Zuken has made another step to strengthen the link between the electronics and mechanical design worlds by enabling parallel MCAD/ECAD design with a new collaborative software tool called Board Modeler. This forms part of company-wide strategy underway to deliver increased versatility and reliability between the mechanical, electrical, and electronics design disciplines.
Board Modeler docks in Zuken's electronic systems and PCB design suite CR-5000, allowing layout and mechanical engineers to work more closely together in synchronisation from as early in the process as floor planning. In this way, Board Modeler gives engineers the power to rise to the challenge of integrating PCBs into ever more mechanically complex products, while saving time through parallel working and the elimination of design re-work.
For the first time, with Board Modeler the layout engineer can easily work in a 3D environment modeller. The true component shape is now visible, rather than just showing items approximated as a cuboid or cylinder (2.5D). This is achieved by performing 3D conversions of footprint data, importing parts made by MCAD, or by using Zuken's online component database, which contains over 4.5 million accurately detailed 3D components. This enables the engineer to carry out floor planning, perform collision checks between the PCB housing, components or other PCBs; all working with the true 3D component shapes.
Board Modeler also eliminates duplication of effort between electronic and mechanical design by permitting the layout engineer to import board outlines, pre-placed parts and obstacles directly from mechanical CAD tools. It also automatically back-annotates any board and placement changes, as board outline and restriction areas, into the PCB design, whether new or imported, so any required layout action, like re-routing, can be done easily. Industry standard neutral file formats, including STEP, ACIS , STL and IDF, are used to bridge the gap to virtually any mechanical CAD system.