Allegro CAD translators: What can be imported into PCB Editor?

Allegro PCB Editor provides multiple CAD translators that convert design data from third-party formats into physical designs. You can access this menu from PCB Editor by going to File > Import > CAD Translators.

Mentor-to-Allegro PCB Editor

Allegro provides two translators that you can use to convert Mentor data from Mentor Board Station to formats suitable for Allegro:

• The Mentor-to-Allegro PCB Editor Library translator lets you convert Mentor libraries (versions C2 and B4) to a format suitable for Allegro PCB Editor (mbs2lib command).
• The Mentor-to-Allegro PCB Editor Board translator lets you convert Mentor boards (versions C2 and B4) to the .brd format of Allegro PCB Editor designs (mbs2brd command).

PADS-to-Allegro

The pads in command imports information from Mentor PowerPCB and Pads Layout 2005 ASCII database files into Allegro PCB Editor board databases. Similarly, you can also use PADS library import (pads lib in) to bring PowerPCB and Pads Layout 2005 ASCII library files into Allegro PCB Editor symbol drawing databases.

Before running the PowerPCB and Pads Layout 2005 translator, you must create an ASCII version of a PADS job file and PADS library, which contains all decal, part type, part, signal, route, and graphic data.

PCAD-to-Allegro

The PCAD translator imports information from PCAD, PDIF, and PCB database files into Allegro PCB Editor board databases. The translator reads Altium PCAD version 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 PDIF database files and writes an Allegro PCB Editor board database.

Altium PCAD and Allegro PCB Editor databases have significant differences. The Allegro PCB Editor database created is not structured in the same way as the PDIF database and most likely does not conform to the data organization recommended by Allegro PCB Editor. For example, PCAD has no mandatory layer usage guidelines. Therefore, you are free to put the fabrication drawing information on 16 different layers. The Allegro PCB Editor use model contains guidelines and pre-defined subclasses that can be used to create fabrication drawings. Although the translator allows you to map the data on specific PCAD layers to the pre-defined subclasses, it is not always possible to conform to these standards. The result is a valid Allegro PCB Editor database that is capable of producing the same final artwork that is produced by Altium PCAD.

Altium-to-Allegro

This translator translates Altium PCB designs to PCB Editor. Please note that Altium designs need to be submitted as PCB ASCII files (*PcbDoc). This translator also helps in creating individual symbol definitions. In addition, it provides the option to fix the disconnects that happen while translating.

Altium Schematic-to-DEHDL

PCB Editor also supports the translation of an Altium schematic to the Cadence DE-HDL tool. To do this, conversion schematics have to be saved to ASCII format within Altium. This will replace the original binary file by its ASCII equivalent.

Once the conversion to DE-HDL schematic is done, you can use Export Physical to create an Allegro netlist, backannotate pin numbers into the schematic page, and transfer the physical netlist to the PCB. Board translation can then be started from the synchronized database. The Altium-PCB translator will consider the netlist and device logic already imported, and start to translate only the remaining data to complete the board.

Eagle PCB-to-Allegro

This translates Eagle PCB (.brd) and libraries (.lbr) to PCB Editor. Before using this, please note that the Eagle board and library must be in XML format. The result of translating an Eagle library file is a board file containing all package symbols (footprints) from the Eagle library. These libraries then can be exported from PCB Editor (File > Export > Libraries) to get individual elements like padstacks, shape symbols, etc. that can be used for new or existing designs.

To read more about translators, you can refer to Allegro® User Guide: Transferring Logic Design Data found on <INSTALL_DIR>\doc\algrologic or you can refer to the link below:

Converting Third-Party Designs and Mechanical Data

This article presented a brief description of all available translators. Feel free to comment below if you want to know about any one in particular and its capabilities or file formats in detail !!

Stay tuned for the next article on supported MCAD data transfer formats!