Altium Designer is known for it's strength as a PCB design tool, first on Windows, and first with true 3D editing and collision detection. This presentation from 2011 highlights the main method now used for working with mechanical design tools and PCB design in Altium Designer.

1. Achieving MCAD and ECAD Integration

2. What exactly does this mean?
 All Electronics Product Designs, have to fit into some kind of form
factor
 Increasing complexity of these form factors
 Traditional interchange formats increase the difficulty as these form
factors increase in complexity.
 Fit or Multi-dimensional checking, is a necessity
 This interchange needs to be done in Real time
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3. Traditional ECAD-MCAD Integration
 Getting the electronics to fit into the mechanical enclosure has
•DWG - a laborious painful iterative
traditionally beenAutoCAD Native Binary Format process.
•DXF - Drawing Exchange Format by Autodesk
 ECAD and MCAD design Mechanical Design Tool
data transfer has traditionally been
addressed by -the use Circuit Board file formats that pass basic
•IDF Printed of common Data Exchange File
3D Component
Model
dimensional information between the design applications in each
domain: •IGES - Initial Graphics Exchange Specification;
DXF/DWG/IDF Input
ASME
 Data translationY14.26M frequent due to limitations and
errors are
inconsistencies in the exchange Exchange of Product
•STEP - Standard for the format itself (i.e. resolution settings,
PCB Footprint
version, etc…). data; ISO 10303 Design Tool
PCB
model
Model
 Many companies have an archaic ECAD-MCAD methodology in
DXF/DWG/IDF Output
place and typically welcome any new ideas/capabilities
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4. Inherent Problems
 2D formats DXF, DWG, and IDF do not support complex features
 Height information may not available and is typically entered
manually
 Correlation of 3D data may be required
 Interference checking typically a lengthy painful iterative process
(manual) between mechanical designers and electrical designers
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5. A New ECAD-MCAD Integration Method
 What’s needed is the ability to design and position correctly-sized
objects in STEP domains to ensure the overall design fits together as
both
3D
intended.Component
Model
STEP Input
PCB Design
 The ECAD design domain must be able to check the integration of
(Altium Designer)
PCB design with the mechanical design elements
PCB Footprint
Model
STEP Output
 Integrating the MCAD world in a non-proprietary way with ECAD
design through the STEP format.
Mechanical Design Tool
 Bring the mechanical assemblies or case designs from the MCAD
system directly into PCB design/layout process.
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6. Unifying ECAD and MCAD in the EDA tool

Provide a direct link to external STEP models – a robust, data-rich 3D file
format supported all major MCAD software systems

Enable dynamic or live clearance and mechanical (multi-dimensional) fit rule
checking

Enable detection of updates to the source STEP models, providing a dynamic
link between the electronic and mechanical domains

Multiple boards should be represented by STEP model assemblies

PCB mechanical structures should be created by this same universal format
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7. STEP Import and Export
 STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data)
•AP203–- Configuration controls 3D designs of mechanical parts and assemblies
Support for STEP AP203 and STEP AP214
•AP214 - Core data for automotive mechanical design processes
 Import and embed a STEP model file into a footprint
•AP214 and 203 in the area of 3D mechanical design for electro/electronicmechanical products or link, a STEP model files of the PCB enclosure
 Import, embed,
•AP214 took over all of the functionality of the earlier AP203 edition and then
 Import capabilities significantly
extending the a STEP model file to create a board shape
 Export a STEP model of the PCB or entire assembly
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8. 3D Rule Checking

Component Clearance Rule

Free-Floating 3D Body Clearance
Rule

3-D Body Infinite Clearance Rule

Rule Priorities

Live and Batch Rule Checking

Real Time checking between
multiple board assemblies
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9. Benefits
 Results in a significant reduction in the number of design iterations
necessary to fully verify mechanical and electrical constraints have
been met
 Relies on a widely accepted standard format; Not Sticky
 Enables early verification of PCB component clearance directly
against the real enclosure design
 Enables direct DRC feedback during board layout, component
placement and even component package choice to suit the
proposed enclosure design
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10. Competitive Position
 Let’s just look at some quotes from the Mentor PADs forum:
“I made 2 ideas toward STEP
- 3D Functionality of Decals / PCB and 3D import in PADS (June 2008; under
consideration)
- 3D with PADS: more functionality (July 2009: received)…
Altium does a good job (STEP import / export, support of 3D Space Mouse, ...)
and i hope that PADS will have soon the same or even more functionality
(collision detection, min. distance from Housing to Components or
Traces, ...)”
- Mentor user, May 2011
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11. Competitive Position
 Let’s just look at some quotes from the Cadence forum:
“Our company has transitioned tools from Altium to Cadence and one of the
features we have lost with Cadence is the ability to export the board outline
to our mechanical engineers in a STEP format.
1. Is there a way of exporting this from Allegro PCB?
2. Do you have to buy some costly third party SW to do this? (I am already
taking heat for the cost of Cadence versus Altium)”
- Cadence user, Aug 2010
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