IPC2581 file export

Manufacturing
1

Hi guys,

i try to use the 8.0 nightly version to gernerate IPC26581 file and use in ANSYS to do further simualtion.

ANSYS has the error inforamtion as,

*Global - Messages
[error] Control File Translation: IPC2581 file is missing Stackup: Functional mode should be FULL or USERDEF and Stackup must be selected for export.
[error] Control File Translation: IPC2581 file is missing Stackup: Functional mode should be FULL or USERDEF and Stackup must be selected for export.

I opened the gernarated file to check the stackup information, it is in this way:

image
image1106×877 230 KB

I do not find any detail infrromation about this function, could anyone tell me where is the problem?

thank you

2

Our IPC2581 export is in "Functional Mode" "ASSEMBLY". This means that we include the data required by the IPC2581 standard for PCB fabrication and assembly.

ANSYS simulation requires additional data, which is why they are looking for the Stackup section. We haven’t included this optional section in the export at this time. You are welcome to request this feature and we’ll look at adding it in the future.

1 Like
3

Thank you for your answer, Seth.

I know now.

I will check the referance project of ansys to see if I can get the detial information

4

This may be a silly question, but isn’t stackup information required for PCB fabrication?

John

1 Like
5

For fully-automated fabrication, yes.

Here’s the breakdown from the standard:

image
image1168×571 26.1 KB

We do ASSEMBLY 3 (although these levels are deprecated by IPC2581C)

2 Likes
6

Thanks, but this is not clear to me, and I don’t have access to the standard documentation.

For example, if I go to get a PCB fabricated, I send the Gerber files (layer and drill) along with a stackup file and a set of build notes.

If I use an IPC-2518 file from KiCad, will I need to also send an additional stackup file?

I’m asking for two reasons:

  1. I was under the impression that the IPC-2518 file would include this information. Needing multiple files is a common pain point for us and while our error rate is low, a missing or erroneous build file is a cause of errors, or more frequently, delays for us.
  2. Another reasons we are looking IPC-2518 is that we are beginning to use FEM software, and want to be able import the PCB in as few steps as possible. In Altium, we generate an ODB++ file and read it in. Our goal is to be able to do the same with KiCad.

Thanks for your feedback,
John

1 Like
7

Hi Guys,

This was a bit of a blow to find this thread.
I am in the same boat where I’m doing high speed signal integrity design that will need simulation.

I’m normally used to just outputting ODB++ files which KiCAD doesn’t do, and was happy to find this new IPN2581 method as I can use that for simulation.

Without ODB++ or the full IPC2581 design data simulation life is going to be difficult and cast doubt on the results.

Gerbers are not recommended due to how they mess with the 3D geo according to Ansys.

I’m not sure how we make feature requests.
I’d really like to use KiCAD and have been trying to work around multiple issues but this might be the straw that pushes me back to the commerical toolsets.

Any suggestions?
Is there a manual way I can add the stackup info myself into the XML?

8

Hi,
There is discussion about this issue on Kicad’s Gitlab ( IPC-2581 exporter should export optional layer characteristics (#16665) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab ) with list of required modifications in file. You just need to take care about naming in layer-related part.

Maciej

9

Hi Maciej,

I had a look at the thread at it looks very promising. Really appreciate you sharing this. There might be hope after all.

10

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