhanced for mechanical part/kits.

I look forward to your feedback on this new ADW capability.

Jerry "GenPart" Grzenia