EDMD_Pnl-MechanicalCADCollaborationMechanical CAD Collaboration_AD

 

Parent Page: PCB Panels

The Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel.
The Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel.

Summary

The Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel allows designers to incrementally exchange data between Altium Designer and mechanical CAD applications (such as SolidWorks), using the ProStep EDMD exchange format. Functionality includes support for change requests, as well as the transfer of Cu geometry.

The panel supports the IDX file format for use in collaboration between Altium Designer and MCAD applications. The IDX (Incremental Design Exchange) format is based on XML protocol and allows an electrical designer to export only changes to the board design that are needed (and of value) by the mechanical designer. Conversely, the mechanical designer can float change proposals back to the electrical designer, who can then import those changes back into their design.

Altium Designer supports IDX format version 2.0 only.

Access

When the PCB Editor is active, click the button at the bottom-right corner of the workspace and select Mechanical CAD Collaboration from the context menu. Alternatively, you can access the panel through the View » Workspace Panels » PCB sub-menu.

The panel can also be accessed using the Mechanical CAD Collaboration command from the main Tools menu.

This panel becomes available and functional once the Mechanical CAD Collaboration software extension is installed in Altium Designer. The Mechanical CAD Collaboration extension can be found on the Purchased tab of the Extensions & Updates view (DXP » Extensions and Updates). Altium Designer must be restarted once the extension has been successfully downloaded and installed.

Panels can be configured to be floating in the editor space or docked to sides of the screen. If the PCB panel is currently in a group of panels, use the Mechanical CAD Collaboration tab located at the bottom of the panels to bring it to the front.

Initiating the Baseline EDMD File for Collaboration

Collaboration can be kicked off from either direction – so either the electrical designer creating the initial ProStep EDMD file, or the mechanical designer doing the honours. If the electrical designer does so, the file created is called the ECAD Baseline file (ECAD Baseline.idx), which is subsequently made available to the mechanical designer. If the mechanical designer does so, it is called the MCAD Baseline file (MCAD Baseline.idx), which is subsequently made available to the electrical designer.

Exporting from Altium Designer (ECAD Creation of Baseline)

To initiate collaboration, simply click the Export Baseline button. You will be presented with the Export EDMD Baseline dialog, which offers options including the export of copper objects.

Exporting copper makes the IDX files much bigger and slower to process on the MCAD side. In addition, the EDMD technology does not support change detection for copper objects.

Initiate collaboration from within Altium Designer by creating the ECAD Baseline.
Initiate collaboration from within Altium Designer by creating the ECAD Baseline.

Importing to Altium Designer (MCAD Creation of Baseline)

If the baseline file has been created on the MCAD side, it can be imported into Altium Designer using the File » Import MCAD IDX Baseline command. The Import MCAD Baseline dialog will appear. Use this to browse to, and specify the MCAD Baseline file (MCAD Baseline.idx), and the PCB document into which proposed changes are to be synchronized.


Accept collaboration from within Altium Designer by importing the MCAD Baseline.

Once the MCAD Baseline EDMD file has been imported, collaboration proceeds through the Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel.

Collaboration Folder

When initiating collaboration from Altium Designer (creating the EDMD Baseline file), a collaboration folder will be created under the original board design project. The folder is named using the PCB document name, in the form PCBDocumentName.PcbDoc_EDMD. The folder will contain two files:

  • AD_EDMD_State.xml
  • ECAD Baseline.idx
Quickly access the generated folder from the Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel, by clicking the Show In Explorer control.

Creation of the EDMD folder and baseline file.
Creation of the EDMD folder and baseline file.

Synchronizing Changes

The Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel provides controls for keeping changes synchronized between the ECAD and MCAD domains. Changes are proposed through EDMD Changes files:

  • If the mechanical designer has proposed some changes and sent them across in a new EDMD Changes file, the panel allows those changes to be received (imported) into the PCB design, for consideration.
  • If some changes have been made to the board, the panel can detect these changes (except copper changes) and list them, ready for export to an EDMD Changes file, that is subsequently made available to the mechanical designer.

Detecting Board Changes

If you make a change to the PCB document, such as removing a component, that change can be detected by clicking the Detect Board Changes button, at the top of the Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel. The detectable changes will be listed in the Board Changes region of the panel, in terms of:

  • Object - for example the component designator.
  • Change - for example Removed for a component that has been removed from the design, or Added for a one that has been added.
  • Status - which will be Proposed since the change is originating on the ECAD side.
  • Proposition Comment - a note to explain the change to the mechanical designer.

Detecting changes to the board.
Detecting changes to the board.

As you click on a listed board change, a flashing highlight will be used to indicate the location of that change within the PCB document.

Once all changes have been made, detected, and proposition comments added, those changes can be exported using the Export Changes button. This will create an EDMD Changes file (ECAD Changes n.idx).

To abandon the proposed changes, simply click the Abandon Changes button - the Board Changes list will be cleared.

With proposed changes to the board made, export to create an EDMD Changes file, to send those proposed changes to the mechanical designer.
With proposed changes to the board made, export to create an EDMD Changes file, to send those proposed changes to the mechanical designer.

It is now up to the mechanical designer to import and view the change proposals on their side. They will then either accept or reject each proposed change in turn, and send back their response in an EDMD Response file (MCAD Response n.idx). Once this is received, import the response using the Import Response button. To apply the changes in the response file, simply click the Apply Changes and Respond button, thus generating an EDMD Response file from the ECAD side back to the mechanical designer (ECAD Response n.idx).

This handshaking ensures that both parties are synchronized with the changes made.

Importing Changes

If the mechanical designer is proposing changes, those changes will be proposed in an EDMD Changes file (MCAD Changes n.idx). Import the changes using the panel's Import Changes button. The changes will be listed in the Changes from Mechanical CAD region of the panel, in terms of:

  • Object - for example the component designator.
  • Change - for example Moved for a component that has been moved within the design.
  • Status - which will be Proposed since the change is originating on the MCAD side.
  • Proposition Comment - a note to explain the change to the electrical designer.

It is now up to you, as the electrical designer, to view and either accept or reject each proposed change in turn. As you click on a listed board change, a flashing highlight will be used to indicate the location of that change within the PCB document. To accept a proposed change, check its associated Accept check box. To reject, leave this unchecked. Once all proposed changes have been accepted/rejected, click the Apply Changes and Respond button. The accepted changes will be applied to the PCB document, and an EDMD Response file (ECAD Response n.idx) sent back to the mechanical designer.

 

注記

利用できる機能は、Altium Designer ソフトウェア サブスクリプション のレベルによって異なります。

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