Circuit Board Design - Methods for Design and Export to vendors

Hey
I am generating a circuitboard.sldprt and creating a
circuitboard.slddrw with title block, rev, notes, dims etc. Then I
save as the (.slddrw) to (.dxf) and map layers to generate a (.dxf)
with layers for a PC board manufacturer to import the various geometry
( PC board, circuit-1, circuit-2, circuit-3). I can map Hidden Lines
and Solid Lines from each (.slddrw) view w/hidden line shown. These
will show up in the (.dxf) in their own layer. The problem is that I
can't get each separate feature onto its on (.dxf) layer like (PC
board, circuit-1, circuit-2, circuit-3).

I found that I can create a circuitboard.sldasm consisting of each
item that I want on a layer as a (.sldprt), then I can create a
(.slddrw) of that assembly and SWX will let me assign each component
of that assembly to its own layer. This will let me map those
solidworks layers out to a (.dxf) with the same layers.

Problem is creating the circuitboard.sldasm is overkill and will
require me to have to create part numbers for (PC Board, Circuit-1,
Circuit-2, Circuit-3). This is not very efficient for me and I am open
to suggestions for a completely different process.

Does anyone else create circuit boards with SolidWorks and then source
them from a vendor who needs your (.dxf) or other format to produce
them?

Let me know what the methods are for doing this?

 

Thanks for your input

Yes the board is fairly simple ( RF Antenna Design ) one trace with
one ground plane and then PCB profile with mount holes and connectors.
My biggest obstacle is many revisions come back to me from RF
Engineers and I must update my models, drawings and revisions.
Solidworks (.slddrw) is the controlled file in our systems, Then we
make uncontrolled (.dxf) output on demand.

My PCB vendor massages a (.dxf) w / layers that I save out from a
(.slddrw), then they use E-CAM "Gerber" format to create the PCB.

I looked at CircuitWorks for Solidworks but it needs IDF format and I
only get (.dxf) from my RF Engineers.

Thanks

 

Designing Printed circuit boards is my primary function
here where I work. I also do mechanical design with
Solidworks and wish I had more to do (Solidworks is a, way cool)
The software I use for PCB design costs twice as much as Solidworks does.

IF I was to do a pcb layout using SW the SLDASM method
you described would be the best way to go in my opinion.
But I am getting a serious twitch, even thinking
about doing it in SW. Gawd I hope it's a simple PCB.
;-)
Cheers
Frank