Introduction to MCAD Autodesk and Altium Designer

Mechanical Computer-Aided Design (MCAD) is a crucial aspect of modern product development, enabling engineers and designers to create, analyze, and optimize complex mechanical systems digitally. Autodesk, a leading provider of MCAD software solutions, offers a comprehensive suite of tools that streamline the design process and facilitate collaboration among teams. One such tool is Autodesk Inventor, a powerful 3D CAD application widely used in the industry.

Altium Designer, on the other hand, is a popular Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software used for designing Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). It provides a comprehensive set of tools for schematic capture, PCB layout, and design validation. While Altium Designer is primarily focused on electronic design, it also offers features that enable seamless integration with MCAD software, such as Autodesk Inventor.

The Need for MCAD-ECAD Collaboration

In today’s complex product development landscape, electromechanical systems are becoming increasingly prevalent. These systems combine mechanical and electronic components, requiring close collaboration between mechanical and electronic design teams. Traditionally, mechanical and electronic design processes were carried out independently, leading to potential design conflicts, prolonged development cycles, and increased costs.

To address these challenges, there is a growing need for efficient MCAD-ECAD collaboration tools that enable seamless data exchange and design synchronization between mechanical and electronic domains. By bridging the gap between MCAD and ECAD, engineers can identify and resolve design issues early in the development process, reducing the risk of costly mistakes and delays.

Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor Integration

Altium Designer recognizes the importance of MCAD-ECAD collaboration and provides built-in features to facilitate seamless integration with Autodesk Inventor. This integration allows mechanical and electronic design teams to work concurrently on the same project, ensuring that the mechanical enclosure and PCB design are synchronized and compatible.

The integration between Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor is achieved through the use of the Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner extension. This extension enables bidirectional data exchange between the two software platforms, allowing designers to import mechanical models from Inventor into Altium Designer and export PCB designs back to Inventor for mechanical integration.

Workflow for MCAD-ECAD Collaboration using Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor

Step 1: Mechanical Design in Autodesk Inventor

The collaboration process begins with the mechanical design team creating the product enclosure or mechanical assembly using Autodesk Inventor. They define the overall shape, dimensions, and mechanical features of the product. During this stage, the mechanical team considers factors such as ergonomics, aesthetics, and manufacturing constraints.

Step 2: Export Mechanical Model from Inventor

Once the mechanical design is complete, the mechanical team exports the 3D model from Autodesk Inventor in a format compatible with Altium Designer, such as STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data) or SAT (Standard ACIS Text). These neutral file formats ensure that the geometric data can be accurately transferred between the two software platforms.

Step 3: Import Mechanical Model into Altium Designer

The electronic design team then imports the mechanical model into Altium Designer using the MCAD CoDesigner extension. This extension allows designers to bring in the mechanical model as a reference within the PCB design environment. The imported model provides a visual representation of the mechanical enclosure, enabling the electronic team to design the PCB to fit perfectly within the available space.

Step 4: PCB Design in Altium Designer

With the mechanical model as a reference, the electronic design team proceeds to create the PCB layout in Altium Designer. They place components, route traces, and define the board shape, ensuring that the PCB fits within the mechanical enclosure. The MCAD CoDesigner extension provides real-time clearance checking, highlighting any potential collisions or interferences between the PCB and the mechanical components.

Step 5: Collaborate and Iterate

Throughout the design process, the mechanical and electronic teams collaborate closely to refine the overall product design. If changes are made to the mechanical model in Inventor, the updated model can be easily imported into Altium Designer, allowing the electronic team to adapt the PCB design accordingly. Similarly, if modifications are made to the PCB layout, the updated design can be exported back to Inventor for mechanical integration and validation.

Step 6: Design Validation and Manufacturing Preparation

Once the PCB design is finalized and validated within Altium Designer, the electronic team generates the necessary manufacturing files, such as Gerber files and drill files. These files are used by PCB fabrication and assembly services to manufacture the physical PCB.

Meanwhile, the mechanical team prepares the mechanical components for manufacturing, creating detailed drawings, and generating CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) data for CNC machining or 3D printing.

Benefits of Using Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner with Autodesk Inventor

The integration between Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor through the MCAD CoDesigner extension offers several key benefits for MCAD-ECAD collaboration:

1. Concurrent Design: Mechanical and electronic design teams can work simultaneously on the same project, reducing development time and enabling faster time-to-market.

2. Design Synchronization: Changes made in either the mechanical or electronic domain are easily propagated between Inventor and Altium Designer, ensuring that both teams are always working with the most up-to-date design data.

3. Early Design Validation: The ability to perform clearance checking and interference detection early in the design process helps identify and resolve potential issues before they become costly mistakes.

4. Improved Communication: The visual representation of the mechanical model within Altium Designer facilitates better communication and understanding between mechanical and electronic teams, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or design errors.

5. Design Reuse: The integration allows for the reuse of mechanical models across multiple PCB projects, saving time and effort in the design process.

Autodesk Vault: Enhancing Collaboration and Data Management

In addition to the direct integration between Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk offers a powerful data management solution called Autodesk Vault. Autodesk Vault is a centralized repository that enables secure storage, version control, and sharing of design data across teams and projects.

Integrating Altium Designer with Autodesk Vault

Altium Designer can be integrated with Autodesk Vault to further enhance collaboration and data management in MCAD-ECAD projects. This integration allows electronic design teams to access and manage PCB design files directly from within the Vault environment.

The integration between Altium Designer and Autodesk Vault offers the following benefits:

1. Centralized Data Storage: PCB design files, libraries, and related documents are stored in a centralized Vault repository, ensuring that all team members have access to the latest version of the design data.

2. Version Control: Autodesk Vault provides robust version control capabilities, allowing designers to track changes, revert to previous versions, and manage design iterations effectively.

3. Access Control: Vault enables granular access control, ensuring that only authorized team members can access, modify, or share specific design files.

4. Design Collaboration: Vault facilitates collaboration by providing features such as check-in/check-out, design sharing, and markup tools, enabling team members to work together seamlessly.

5. Traceability and Audit Trail: Vault maintains a complete history of design changes and user actions, providing traceability and an audit trail for compliance and quality control purposes.

Real-World Applications and Case Studies

The integration between Altium Designer, Autodesk Inventor, and Autodesk Vault has been successfully implemented in various industries, including:

1. Automotive: Automotive companies leverage the MCAD-ECAD collaboration capabilities to design and develop complex vehicle systems, such as engine control units, infotainment systems, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

2. Aerospace: In the aerospace industry, the integration enables the design of avionics systems, flight control systems, and satellite components, where mechanical and electronic subsystems must work seamlessly together.

3. Medical Devices: Medical device manufacturers use the integrated workflow to design and develop devices such as patient monitors, surgical instruments, and diagnostic equipment, ensuring that the electronic components fit perfectly within the mechanical enclosures.

4. Consumer Electronics: Companies in the consumer electronics sector benefit from the integration by streamlining the design process for products such as smartphones, wearables, and smart home devices, where compact form factors and tight tolerances are critical.

Case Study: XYZ Corporation

XYZ Corporation, a leading manufacturer of industrial automation systems, implemented the Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor integration to optimize their product development process.

Before the integration, XYZ Corporation faced challenges in coordinating the mechanical and electronic design teams, resulting in frequent design iterations, communication gaps, and prolonged development cycles.

By adopting Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner and integrating it with Autodesk Inventor, XYZ Corporation achieved the following results:

• Reduced development time by 30% through concurrent design and improved collaboration between mechanical and electronic teams.
• Minimized design errors and rework by identifying and resolving mechanical-electronic interferences early in the design process.
• Improved design quality and manufacturability by ensuring that the PCB layouts fit perfectly within the mechanical enclosures.
• Streamlined data management and version control by leveraging Autodesk Vault to store and manage design files centrally.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What file formats are supported for importing mechanical models into Altium Designer?

Altium Designer supports the import of mechanical models in various neutral file formats, including STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data), SAT (Standard ACIS Text), and IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification). These formats ensure that the geometric data can be accurately transferred between Autodesk Inventor and Altium Designer.

2. Can I export the PCB design from Altium Designer back to Autodesk Inventor for mechanical integration?

Yes, the MCAD CoDesigner extension in Altium Designer allows you to export the PCB design back to Autodesk Inventor. You can export the PCB as a 3D model in formats such as STEP or SAT, which can then be imported into Inventor for mechanical integration and validation.

3. How does the clearance checking feature work in Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner?

The clearance checking feature in Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner performs real-time analysis to identify any potential collisions or interferences between the PCB and the mechanical components. It highlights any areas where the PCB may be too close to the mechanical enclosure or other mechanical features, allowing designers to make necessary adjustments to ensure proper clearance.

4. Can multiple designers work on the same PCB project simultaneously using Altium Designer and Autodesk Vault?

Yes, Altium Designer’s integration with Autodesk Vault enables multiple designers to work on the same PCB project concurrently. Vault provides features such as check-in/check-out and design sharing, allowing team members to collaborate effectively while maintaining version control and data integrity.

5. Is training available for using Altium Designer MCAD CoDesigner and Autodesk Inventor integration?

Yes, both Altium and Autodesk offer training resources and documentation to help users get started with the MCAD-ECAD collaboration workflow. Altium provides online tutorials, webinars, and user guides specifically focused on using the MCAD CoDesigner extension with Autodesk Inventor. Additionally, Autodesk offers comprehensive training materials and courses for Inventor and Vault, covering various aspects of mechanical design and data management.

Conclusion

The integration between Altium Designer, Autodesk Inventor, and Autodesk Vault represents a significant step forward in MCAD-ECAD collaboration. By enabling seamless data exchange and design synchronization between mechanical and electronic domains, this integrated workflow streamlines the product development process, reduces errors, and accelerates time-to-market.

As the complexity of electromechanical systems continues to increase, the need for efficient and collaborative design tools becomes more critical. Altium Designer’s MCAD CoDesigner extension, combined with the power of Autodesk Inventor and Vault, provides engineers and designers with a comprehensive solution to tackle the challenges of modern product development.

By embracing this integrated approach, companies can foster better communication between mechanical and electronic teams, improve design quality, and ultimately deliver innovative products that meet the evolving needs of their customers.