Understanding the Need for 3D Capabilities when ... - Altium

Understanding the Need for 3D Capabilities when Designing in a 3D World

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Designing and building next-generation electronic products is a complex process,

especially considering today’s highly competitive global industry where rapid and ongoing

technological change has become commonplace and innovation rules. Designers failing

to embrace these changes risk being left behind their competition or worse yet, unable

to compete at all. Nowhere is this trend more evident than when it comes to printed circuit

board (PCB) design. In this market space, the consumer’s desires for smaller, cheaper,

faster, and more functional electronic products, coupled with shrinking design cycles

and geographically dispersed design teams, is driving up design complexity and pushing

conventional design tools to their limits. Further adding to PCB complexity is the increasing

number of nets, stricter design constraints and wiring density, as well as ongoing migration

toward high-speed, high-density projects – trends which are affecting all sectors of the

industry, not just the high-end consumer electronics segment.

Luckily, PCB design tools have steadily evolved through the years to address the challenges

brought about by this increasingly complex design space. One key change – the introduction

of 3D capabilities – promises to revolutionize the way designers not only create their

designs, but compete in the global marketplace as well.

Keeping Pace with Industry Trends

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Challenges of Designing in a 3D World

Traditionally, circuit-board designers have relied on design mockups to ensure form,

fit and function prior to fabrication. While viable, this approach has a number of drawbacks

— not the least of which is that designers can’t be sure their circuit boards will fit until

an actual prototype is manufactured. Additionally, the use of mockups generally adds

multiple re-spins to the design process. Considering the time-consuming nature of re-spins,

and that for a design of only moderate complexity the average cost of re-spins is $8,929[i]

per spin, it’s easy to understand why this approach has become prohibitive. Adding any

extra time or expense to the design process not only makes a company less competitive,

but also makes it harder when trying to acquire new business.

Another drawback is that PCB design has traditionally been done in 2 dimensions.

Essentially, designs are created in 2D, marked up by hand, and then passed onto mechanical

designers who use mechanical CAD software to redraw designs in 3D. This approach is very


Figure 1. With 3D visualization of a design, designers can examine all aspects of a design, inside and out, in 3D.

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Design of only moderate complexity the average cost of re-spins is $8,929.

time consuming, given its manual effort, and prone to errors. Moreover, it fails to deliver

the competitive differentiation needed to design next-generation electronic products. The

problem here is clear. Circuit board designers require a better way to visualize and analyze

their increasingly complex designs.

Given that the end goal for PCB designers is to create products for the real world (which

has 3 dimensions), the best way to answer this challenge is through use of a design tool

with advanced 3D capabilities. Having such capabilities allows designers to view realistic

3D images of their designs prior to fabrication, eliminating the need for mockups, as well

as design re-spins, and saving both time and money (Figure 1). Accurate 3D models

of objects can be easily generated and then used to create a layout of the board in true

3D. A 3D model of the design’s intended enclosure can also be included in the PCB design,

enabling the circuit board to be designed from scratch to fit within the enclosure.

As a result, designers can more confidently submit their design files for manufacturing.

The availability of 3D design export capabilities allows designers to conduct further design

analyses, such as thermal and electromagnetic simulation in multi-physics tools. These are

especially critical functions given that heat in the enclosure is dependent on the shape

of the board, and these days, almost every new compact battery-operated device uses

wireless connectivity. Because of such features, 3D capabilities in PCB design tools are now

absolutely essential for fast, accurate and cost-effective next-generation design.


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The value of 3D functionality in PCB design is undeniable and as a result, a number

of companies now claim to offer them; however, all 3D-enabled design tools are not

created equal. To reap the full benefits of 3D, it’s critical for designers to utilize a PCB

solution that goes well beyond the ability to view realistic 3D images to offer full 3D

functionality, including:

Full 3D PCB Design Capability

The ability to create 3D animation/video of a design. With this capability, designers can

easily share and sell their product designs, or even generate sales and marketing material.

It also enables better collaboration with an extended design team or manufacturer. With

a 3D video, for example, the designer can show the manufacturer what the product should

look like after it is assembled. The video might also be used to specify the order in which

parts should be placed on a board.

The ability to bring 3D modeled objects, in addition to components, into a circuit board

design. Note that some design tools stop short of this capability, only allowing the designer

to perform basic visualization and clearance checking from component to component

in 2D. However, it is equally important to be able to include enclosures and other

mechanical objects to get placement and layout right the first time.

3D functionality that’s actually in the design rule checker; a very important feature since

rules should serve as a real-time guide to the design process. A 3D modeling design rule

checker tells the designer whether interference will occur between two components

or enclosures and heat sinks, placed near one another in 3D space, on all axes.

The ability to model the copper layers within a laminated structure. Despite using an ECAD

package with 3D capabilities, design problems can still occur during manufacturing. Finding

an issue at this late date can be quite costly. Having the ability to model the structure’s

copper layers allows designers to easily view and verify connections to internal planes and

thermal reliefs.


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Figure 2. Altium Designer supports all aspects of next-generation electronic product development.

A prime example of a design tool with full 3D capability is Altium Designer. This single-

application unified electronic design environment caters to all aspects of the electronic

development process, from front-end design and capture and physical PCB design,

to signal integrity analysis and PCB manufacturing output generation at the back end

(Figure 2). The solution allows engineers – novice and expert alike – to move to a ‘soft

design’ methodology without having to acquire specialist expertise. Doing so enables

them to deliver more innovative designs in less time, while also being able to explore

design possibilities with a freedom and ease not possible with other commercially available

systems.

Altium Designer comprises the editors and software engines needed to perform all aspects

of the electronic product development process. All document editing, compiling and

processing is performed within the Altium Designer environment. Tying the various editors

and software engines into a single integrated environment is the Design Explorer (DXP)

Integration Platform. The DXP provides a consistent user-interface across all tools and

editors, as well as enhanced tool-interoperability, which enables users to smoothly and

easily switch between various design tasks. It is also responsible for providing a wide range

of features that are common across tools, saving multiple implementations of the same

features and speeding the development process.

The exact set of features and functionality available with the solution depends on the

specific license purchased. For added flexibility; however, it seamlessly interfaces to

supporting tools, such as FPGA vendor place and route software or third-party HDL

simulation and synthesis software. Altium Designer is also fully customizable, with

a powerful scripting system and API.

Productivity Calls for a Next Generation Design System


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As a PCB design tool with full 3D capability, Altium Designer offers all of the 3D

functionality previously discussed. With its native PCB editor, designers gain quick and

easy access to this functionality by simply switching from the tools’ 2D mode to 3D mode.

In contrast, other solutions require the user to open their designs in a separate program

or “viewer” to access 3D capabilities; a highly error-prone and limited process. When in 3D

mode, Altium Designer uses its 3D output to enable full 3D assembly model export, which

in turn allows for easy generation of corresponding 2D assembly drawings and associated

manufacturing documentation.

With Altium Designer’s 3D Visualization Panel, up to three simultaneous 3D cross-sectional

views of a design can be viewed at one time. These views allow designers to examine all

aspects of their design while still working on it in either 2D or 3D mode. Altium Designer

also provides a set of predefined views and real-time camera movement for designers

working in the 3D mode. These views replicate the designer’s ability to turn and rotate

a physical board in the real world. Additionally, PCB 3D Orthographic Projection allows

designers to view precise object geometry, including exact positioning of components and

details that might ordinarily be hidden from view. The result is an even more realistic view

of the board and an enhanced ability to edit design data.

A key differentiator of Altium Designer is its reliance on the compute power and

performance of mainstream hardware. Most design tools with 3D capabilities require the

user to buy expensive hardware and utilize OpenGL for hardware acceleration. Altium

Designer; however, leverages modern gaming hardware cards and DirectX to allow

designers to access the same level of performance on a standard computer. As a result,

its 3D capabilities are available to everyone, not just those able to afford the added expense

of costly workstations.

Some of the key 3D capabilities offered by Altium Designer include:

A Closer Look Under The Hood

STEP Import/Export. With this feature, users can easily export to STEP for

interoperability with mechanical tools for clearance checking or thermal analysis.

This feature is also helpful when assembly of multiple circuit boards is required. In this

case, 3D models of each of the boards can be created, imported as STEP files to create

3D components and then fitted together – right within the workspace.


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Figure 3. 3D bodies are used to define the physical size and shape of a component, both in the horizontal and vertical planes, which enables more precise and controlled component clearance checking by Altium Designer’s Design Rule Checker.

Note that Altium Designer can also create general 3D bodies without having to use

a separate CAD program (Figure 3). A 3D body is a primitive polygon type design

object that can be placed into a library component footprint or PCB document, on any

enabled mechanical layer. 3D bodies can be used in 2D and 3D mode. In 3D mode,

they are used to render an extruded 3D shape for a component or object. In 2D mode

their outlines can be used for detailed assembly drawings.

The 3D body object acts as a placeholder for embedded or linked 3D STEP model

files. The ability to handle STEP file imports in this manner improves ECAD-MCAD

compatibility by making it possible for mechanical models representing non-board

mounted, free-floating design objects (e.g., housings or enclosures) to be brought into

Altium Designer and accurately assembled in the 3D workspace. As a result, designers

can visually and accurately verify designs, including clearance checking between all

types of 3D bodies, directly within the Altium Designer environment.

Whether created in Altium Designer or imported as a STEP file, the 3D objects

or components can be saved within the tool’s library for use on future design projects.


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Figure 4. With Altium Designer’s PCB 3D video capability designers can essentially produce their own 3D movies.

Figure 5. Real-Time Clearance Checking and Collision Detection dramatically reduce the amount of time taken for accurate placement and number of board spins.

3D Movie Generation. Altium Designer easily generates 3D video documentation

of a given board design (Figure 4). The video’s content consists of a sequential set

of snapshots of the board in 3D. For each snapshot in the sequence, designers are

free to adjust zoom-level, pan and rotation, directly in the workspace, relative to the

settings for the previous snapshot. This 3D video capability has a number of critical

uses, including for design reviews, specification of angles at different time steps, and

zooming in on different customer specifications.

3D Clearance Checking. This feature enables imported enclosure models to be included

in the design process (Figure 5). With these models, users can ensure a desired circuit

board layout will fit correctly within the intended enclosure the first time.


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Figure 6. With 3D Visualization of the copper, nets, net classes and objects associated with Design Rule Errors are highlighted in 3D, making it much easier to physically see the problem and come to resolution.

3D Visualization of Electrical Design Rule Violations in Copper. This feature allows

designers to model the copper layers within a laminate structure for the purposes

of viewing and verifying its connections and checking for any design rule violations.

When problems are found in the copper, they are highlighted in 3D (Figure 6), allowing

the designer to zoom in and see the problems, which otherwise would not be found

until product manufacturing occurs.

3D Awareness of Variance. With this feature, all 3D models have a built-in awareness

of design variants, so 3D videos, exported STEP models, and assembly documentation

reflect the selected configuration of the board assembly.

3D Sectional Views. This feature allows the user to view 3D cross sections within

a design. When viewing assembly drawings with 3D models, the user simply positions

the mouse at the particular part of the design that they want to view in greater detail.

A 3D cross section of the section of the design automatically appears.

3D Visualization, including videos, can be used to significantly improve the design

review process.


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Reducing the PCB Design Time by Eliminating Uncertainty.

Designing in 3D brings with it a host of key benefits. It shortens the design cycle by reducing

iterative MCAD-ECAD loops to one (or in some cases, zero) and minimizes design errors,

in turn dramatically increasing productivity. And, by eliminating the uncertainty over

whether or not the board layout will fit in the enclosure, designers are freed up to focus

their attention on making the product more aesthetically pleasing.

Other important benefits of designing in 3D include:

A competitive edge over the competition. Designing in 3D speeds product design,

streamlines manufacturing and accelerates product introductions by improving

communication throughout an organization, as well as among its suppliers and

customers. The faster time-to-market and higher quality products translate into

increased revenue, while reduced design costs provide larger profit margins.

Improved global collaboration. A realistic, 3D image of the design enables more

effective communication with suppliers/customers and manufacturers. It even allows

non-CAD people to participate in the process (e.g., by providing a customer quote

and specifying or configuring the product). This is especially critical given that many

companies are now opting to manufacture offsite, either in China or locally. The global

nature of the design / manufacturing process leaves the door wide open to errors and

misunderstandings regarding the design intent or desired end product. A 3D image of

the design provides the common, easily understood framework from which all team

members can operate.

More efficient design reviews/modifications. The ability to create 3D renderings and

animations simplify design proposals and reviews among members of a design team.

It also allows designers to easily make modifications and incorporate late design

changes. Once a modification / change has been made, for example, a new 3D

rendering or animation can be generated as proof.

More efficient manufacturing/assembly process. 3D models provide a common basis

from which manufacturers can work, while also accurately and clearly communicating

design intent and pertinent design detail. They also ensure errors that typically would

not have been found until manufacture are now found early in the design process.

As a result, the manufacture / assembly of a product using a 3D model is much more

accurate and efficient.

Improved sales and marketing. 3D models of products serve as a valuable marketing

tool and can even help create additional revenue by allowing customers to see their

product prior to manufacture and enabling the sales department to quickly quote

products.


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Conclusion

Over the years, real-time 3D graphics have revolutionized the way society interacts with

computers. With 3D PCB design tools, that revolution has now come to the PCB design desktop.

In doing so, it is changing the way electronic products are designed and manufactured. As with

any new technology or approach; however, finding the most optimal way to implement and use

it is essential. For PCB designers wanting to reap the benefits of 3D, that means selecting

a software solution offering full 3D capabilities. Use of this type of solution promises to provide

today’s circuit board designers with the functionality they need to create highly competitive,

next–generation electronic products in an increasing complex design environment.

About Altium: Altium Limited (ASX:ALU) provides world-leading unified design solutions that break down the barriers

to innovation, and help organisations easily harness the latest devices and technologies, to create their next generation

of electronic products. Founded in 1985, Altium has headquarters in Shanghai, China, sales offices in the United States,

Europe, Australia, and resellers in all other major markets.


[i] Boucher, M. “Why Printed Circuit Board Design Matters to the Executive: How PCBs Are a Strategic Asset for Cost Reduction and Faster Time-to-Market” (2010 Aberdeen Group Case Study, p8)

More details available online at: http://altium.com/en/solutions/ecad-meets-mcad

http://altium.com/en/solutions/ecad-meets-mcad

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Understanding the Need for 3D Capabilities when ... - Altium