ACIS Output

NETEX-G's output can be converted to a 3D ACIS (.sat) file and then imported into any 3D CAD tool that reads the Spatial Technology ACIS format. This includes SolidWorks, ProEngineer, CATIA, UGS ...

The ACIS Conversion

In order to create ACIS, NETEX-G writes its ASCII output which is then sent to the ACS2SAT engine. The user should insure that all conductor and dielectric layers have a non-zero thickness when entered into the stackup.

ACIS Output Settings

Create Dielectric Bodies - NETEX-G does not create dielectric bodies by default. If you wish such bodies to be created (i.e. the space between conductor layers) then check the option to create bodies.

Since there is no CAD data defining the "edge" of the dielectric the user must specify how this edge is to be calculated. There are two options:

1. specify a margin value. In this case NETEX-G uses either the data extents or the window selection and makes the body smaller (or larger) by the amount of the margin.

2. specify the four coordinates of the "corners" LLx, LLy, URx, URy. This gives the user precise control over the dielectric dimensions.

Reverse Stackup Order - Netex-G assumes that the first layer listed is at the "top" of the stackup. However there are occassions when the user might wish to reverse this without changing the NETEX-G stackup. Checking this box reverses the order so that the last layer listed is now on "top."

Extractions Only - NETEX-G always computes the entire set of conductors/nets as its first step. If extractions are specified they are taken from the complete set of data. When ACIS is produced, one file is generated from the complete set of data, and additional files are created for each extraction specified.

For large input files, the ACIS file that is created can grow extremely large and may not be useful to the following application. Further, it can take a long time to generate this large ACIS file. If the check box, Extractions Only, is checked, then only extractions will generate ACIS files.

Grouping - Each conductor is stored as an ACIS object. It is possible to group multiple objects if desired by the user. There are three options:

1. None - individual objects are not grouped.

2. Net - all objects belonging to a common net are grouped.

3. Layer - all objects belonging to a common origination layer are grouped.

Special Topic: Engine Operation

When using the GUI, the user need not worry about the ACS2SAT.exe engine. However some end users have written their own front end for NETEX-G and may wish to launch the ACIS engine directly from a command line. The command line options are shown below:

  asc2sat  input_file [options] 

where

asc2sat.exe           executable ascii to sat translation engine

input_file            path/filename of the ascii input file

options



-o:<output_filename>    Specifies an output filename. "Long" 
                        filenames must use double quotes around the 
                        entire argument. If not specified, the name 
                        defaults to the input filename with .sat 
                        extension.

-topdown:0|1		Determines if the layer with index 1 in the 
			ASCII file is the top (1) or the bottom (0). 
                        default = 1.
			

-group:bylayer|bynet	Determines whether boundaries in the ASCII
			file will be grouped into one body according
                        to layer or net. Mutually exclusive. 
                        Default = no grouping (i.e. each boundary
                        converted to a ungrouped body.)



-dielectric:<n>       create a dielectric body between each 
                      conductor layer. Calculate XY extents and add 
                      "n" margin on each side.

-dielectric:<x>,<y>   create a dielectric body between each 
                      conductor layer. Calculate XY extents and add "x" 
                      margin to left and right, and "y" margin to top 
                      and bottom.


-dielectric:<x1>,<y1>,<x2>,<y2>

                     create a dielectric body between each
                     conductor layer. Calculate the extents using
                     the two corners defined by X1,Y1 and X2,Y2


-dielectric:<x1>,<y1>,<x2>,<y2>...<xn>,<yn>

                     create a dielectric body between each
                     conductor layer. Calculate the extents using
                     a bounding polygon defined by the vertices in the
                     list.