Ansys Sherlock – ECAD Import Best Practices

A comprehensive methodology for validating ECAD

imports (PCB, Parts) into Ansys Sherlock.

Prepared By:
Bruno Gaudin (bruno.gaudin@ansys.com)
Ansys, Inc.
Ansys Sherlock – Import Process Best Practices

The objective of this guide is to help answer questions commonly raised by users
looking to import ECAD Files into Ansys Sherlock.
This guide provides a comprehensive methodology to:
• Robustly import ECAD Files
• Validate PCB and Parts data
• Troubleshoot/Address issues related to missing or incomplete data

2
Introduction – Importing ECAD Files into Ansys Sherlock
• Ansys Sherlock can import several types of ECAD files.
• ODB++ files are the most common and recommended format.

Check the PRP mapping

*optional

3
 Flowchart – ECAD Import > Simulation Configuration
Tip: Click on the box to
jump to the section
• The details of the various steps are
provided in the following slides.
• The best practices described in in
this document can help you
generate models more quickly.
• Notes:
• Creating your own database
for any components not
available in the standard
Sherlock Part Library is a best
practice.
• Be sure your ECAD export
includes Manufacturer Part
Number.
• Additional information can be
found in the Appendices (here).

4
 1.) Board Outline
How to check?
• First Step: Check the outline of your
PCB. The definition can sometimes be C.) Visually check the outline
different from the actual outline.
• For example, sometimes the
ODB++ file doesn’t include the
real outline of the board.
Rather, the outline corresponds B.) Expand
to the A3 or A4 paper format. Or, Outline
the outline may be divided into
two parts, etc.

• You may also want to modify the A.) Double

-Click
outline just to focus on a particular
area of the PCB (for example).

• If the outline is suitable, go to 3.). If

not, go to 2.).
D.) If desired, check the dimensions of the outline.
Click here to go back to the flowchart
(Shift+Click between two points to retrieve the distance)

5
 2.) Define a New Outline Manually
• A board outline can be defined manually in Ansys Sherlock or using a Spreadsheet to import the
points (of the outline).

→ Manually
A. Click on Edit > Board Outline.
B. Click on Edit Outline.
• Red vertices defining the outline can
be moved by clicking and dragging.
Right Clicking on a red vertex will allow
you to enter a precise coordinate
location.
• Use “Help” button for tips and tricks
and detailed instructions.
C. Save your changes.
• You can also define the outline via a Spreadsheet (see next slide).
Click here to go to next slide

6
 2.) Define a New Outline Manually
• This step can be performed manually or using a Spreadsheet to import the points of the outline.

→ Via a Spreadsheet A.) Create, save and close a Spreadsheet with

the coordinates of the outline points.

B.) Right click on Files > Add Files

and select your file.

C.) Right click on the file and

« Edit Properties ».

D.) Select Outline in File Type

and Save.

(Don’t forget to check the

number of Header Rows)
E.) Check if the outline is correctly imported.
Click here to go back to the flowchart

7
 3.) Check Stackup

B.) Check the number of layers,

the dimension, the thickness, the
materials and the % of copper.
It’s important to also check the
units.

A.) Double-
Click on
Stackup.
C.) If everything is correct, go to 5.) if not, go to 4.).
Tip: Be sure to verify Stackup thickness
Click here to go back to the flowchart
information for metal and dielectric layers.

8
 4.) Define Stackup Manually
« Clear all selections from table » button
• If you want to modify the number and « Generate a new Stackup » button »
of layers:
• Click on « Clear all selections
from table» and then on
« Generate a new Stackup »
button.
• Modify the value and then
« Save »

• Right click on a layer then « Edit

Selected layer » to modify the
properties of a given layer.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

9
 5.) Check Layout

• Right click on a Copper layer and

then « View Layer ».
• Check layer by layer to verify that
everything seems correct. Also,
check also the Drill Holes if they are
present.
• Check if the copper layers are in the
same position.
• Activate and deactivate the items in
the tree, if needed.

• If there is an issue, go to 6.).

Here if everything is OK, your

PCB Validation is OK!
Go to 8.) for starting the
Component Validation.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

10
 6.) Recreate PCB Files in ECAD
→ Go back to your ECAD software to correct the layer and regenerate a new ODB++ file.

• If the everything seems correct in your ECADs software, ask for help by creating a request on the Ansys
Customer Portal (https://support.ansys.com).

Tip: Be sure to verify Stackup thickness

information for metal and dielectric layers.
Click here to go back to the flowchart

11
 7.) ECAD Import Troubleshooting
• Make sure you are using the correct file format. The
recommended file format is ODB++.
• Ensure the ODB++ only contains a single board definition
(Single folder in steps directory).
• Some compressed files cannot be read by Ansys Sherlock
directly. Try to use an uncompressed file (or a .tar/.tgz file).
• If the import still fails, please contact Ansys Support
(https://support.ansys.com).

Click here to go back to the flowchart

12
 8.) Ansys Sherlock Component Recognition
(AVL list / Part List / Other Approaches)
• Go to the « Part list » Section to see the list of all the components on the board.

• The blue color means that the information comes from your ODB++ file.(Meaning of the colors? click here / go to Appendix)
• Now, the goal is to provide the accurate information for your component from the Sherlock part databases.
• The following four steps are discussed in the following slides:
A. Use your AVL List or a Part List.
B. Update the data from your Local Libraries.
C. Update the data from the Sherlock Part Library.
D. Try tips and tricks if your component is still not recognized.
• If your component is still not recognized after these four steps → Go to 9.) in the flowchart.
• If your component is recognized → Go to 16.) in the flowchart.

Click here to go to next slide

13
 8.) Ansys Sherlock Component Recognition
(AVL list / Part List / Other Approaches)
A.) Use your AVL List or a Part List (BOM)
• AVL list is a list that provides the link between the Part Number used in your company and the Part Number provided by
the supplier. You can also use a Part List (BOM) to create this link. The Part list (BOM) is only valid for your analysis
whereas the AVL list is available for all your projects and is more general.
• If you are interested in using a Part List (BOM), click here or go in the Appendix Section.
• In most cases, the Part Number used in your company is the same than the Part provided by the supplier. In this case,
skip this slide.
• If you know that the Part Number used by your company is not the same that provided by the supplier, but no AVL list is
setup, click here or go in the Appendix Section.
• If an AVL list is already existing:

Click here to update your list! (apply Assign Vendor & Part Number option)

The part number is now in purple with the Part Number provided by the Supplier if detected by Sherlock.
Click here to go to next slide

14
 8.) Ansys Sherlock Component Recognition
(AVL list / Part List / Other Approaches)
B. Update the data from your Local Library.
C. Update the data from the Sherlock Part Library.

Click here to update your list!

The part number is now in Green if the part is in the Sherlock Part or Local Library (« AVL component » can
also be set-up in green).

Click here to go to next slide

15
 8.) Ansys Sherlock Component Recognition
(AVL list / Part List / Other Approaches)
D. Try tips and tricks if your component is still not recognized:
• Sometimes the component exists and is not recognized by Sherlock because the name provided by the
ODB++ included extra letters or extra numbers for example.
• Try to locate if this is the case with your component. If so, correct the name if possible and update
your Part List with AVL and/or Sherlock Part/Local Library.
• You can perform a web search for the component name to see if the component exists with
simplified name, as well.
• If all your components are recognized go to 16.).
• If not, go to 9.) for the component not recognized.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

 9.) Is the datasheet available and does it include enough data for
the precision you need?
• If the datasheet of your component is not available go to 10.).
• If the datasheet of your component is available:
‐ All the necessary data needed is available, go to 11.).
‐ All not the necessary data needed is available, go to 10.).

Click here to go back to the flowchart

17
 10.) Required Level of Fidelity
• If you do not have a datasheet for your component or if the datasheet has
insufficient data, you have two different options depending the degree of
fidelity you need:
‐ If you need precise reliability information, you must characterize your component in
detail. Go to 13.).
‐ If you need a simple estimation, you can create a component based on assumptions you
formulate. Go to 12.).

Click here to go back to the flowchart

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 11.) How many different components do you have to create?

• For your PCB or your full project, estimate the number of component you have to
create.
‐ If this number is less than around 10 components (or this order of magnitude):
• Go to the section 14.) « Create your component »
‐ If this number is larger than 10 components or this order of magnitude and you do not want to add
manually the components:
• Go to the section 15.) « Ansys Librarian Service »

Click here to go back to the flowchart

19
 12.) Guess Part using the Package Manager
• If you don’t have a lot of information about a component, go to the Package Manager and locate a type of
component in the database that looks like your component. You can also go to the Part Library to find a similar
component to see how it is modeled. You can then modify the component if needed.

Select the Package type, then the Pin Count, then the size and finally the name. Double click on the package and retrieve the
information to create your component.
Don’t retrieve the package name (put another package name for your new component) → If you do it and then you modify the
package length, Ansys Sherlock will recognize internally the package name and will modify the package length in background
to put back the initial value … (Be sure to put a name so that the Package type will correspond to what you need.).
• See next slide.
Click here to go to next slide

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 12.) Guess Part using the Package Manager
• Tip: You can also see if Sherlock have guessed a package but it always necessary to check if
the estimation is correct!

In pink: the package is detected by the Package Manager.

• Click on a part number to modify the values of your component and the modify the
values. Just as was mentioned on the previous slide, if you modify the values suggested
by the Package Manager, please modify the package name to avoid the unwanted
background update!

• Don’t forget that not all the data is needed for one type of simulation (see details here).
Click here to go back to the flowchart

21
 13.) Ansys Reliability Engineering Services

• For a given component, if you want a higher degree of simulation accuracy and don’t have a
datasheet (or have a datasheet with insufficient data), you can contact your Ansys representative to
learn more about Ansys laboratory services (material/part characterization, etc.).

• The Ansys Reliability Engineering Services (RES) team offers a wide-range of services including
simulation (consulting), physical testing, etc.

https://www.ansys.com/services/reliability-engineering-services

• These services are not included in the Ansys Sherlock license price, but rather are quoted separately.

• Contact your Ansys Sales representative for more information.

Contact to your Ansys Sales
representative to learn more.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

22
 14.) Create your Component
• If you have a datasheet, you can open your component and modify it with the data
the datasheet provides.
• If you are not sure about which information Ansys Sherlock needs for a given
simulation, please contact your local help support, they can help you to create the
component (https://support.ansys.com/).
• See Step 12.) for Tips!
• Don’t forget that not all the data is needed for one type of simulation (see details
here).

‐ For advanced users, click here or go to « Appendix – Wizard Pattern », with this option you can help Sherlock
to decrypt the part number of Manufacturer if the Manufacturer use a Pattern and you have lots of different
part using the same pattern

Click here to go back to the flowchart

23
 15.) Ansys Librarian Service
For parts that are not found in the Sherlock Part Library, Ansys
offers a Part Librarian service to help locate the necessary data
from existing supplier datasheets.

Please contact your Ansys Sales/Support representatives

regarding this service for more information.
Send the datasheets to you
• This service is included in the license price. Ansys Sales representative
• How does it work?
‐ Librarians build components based on datasheet values for geometric
and mechanical properties.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

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 16.) Data Modifications / Model Validation/ Save to a Local Database

• Be sure to verify all data before performing an analysis (ex. how solder is being
modeled).
• You can add new components, modify their locations, add supports, etc. to test
different scenarios to better understand design trade-offs.
• Don’t forget to update your local database to account for the new parts. This will help
you save time on your next project. Most of the time, the same components are re-
used. See next slides.
• Use « Confirmed » status! See next slides.

Click here to go to next slide

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 16.) Data Modifications / Model Validation/ Save to a Local Database
• Once you have you have checked all the data for a given Part, you can « Confirm » your
part by using the following options.

• You will be able to check the status of your project: Quickly identify which parts have been
verified (or which have yet to be confirmed).

• See next slide to see how to add this new column.

Click here to go to next slide

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 16.) Data Modifications / Model Validation / Save to a Local Database

• How to add new columns in the Part List?

A.) Click here.

B) Add the Properties you need.

For example, « Confirmed »

D) See the result.

C.) Save

Click here to go to next slide

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 16.) Data Modifications / Model Validation/ Save to a Local Database
• When you project is ready, it’s always very important to save the new components added
to a local database in order to do net spend time to add them again for another analysis.
A.) Click here.

B.) Choose a library.

C.) Update the library.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

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Summary
• Use the best practices provided in this document to streamline the ECAD Import
process in Ansys Sherlock.
• You can always contact the Ansys support team if you need additional guidance.
• Update your Local Library when you check and verify a new component, so it can be
used in future projects.

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Appendices
 • More info. in the Help
Appendix - Part List (BOM) • Any problems? → Dont’t hesitate to contact the
ANSYS support on the Customer portal

• You can import a Part List (BOM) from a Spreadsheet. For each part in your Part List, Sherlock will
check if there is the corresponding Reference in the Spreadsheet. If it is the case, Sherlock will
update the Part Description, the Part Number etc. with the information provided in the Spreadsheet.
A.) Go to B.) Add the file in
Spreadsheet your project by
and create a right click on Files.
table with a
column for the
reference of
your parts and
other column
with Part C.) Right click on your
Description, file and Edit Properties.
Part number.
E.) Check the Result.
BEFORE D.) Select the File type:
« Parts List (Excel)».
Brown Color now Complete the fill and
AFTER Save.
Click here to go back to the flowchart
 Appendix - Import, Create & Maintain an AVL List
A.) Create your AVL List in a Spreadsheet with the following columns (for example).

B.) Go to Librairies > Approved

Vendor List (AVL) > Import Parts.

C.) Import your part, check

the mapping then Save.

D.) You can also use the Add Part button to manually add
component to your AVL List.
• More info. in the Help
• Any problems? → Do not hesitate to contact the
Ansys support on the Customer Portal
Click here to go back to the flowchart
 Appendix - Wizard Pattern •
•
More info. in the Help
Any problems? → Do not hesitate to contact the
Ansys support on the Customer Portal

• The part libraries provided by Sherlock consist of individual part records gathered over
time from a variety of sources, including the Parts List, manual data entry, etc.
• As individual records, they can be updated and customized over time to suit your
specific needs.
• However, there are millions of parts for which key properties (e.g., part type, package
type, manufacturer, etc.) can be determined simply by recognizing and parsing the
manufacturer's part number.
• You can go to the Sherlock User’s Guide Part wizard if you want to have more
information and use the Part Wizard (Help > User Guide > Part Wizard).

Click here to go back to the flowchart

33
 Appendix – Sherlock Part Properties Required for Reliability Analyses

Do not hesitate to ask your

local support to a more up-to-
date version of this table
(Sherlock v6.2)

Please See Next slide

Click here to go to next slide

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 Appendix – Sherlock Part Properties Required for Reliability Analyses

See Next slide Please See Next slide

Click here to go to next slide

35
 Appendix – Sherlock Part Properties Required for Reliability Analyses

See Next slide Please See Next slide

Click here to go to next slide

36
 Appendix – Sherlock Part Properties Required for Reliability Analyses

Click here to go back to the flowchart

37
 Appendix – Data Sources – Color Coding
• All the data are about the color are explained in the slide, here an abstract:

• You have configured • This data have been

this data guessed by Sherlock

• This data comes from the use of an • This data comes from your
AVL List ODB++ file

• This data comes from your ODB++ file • This data comes from the use of a Part List
(BOM)
• This data comes from your Local or the Sherlock Part Library • This data comes from the Sherlock package manager

Click here to go back to the flowchart

38
 Appendix - Excluding Regions
→ You can « Exclude a
region » of the PCB by right
clicking on a copper and
« Edit layer ». Select the
region you want to exclude
and apply the button
Exclude Region. For more
details apply the Help
button. Most of the time it
will be insufficient for
correcting the issues.

Click here to go back to the flowchart

39
 Appendix – Improve the document
• If you have any suggestions, ideas, remarks to improve this document or if you face an
issu, please contact us (by email or by your local help support).

Click here to go back to the flowchart

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