ALTIUMLIVEENABLING COHESIVEMCAD/ECAD COLABORATION

Linda MazzitelliECAD Segment Solutions DirectorPTC

MunichJan. 17 2019

ECAD/MCAD – Agenda

• ECAD/MCAD Challenges • ECAD/MCAD Use Cases• Collaboration Considerations• Parasolid Format• Collaboration Data Flow• Demo• Roadmap• Summary

ECAD/MCAD – Compatibility Challenges

• First CAD system: 1963• Modelled after manual drafting

methods• Employed vector graphics• Surprisingly similar interface to

today’s touch screens• Output was usually paper

drawings or microfilmEngineer using Lockheed CADAM to design

commercial airlinersEngineer using Lockheed CADAM to design

commercial airliners

ECAD/MCAD – Compatibility Challenges

Engineer using Lockheed CADAM to design commercial airliners

• CAD systems for PCB and Schematic design began to appear in the 1970s

• Altium (then Protel) released first product, Protel PCB in 1985

• Output generally Gerber data for transferring to manufacturer

ECAD/MCAD – Industry Challenges

Small enclosuresimpact placement, keepins, keepouts

Assembly screw shortingelectrical connection on PCB

Connectors and mounting holes must move together

Avoiding collisions with other Board(s), Components, enclosures, etc…

Ensuring rotation, orientation and mtg. holes are correct across all connectors

ECAD/MCAD – Design Challenges

Collaboration Design Challenges– Synchronizing ECAD with MCAD

• Typically working with two disparate tool sets and organizations• ECAD and MCAD have completely different vocabulary• Infrequent collaboration due to inability to easily see what changed• Manual communication (emails, PPTs, face-to-face)

ECAD/MCAD – Use Cases

• Sharing initial board outline between domains• Typically MCAD owned, enclosure rules over all

• Sharing critical object placement from MCAD to ECAD• MCAD owns connector locations, switches etc.• Boundaries, keep-in/keep-out• Mounting Holes

ECAD/MCAD – Current Collaboration

PCBMechanical

Designers need ability to easily collaborate with each other!

ECAD/MCAD – Current Collaboration

9

PROBLEMS WITH CURRENT CODESIGN• Speed: Can take hours to exchange• Accuracy: Incorrectly modeled or

missing faces • Lengthy Setup: Adds time to

process

ECAD/MCAD – What if?

There was a solution that could:

• Reduce overall design cycle time by easily visualizing your ECAD designs in the context of the higher-level assembly?

• Decrease time to market by providing more efficient communication of changes throughout the design process?

• Increase quality by validating design integrity early and often?

• Significantly decrease prototype re-spins by ensuring ECAD-MCAD data is in sync before it goes out the door?

ECAD/MCAD – MCAD/ECAD TRANSFER

Altium Workspace

Altium Plug-In

ECAD/MCAD – Methodology

Model Transfer Methodology• Speed: Significant speed

improvement• Reliability: Models are accurate

and robust• Rapid Setup: Once plug-in

installed, one click• You maintain control over your

design with Accept/Reject Change capability

ECAD/MCAD Collaboration Example

Collaboration with Creo Parametric– Visualize and immediately identify issues within a coordinated 3D environment– Evaluate and Propose incremental changes easily and efficiently– Review and Validate proposals in each domain before implementing– Accept/Reject proposed changes– Communicate updates electronically and save history with the design– Synchronize the results between MCAD and ECAD– Trace the decision process

AltiumWorkspace

ECAD/MCAD – Break the Barrier

PCB Layout Mechanical

ECAD/MCAD – True Collaboration

New Co-Design Abilities• Details available for true

mechanical collaboration• Ability to send models with or

without copper or other details to speed process

• Changes can be sent either way with annotation and approval

ALTIUMLIVESNEAK PREVIEW:ECAD/MCAD COLLABORATION

Mark ForbesDirector of Technical MarketingAltium

San DiegoJan 17 2019

ECAD/MCAD – Sneak Preview

Altium Designer Collaboration Capabilities

• Collaborate with full 3D mechanical models• Details available for true mechanical

collaboration• Ability to send files with or without copper

or other details to speed process• Changes can be sent either way with

annotation and approval

ECAD/MCAD – Sneak Preview

Altium Designer 19 Collaboration Compatibility

• Dassault Systemes SolidWorks

• PTC Creo

• Autodesk Inventor

ECAD/MCAD – Collaboration in AD 19

Altium Co-DesignSNEAK PREVIEW

DEMO

ECAD/MCAD – Collaboration in AD 19

• One-click collaboration• Improved transfer speed• Highly-accurate models using Parasolids• Allows simulation and accurate

measurements• Compatible with 3 MCAD tools

• Creo• SolidWorks• Inventor

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