QuickParts

QuickParts describe the components of an electronics device and incorporate geometry, placement, and physics settings.

QuickParts are classified according to their role in an electronics simulation. The following types are available:

To describe the geometry of a specific QuickPart type the following approaches are available:

Using templated geometries
Templated QuickParts follow a prescribed geometry template. For instance, a templated chip can be defined as rectangular block or as cylindrical block. Likewise, a templated heatsink can be of type Plate Fin, Pin Fin, Cross Cut, or Compact. Each of these geometrical types follows a different but prescribed geometry template.
Using customized geometries
Custom QuickParts allow you to use arbitrary geometries that you obtain from Construction Geometries.

To define the placement of a QuickPart, the following options are available:

Specifying the Placement properties
You define the location and orientation of the QuickPart with respect to a selected coordinate system.
Using the Positioning Tool
The Positioning Tool allows you to place QuickParts in reference to each other.

The physics settings of a QuickPart incorporate material and heat dissipation properties. For Chip QuickParts, compact thermal models allow you to define the heat flow paths within a chip package without resolving the internal volume of the chip.

To interoperate with electronic design software and CAD tools used in the electronics industry, the Electronics Cooling Toolset supports the import of the following data exchange formats:

IDF (Intermediate Data Format)
The IDF format describes the circuit board and its mechanical and electronic components using two files—a board file and a library file. The import process reads these files and builds the circuit board using a basic PCB QuickPart. The components on the board are imported as Generic QuickParts (for mechanical components) and Chip QuickParts (for electronic components).
ODB++ (Open DataBase)
This data exchange format contains information about the circuit board and its components structured in a directory tree of multiple files. After the import of these files, the circuit board is represented as a detailed multi-layered PCB QuickPart. The components on the board are imported as for the IDF format.

QuickParts Manager Right-Click Actions

The following actions are available when you right-click the QuickParts manager node.

Import IDF file: Allows you to import IDF files that contain the layout definitions of the board and its components. You can filter the components that you want to import using the Import IDF Options Panel.
Import ODB++ file: Allows you to import ODB++ files that contain PCB design information.; Before you can import ODB++ files, you must Download the ODB++ Extraction Package from the Support Center Portal and set the path to the extraction package in the Electronics Cooling Toolset environment. See Defining the Setup.; You can filter the components that you want to import using the Import IDF Options Panel.
Import QuickPart from Library > [Type]: Opens the QuickPart Libraries dialog, which allows you to import a QuickPart of the selected type from a previously created QuickPart library.; You can filter the QuickParts in the library in order to make selection easier. See Filtering Displayed Objects.
New QuickPart > [Type] > [Geometry]: Creates a new QuickPart of the selected type and geometry description, using a graphical editor in the Graphics window.
Paste QuickParts: Pastes the copied QuickParts from the clipboard. If you select this action when you right-click in the Graphics window, the QuickParts are pasted at the selected location. If you select this action when you right-click the QuickParts manager node, the QuickParts are pasted in the tree and appear in the Graphics window at the origin location (0,0,0). In both cases, the relative orientations and distances between the QuickParts are retained as in the original, and you can then move the QuickParts to the appropriate locations.
Create Extract Volume: Finds enclosed volumes within selected QuickParts or Construction Objects and generates a new part to fill the volume. See Extract Volume.
Check Interference: Checks if QuickParts are intersecting each other. Intersecting QuickParts are listed in the Output window.

QuickParts Common Right-Click Actions

The following specific actions are available when you right-click a particular QuickPart:

Highlight: Highlights the selected QuickPart in the Graphics window.
Composite: Groups selected QuickParts into an assembly for easier organization. To select several parts at once, hold down the <Ctrl> key when selecting the parts.
Hide: Hides the selected QuickPart from the Graphics window. This action is useful for gaining a clear view of other components. You can restore hidden parts again by using the Show action.
Show: Restores a hidden QuickPart.

Edit Interactions

Allows you to define interactions with other QuickParts and Construction Objects, see Interactions.

Position

Launches the Positioning Tool that allows you to interactively place the selected QuickPart in reference to other QuickParts or Construction Objects.

Copy QuickParts

Copies the selected QuickParts to the clipboard. The Paste QuickParts action becomes available when you right-click the QuickParts manager node or right-click in the Graphics window.

Export QuickParts to Library

Allows you to export a QuickPart to a new or a previously created QuickPart library, see Export QuickPart To Library Dialog.

To export multiple QuickParts, hold down the <Ctrl> key when selecting the parts.

Note	The export of composite QuickParts is currently not supported.