Direct ECAD-MCAD Design with Altium MCAD CoDesigner

Parent page: ECAD-MCAD CoDesign

Working between the electronic and mechanical design domains brings unique challenges. ECAD and MCAD tools have different design objectives and have evolved down different paths, and so has the way they store and manage their data.

But today's designs demand that this challenge be solved - small and complex product enclosures that house multiple, irregular-shaped printed circuit boards - to successfully design these products the designers must be able to fluidly pass design changes back and forth between the ECAD and MCAD domains.

Passing complex and detailed design changes between different design software is much more than just being able to save data in another format. The electronic and mechanical design teams work independently and need to be able to transfer changes at any point in their design process. The issue is, how do you manage the flow of changes back and forth between the teams, without impacting on either team's day-to-day design work? The last thing the design teams need is for one team to have to stop work until the other team has accepted their latest change before both teams can proceed.

How it Works

This challenge is solved by CoDesigner, an interface for transferring printed circuit board designs between the ECAD and MCAD design domains. Once the CoDesigner plug-in has been added to the ECAD and MCAD software, CoDesigner can pass design changes back and forth through an Altium Workspace. The Workspace acts as a bridge between the ECAD and MCAD domains, as shown below.

The advantage of passing design changes through a Workspace is the update process becomes stateless. That means each side can continue to work independently, there is no need to worry about where the other team is up to in the design process.

For example, when the MCAD designer has defined the board shape, they can Push the assembly to the Workspace. The ECAD designer will automatically be notified that there is a change pending. When they click Pull, their board is compared to the MCAD board definition in the Workspace and a list of changes required to synchronize them is generated. The ECAD designer can then enable the changes they want, and Apply them to their board. The ECAD designer might then configure the various copper and other fabrication layers required in the layer stack, defining the board thickness, and Push the updated board back to the MCAD designer, ready for placement of the location-critical mechatronic components.

Supported MCAD Software

The following MCAD platforms and versions are currently supported:

• Autodesk Inventor Professional®
• Autodesk Fusion 360® (not supported for the Personal license, as it does not support Parasolid models)
• Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS® (Standard, Pro & Premium)
• PTC Creo Parametric®
• Siemens NX® - only for NEXUS solution users

The Collaborative Design Interface

Both your Altium and your MCAD software interface to each other through a panel (tab) in the software. In your Altium software it's called the MCAD CoDesigner panel, in your MCAD software it's called the Altium CoDesigner panel, or tab.

MCAD CoDesigner / Altium CoDesigner Panel

Design changes are Pushed and Pulled between the ECAD and MCAD domains through a dedicated panel.

• In your Altium design software, the MCAD CoDesigner panel is used to Push and Pull design changes back and forth, and display messages.
• In the MCAD software, the Altium CoDesigner panel is used to:
  • Create new collaboration projects
  • Open an existing collaboration project
  • Configure collaboration options
  • Push and Pull design changes back and forth
  • Display messages

CoDesigner MCAD Settings Menu

MCAD CoDesigner Panel Tabs

With the release of CoDesigner 2.1.0, the MCAD Altium CoDesigner panel now has two tabs - labeled Activity, and PCB Definition.

• Activity - displays the history of Push and Pull operations and the associated comments, as displayed in earlier versions of CoDesigner.
• PCB Definition - displays Board Area definitions that exist on the board. Currently supported area definitions include Keepouts and Rooms, which can be created on both the MCAD and ECAD sides.
  • Click on a definition to configure Keepout settings, or to add a comment to a Room.
  • If the definition has been renamed in the MCAD feature tree, the change will not be immediately reflected in the PCB Definitions tab of the Altium CoDesigner panel. Switch to the Activity tab then back to the PCB Definitions tab to refresh the definitions.

The MCAD Altium CoDesigner panel now has a PCB Definition tab, use this to configure Rooms and Keepouts that have been added to the board.

The CoDesigner MCAD Ribbon

When the CoDesigner Add-In is installed in your MCAD software, it adds the Altium CoDesigner Ribbon to the interface. Click on the Altium CoDesigner tab to access the Ribbon, which provides an easy way of accessing the common PCB-specific design objects needed during the ECAD-MCAD CoDesign process. Using these buttons ensures that the correct MCAD object-type is used to create a compatible ECAD object.

Use the CoDesigner Ribbon to define objects on the PCB in an ECAD-ready way.

Support for Change History and Rejection Comments

With the release of CoDesigner 2.6.0, CoDesigner now displays the full history of accepted and rejected changes, along with any comments the engineer has entered if a change is rejected.

The history of changes is shown in the CoDesigner panel, making the interaction between the electrical and mechanical engineers more transparent. As soon as changes are applied/rejected on one side the engineer on the other side is notified, and any rejection comments that were entered, are displayed.

Change history makes it easy for the engineers on both sides to be aware of each other's responses to the changes being made.

A complete history of the changes that have been made in the project can also be viewed in your Workspace (using your browser), or in Altium Designer.

To view the history in your browser first open the project (it will open in a separate browser tab), then click on History in the panel on the left. To view the history in your Altium software, select Project » History & Version Control » Show Project History from the menus.

Learn more about Project History in an:

• Altium 365 Workspace
• Concord Pro Workspace
• NEXUS Server Workspace

The history of changes can be viewed in the Workspace.

Installing and Configuring CoDesigner in Your MCAD Software

CoDesigner License Usage

Updating the MCAD Add-In

An Auto-Update feature was included in the MCAD Add-In, at version 2.0.1. From this version on, the following dialog will automatically appear whenever a newer version of the Add-In is available for your MCAD software.

The Altium CoDesigner dialog will appear when the Add-In is not the latest version.

The MCAD Add-In can also be updated by downloading a new version from the Altium website download page and installing it over the top of the current Add-In.

Installing and Configuring CoDesigner in SOLIDWORKS

Installing and Configuring CoDesigner in AutoDesk Inventor

Installing and Configuring CoDesigner in AutoDesk Fusion 360

Installing and Configuring CoDesigner in PTC Creo

Configuring your Workspace Settings

Configuring the ECAD-MCAD Component Linkage

One of the challenges of transferring design data between the MCAD and ECAD environments is managing how the components are transferred. In many companies, the ECAD and MCAD teams create and manage their own separate component libraries and need to be able to link between the MCAD and ECAD versions of that component.

The default behavior is when a design is Pushed from either the MCAD or ECAD domains, CoDesigner converts the components to Parasolid format models and stores them in the Workspace. When that design is Pulled, CoDesigner then builds a model of each component in the format required by the target tool. The disadvantage of this approach is that the model does not fully represent the component as it needs to be represented in that tool. For example, when a design is Pulled in to Altium Designer the component will not include the pads, silkscreen and other entities typically included in a PCB component. Nor will it be linked to a schematic symbol, or into the supply chain.

CoDesigner also supports linking between native MCAD and ECAD components, allowing both design teams to work with components that are designed and specified to the level required in their design domain. The links are defined in the Workspace, which acts as a bridge between the ECAD and MCAD domains.

► Learn more about Linking Native ECAD and MCAD Design Components

► Note that this option is not available on a standard subscription plan.

Recommendations on the Collaboration Workflow

ECAD-MCAD CoDesign is a flexible process, there is no prescriptive approach that must be followed. While it is common for the board shape to be designed in MCAD, the board thickness must be defined in ECAD because that is where the various PCB layer materials are selected and configured. This requirement leads to a recommended design flow, as outlined below.

Starting the Collaboration Process

1. In ECAD, create the project, add a PCB, and define the layer stack to set the board thickness. The saved project and board become the ECAD designer's working files.
2. In ECAD, open the MCAD CoDesigner panel and Push the board - this saves the project and the current board definition to your Workspace.

3. In MCAD, Pull the Board in the Altium CoDesigner panel - this creates an MCAD board assembly based on the board definition in your Workspace.

4. In MCAD, configure the board shape, define the mounting holes, and position location-critical mechatronic components. Save the MCAD assembly.
5. In MCAD, Push the board - this saves the board definition, holes and placed component details to your Workspace.
6. In ECAD, open the board and perform a Pull to load the updated board definition and component details from your Workspace.

7. In MCAD or ECAD, reopen the assembly or PCB file to continue working on the design.

MCAD-Coordinates Grid

CoDesigner uses the ECAD Absolute Origin as the reference when the board is pushed from ECAD to MCAD. The CoDesigner 2.4 release introduced a feature to create a new MCAD Coordinates grid on Pull into ECAD, including an MCAD Origin entity, when the MCAD origin differs from the default (absolute) ECAD origin. This helps the electrical engineer communicate with the mechanical engineer on the positioning of the different board entities.

The representation of the MCAD Coordinates grid can be customized in ECAD, double-click on the entry in the Properties panel to open the Grid Editor dialog. Learn more about the PCB Grids System.

The coordinate grid defined in MCAD can also be customized in ECAD.

MCAD Planes for Component Placement

From CoDesigner 2.2.0 onward, top and bottom side component planes are created in MCAD when the board is pulled, to simplify the process of placing components in MCAD. Components pushed from ECAD are placed in MCAD to ignore the thickness of the soldermask layer.

How CoDesigner Handles Copper, Mask and Overlay Layers

Along with the board shape and components, CoDesigner also transfers the top and bottom side; copper, solder mask, paste mask, and component overlay layers, from ECAD to MCAD.

These layers are Pushed to the Workspace as SVG images. When the board assembly is Pulled into MCAD, CoDesigner converts the SVG images to PNG images. From these PNG images, CoDesigner combines the top-side set of images into a single top-side decal, and the bottom-side set into a single bottom-side decal. These two decals are then applied to the top and bottom board surfaces during Pull into MCAD.

   The top and bottom side decals are applied to each side of the board in MCAD.

Advanced Copper Geometry in MCAD

The copper layers can be transferred to MCAD if required. In the image above the board and components have been hidden, showing the six copper layers.

As an alternative to displaying decals (images) of the copper, mask and component overlay, the MCAD engineer can Pull the actual copper data into MCAD. To do this, enable the Build 3D geometry for Copper and Solder Mask option in the Altium CoDesigner Settings dialog (along with the Build Vias option if required). The Settings dialog is accessed from the CoDesigner menu in the Altium CoDesigner panel (show image).

Enable the Build 3D geometry for Copper and Solder Mask option to include these layers in the MCAD assembly (Autodesk Inventor dialog).

Notes about working with copper geometry and 3D mask layers:

• Copper and mask layers are included as MCAD sub-assemblies.
• Thruhole pad barrels are included when the Build 3D geometry for Copper option is enabled.
• The via surface shapes are included when the Build 3D geometry for Copper option is enabled, enable the Build Vias option to include the via copper barrels.
• All PCB copper layers that are present in the layerstack are included. Note that the copper layer thickness does not include plated layer data, such as Surface Finish. This will be added in a future update.
• When the Build 3D geometry option is enabled the component overlay is not included. This will be added in a future update.
• Depending on the complexity of the design, including the copper geometry and vias can significantly increase the file size and the time to Pull the design into MCAD.
• Copper and mask data is always Pushed from ECAD. There is no need to Push again from ECAD if you enable the Build 3D Geometry and Build Vias options in MCAD, just close the board and Pull it again from the Workspace.

Accurate Representation of the Solder Mask

Introduced in Update 2.5, CoDesigner now builds a precise model of the solder mask, including the openings for the pads, as a separate entity in MCAD when the Build 3D Copper option is enabled. Because the mask fills the etched regions between the copper, the thickness of the mask layer in MCAD is the sum of the thicknesses of the top copper layer plus the solder mask layer, as defined in ECAD.

Since the soldermask fills the etched regions between the tracks, pads and vias, its total thickness in MCAD is the sum of the copper layer thickness plus the solder mask thickness, as defined in ECAD.

Support for Keepouts and Rooms

In CoDesigner 2.1.0 a new Altium CoDesigner Ribbon was added to SOLIDWORKS and Autodesk Inventor, and in CoDesigner 2.2 it was added PTC Creo. The tab provides an easy way of accessing the common PCB-specific design objects, including Keepouts and Rooms. Using these buttons ensures that the correct MCAD object-type is used to create a compatible ECAD object.

Support for Keepouts

A PCB Keepout is a region or area of the board that has been configured to restrict the placement of specific ECAD objects. Keepouts can be defined for either side of the board, or to apply to all PCB layers. The objects that are to be kept out of this area are selected as Keepout Restriction properties.

Defining a Keepout in MCAD:

• Click the Keep Out Area button on the Altium CoDesigner ribbon.
• You will be prompted to choose a face, surface or plane, click on the side of the board that requires the keepout. If the keepout is to apply to all layers it can be drawn on either side.
• Click on a suitable MCAD sketch tool, for example Rectangle, to define the keepout. Note that the sketch must only include one contour, internal contours are not supported.
• Draw the shape required for the keepout.
• Exit the Sketch mode.
• The properties of the feature can now be edited. You can think of the keepout as a fence around the keepout area, edit the Depth to a small value, for example 1mm.
• This keepout will become an Altium Designer layer-specific keepout, on the layer it has been drawn in MCAD. To define an all-layer keepout, in MCAD configure the keepout to extrude in both directions, setting the Depth in the second direction to a value that is large enough to extrude it through the board.
• Click the MCAD Accept button  to finish the feature definition process. If required, the feature can be renamed in the Feature tree.
• In the Altium CoDesigner panel, select the PCB Definition tab and configure the keepout restrictions as required. The keepout can now be pushed to Altium Designer, where it will be added as a Keepout Region. Depending on how it was configured in MCAD, it will become a Top Layer Keepout, a Bottom Layer Keepout, or a Keepout Layer Keepout. If required the keepout shape can be adjusted in Altium Designer, and pushed back to MCAD.

Support for Rooms

A PCB Room is a design rule that is used to define an area that specific components must be placed in, or excluded from. A common use for this rule is to define a component height restriction in the board area covered by the Room. Typically the Room rule will be applied to an individual component, or a class of components.

Defining a Room in MCAD:

• Click the Text Note Room button on the Altium CoDesigner ribbon.
• You will be prompted to choose a face, surface or plane, click on the side of board that requires the room.
• Click on a suitable MCAD sketch tool, for example Rectangle, to define the room. Note that the sketch must only include one contour, internal contours are not supported.
• Draw the shape required for the room.
• Exit the Sketch mode.
• Click the MCAD Accept button  to finish the feature definition process. If required, the feature can be renamed in the Feature tree.
• In the Altium CoDesigner panel, select the PCB Definition tab and enter a comment for the room that explains its purpose to the ECAD engineer. The room can now be pushed to Altium Designer, where it will be added as an Altium Designer Placement Room design rule, on the layer it has been drawn in MCAD. The only property that can be transferred between MCAD and ECAD is the Comment, which becomes the Placement Room design rule comment.
• The Placement Room design room can now be configured as required in Altium Designer.

Keepout areas and Rooms can be defined in MCAD and pushed to ECAD.

Controlling the Number of Components Pulled to MCAD

To improve performance when working on boards with a large number of components, CoDesigner supports excluding components below a user-defined height during a Pull from ECAD. For the height threshold, CoDesigner uses the height defined as part of the component properties in ECAD (show image).

Define the threshold height in the Altium CoDesigner Settings dialog, as shown in the image below. The dialog is accessed via the Altium CoDesigner panel in MCAD, select Settings in the panel's menu to open the dialog.

Small components can be excluded during Pull to MCAD by setting the Ignore components smaller than height threshold.

CoDesigning a PCB with Variants

Altium Designer allows the electronics designer to create variations of the product they are designing. Supported variations include: flagging a component as not fitted; modifying a component's parameters, including the component value that is silkscreened on the board; or replacing a component with an alternate component (which may or may not use a different footprint).

In Altium Designer, there is only one board design. Variant information, such as details about an alternate component, is stored in the project file and applied to the board when the variant is selected in the Projects panel. The [No Variations] version of the board is saved as the PcbDoc.

Altium Designer can be used to create variations of a board design, select the variant in the Projects panel then Push to MCAD in the CoDesigner panel.

► Learn more about Variants in Altium Designer

Working with SOLIDWORKS PDM

The placement of native MCAD components from a data management system is supported when SOLIDWORKS is connected to a SOLIDWORKS PDM system.

Common Recommendations:

1. It is recommended to set up a common component folder in the Altium CoDesigner Settings dialog, to put that folder under SW PDM control, and to synchronize that folder with the local storage before collaborating with ECAD. Learn more about Configuring CoDesigner in SOLIDWORKS.
2. It is recommended to synchronize the component libraries with the local PDM storage before pulling the PCB into MCAD.
3. It's recommended to disable the Prompt to check out file if opened in read-only mode option in the SOLIDWORKS PDM settings (accessible from the Tools menu in SOLIDWORKS) as shown below. This means existing components will not need to be checked out, which means there will be no inconvenience to the work of other mechanical engineers. However, in the situation where it is necessary to change component properties, the corresponding components should be checked out.
4. After the changes are applied, it's recommended to check the new components into SOLIDWORKS PDM.

Recommendations for the Mechanical Engineer

This section details functionality and behaviors that the mechanical engineer should be aware of when using CoDesigner.

Synchronizing Changes Between Mechanical Engineers

1. CoDesigner transfers the mechanical PCB assembly to ECAD through an Altium Workspace, such as an Altium 365 Workspace or a NEXUS Server Workspace. The changes Pushed/Pulled through the Workspace are directional - the PCB assembly Pushed from MCAD (and Pulled to ECAD) is stored separately in the Workspace from the PCB assembly Pushed from ECAD (and Pulled to MCAD). That means a second mechanical engineer cannot Pull the modified board that a mechanical engineer just Pushed to the Workspace, instead they will be Pulling the last-pushed ECAD data. Note that MCAD constraints exist only in the MCAD assembly in which they were created.  When the board is pushed from MCAD to ECAD, the component positions resulting from the constraints are pushed, but not the constraints themselves.  Therefore if the board is pulled into a new MCAD assembly, none of the constraints created by a previous MCAD engineer will be included.

ECAD and MCAD changes are stored separately in the Workspace.

To allow other mechanical engineers to see your changes, save your PCB assembly in the same way as you do for any other assembly - to common storage available for both. This method will preserve any MCAD constraints. Alternatively, get the ECAD designer to Pull the data into Altium Designer, save it, and then Push the updated design back to MCAD. However, as explained above, no MCAD constraints will be included by using this method.

2. Another important point is that changes made to the same PCB assembly by different mechanical engineers are not merged when they are Pushed, the latest change Pushed by any mechanical engineer will overwrite previous changes Pushed by other mechanical engineers.

Pictorial Demonstration of the Synchronization Process

ECAD and MCAD push their changes to different storage locations on the Workspace. That means each engineer can only pull changes that have been pushed by the other engineer. Those changes will only include their own changes if they’ve already been accepted by the other engineer, before the other engineer has pushed.

For example, a board is created in ECAD, Pushed to the Workspace, and Pulled to MCAD:

If the ECAD engineer then adds components AND the MCAD engineer adds holes, AND if each Pushes their board then Pulls the other’s board, CoDesigner will try to remove the holes in the MCAD engineer's board, and remove the components on the ECAD engineer's board:

Each engineer does have the option to reject specific proposed changes, for example, the ECAD engineer could accept the addition of the holes but reject the deletion of the removed components. However, working in this way can be hard to manage with complex boards and/or changes. Another point is that all changes to the decals are only seen by CoDesigner as a single change, so can only be accepted or rejected as a whole, not individually.

A better approach is for one engineer to make their changes and push the board, then for the other engineer to pull the board before making their changes, as shown below.

Use a circular approach to passing design changes between ECAD and MCAD.

Initial Definition of the Board Shape

Traditionally, the board outline is often initially created in MCAD and then sent to ECAD in the form of a DXF drawing or a STEP model.  This file is then used to recreate the outline in ECAD.

However, in some cases, the ECAD transformation and approximation process brings some issues with the contours because of precision, micro-segments, and self-intersecting contours. Those issues might be not noticeable in ECAD, however, they may cause problems with the creation of the board in MCAD by CoDesigner.

In order to avoid such issues, if you already have a board part geometry defined in MCAD, instead of exporting it to DXF/STEP, use CoDesigner to directly synchronize the board with ECAD.

Resolving Issues with the Board Contour in ECAD

When the board is Pushed from ECAD, CoDesigner checks the board contour and warns the user if there are issues with micro-segments, or if self-intersecting contours have been found. When the board is Pulled to MCAD, CoDesigner will attempt to resolve these issues. If they cannot be resolved, they must be resolved in ECAD.

Automatic Micro-Segment Removal

CoDesigner 2.4 introduced an automatic feature to detect and resolve micro-segments in the board outline. If they are detected a dialog will appear, offering to resolve the issues, as shown below. If you click Yes the detected issues will be resolved automatically. If you click No and close the dialog, an error dialog will then appear detailing the location of any issues, which must then be resolved manually (as described below).

Manual Micro-Segment and Self-Intersection Removal

Micro-segments and self-intersections that have not been resolved automatically or are detected in a board cutout, must be resolved manually.

To fix the issues in ECAD:

1. Copy the error information from the dialog into a text editor so the coordinates for the issues are available.
2. Set the snap grid (Gtrl+G shortcut) to a small value (eg 0.001 mil) so you can make small changes to the location of vertices.
3. Switch to View » Board Planning Mode.
4. Zoom in to the location of the issue. Alternatively, use the Jump Location command (Edit » Jump » New Location, or J, L shortcut) and type the coordinates into the Jump to Location dialog. Note that you can include the units (mm or mil) with the value if they are different from the current board units. If the issue is due to an arc, the issue location could be the arc center point. In this situation visually check the board outline for short, shallow arcs.
5. Run the Design » Edit Board Shape command (D, D shortcut). The board outline will display vertices at the ends and center of each edge. Check for multiple vertices that are very close together, and very shallow arcs. Use the following tips to help you resolve issues:
   1. Click and drag on an edge or a vertex to modify the shape. There are three shape modification modes available during editing: Break edge, Move (slide) edge, Incurvate (bend) edge; press Shift+Space during editing to cycle through the modes. The current mode is displayed on the Status bar.
   2. Move the vertex at the end of a short edge slightly, then release the mouse button. Often this will be sufficient for the software to resolve and remove the short edge.
   3. A short shallow arc can be converted to a straight edge by dragging the center vertex in Incurvate mode to flatten the arc (it will be replaced by a straight edge when you release).
   4. Green alignment guides will display when the moving edge or arc chord aligns with an existing edge.
   5. Click and hold on a vertex then press Delete to remove it; to add a vertex hold Ctrl as you click on the edge, then position the cursor and release.
6. Push the board again.

Board contour self intersections and micro-segments must be resolved before the board can be pushed to MCAD.

► Learn more about the Vertex Editing Modes

► Learn more about Defining the Board Shape

Visibility of Changes Made on the ECAD side

It is important to open the PCB assembly itself in your MCAD software, not the parent device/assembly that the PCB assembly is being designed to fit in. If the PCB assembly is opened, changes made and pushed from the ECAD side will be detailed in the Altium CoDesigner panel. Changes will not be detailed in the panel if the parent device/assembly is opened.

Getting Changes to your PCB Assembly from ECAD

1. Open your PCB assembly as a separate file (as a root assembly) in MCAD.
2. Open the Altium CoDesigner panel.
3. Click Pull.
4. Review the changes in the table, enable the ones you want to be applied, and click the Apply button.

When you have a PCB Assembly Open in MCAD for the First Time

1. Add the PCB assembly to your device’s assembly.
2. Secure it by applying suitable mates/constraints.

If a contour of the PCB does not correspond to the shape of your enclosure:

1. Start editing the Board part.
2. Edit the sketch of the board’s extrusion and adjust its shape to the enclosure.

Making Changes to the PCB Design in MCAD

Below are some tips for ensuring the design shapes and objects used in MCAD will be supported when the board is pushed to ECAD.

Editing the board outline shape:

1. Start editing the Board part.
2. Edit the sketch of the board’s extrusion.

Changing the MCAD Board Origin:

1. If necessary, the mechanical engineer can change the MCAD origin of a bare board in the early stages of the board definition. To do that, the mechanical engineer can simply move or redraw the entire sketch of the board outline, within the board part. Note that the board part is constrained as “fixed” within the board assembly, with its origin coincident with that of the assembly (therefore “MCAD origin” relates to both the board part origin and the board assembly origin). It’s strongly recommended that this constraint is NOT modified or broken, because it may cause unpredictable changes.

Creating/editing Mounting Holes:

1. Start editing the Board part.
2. Create/edit a Hole feature on the top or the bottom surface of the board part.

Creating/editing Cutouts:

1. Start editing the Board part.
2. Create/edit an Extruded Cut feature based on the top or the bottom surface of the board part.

Editing the placement of components:

1. Start editing the Board assembly.
2. Move/rotate/flip, or mate/constrain a component.

Synchronizing Fixed or Constrained in MCAD to Locked in ECAD

If a component is fixed or constrained in MCAD, it becomes locked in ECAD (regardless of if that constraint allows any movements within the PCB assembly or not). If a component is locked in ECAD, it becomes fixed in MCAD unless it is already constrained there. Changes in the locked/fixed state are synchronized between MCAD and ECAD.

Transferring ECAD Component Parameters to MCAD

ECAD PCB component parameters are transferred to the corresponding models created in MCAD. Note that this does not include components that were originally placed in MCAD.

Working with Constraints and Dimensions in MCAD

Constraints applied to the board outline:

1. The mechanical engineer can apply a constraint from an element of the board outline: to another board outline element; to a datum/reference feature; to a part in a higher level assembly; or to a component. CoDesigner does not modify these constraints. However, if the board outline is changed on the ECAD side, the sketch of the board part will be redrawn in MCAD and all of the edge IDs will be changed. Note that any change to any part of the board outline in ECAD will result in the entire board being redrawn in MCAD, and all board edge IDs changing.  If there was a constraint applied to those edges or to the derived surfaces, those constraints will be broken. The board will stay in place in MCAD, and if necessary, the constraints can be manually restored. But considering that this will take some time, it is better to make changes to the board outline on the MCAD side only.

Constraints applied to the components:

2. The mechanical engineer can apply a constraint from a component: to the board; to an enclosure; or to another component. These constraints will stay healthy if the model of that component can be found locally (if the PCB assembly is not built from scratch in a different folder, or if a common folder is set up for storing models). However, if a component is moved on the ECAD side, the placement change on the MCAD side may not correspond to that movement and should be checked manually (CoDesigner will notify you in this situation). For components with an ECAD footprint, the component standoff (location relative to the board surface in the Z direction) will always be defined by the position of the STEP model in the footprint.  CoDesigner will always attempt to override any conflicting MCAD constraints on a Pull into MCAD.

Changes that will Not be Transferred from MCAD to ECAD

• Bare Board thickness - defined by the Layer Stack in ECAD.

• Any additional geometric features applied to the board part (eg. 3D chamfers/fillets), except for holes and extruded cuts in the board's z-axis direction.
• Any additional geometric features created in the context of the board assembly (eg. holes created in the context of an assembly), unless these features are propagated to parts.
• The location of component holes if they are moved separately from the component.
• The size of component holes.
• Feature Patterns.
• Sketches of cutouts with multiple contours (in PTC Creo and Autodesk Inventor).
• Changes made to the extruded copper.
• Changes made to the silkscreen.

Pushing the Enclosure from MCAD to ECAD

In CoDesigner 2.2.0 support was added for working at the device assembly level in MCAD, and then transferring the enclosure together with the board to ECAD. The video below demonstrates the process of including the board assembly in the device enclosure, and transferring the enclosure to Altium Designer.

► Note that this option is not available on a standard subscription plan. Designers on a standard subscription plan can watch this video to see another approach to transferring the enclosure.

Tips for working with the enclosure:

• After placing the board assembly in the enclosure, click the Recognize button in the Altium CoDesigner panel. CoDesigner will detect the relationship between the board and the enclosure, and detail the names of all board assemblies added to the device enclosure at the top of the panel.
• Once the relationship has been detected, the last step is to add the enclosure to the board. To do this:
  • Select the enclosure in the model tree.
  • Display the Altium CoDesigner ribbon.
  • Click the Enclosure button on the ribbon.
  • Open/display the Altium CoDesigner panel, where you can confirm that the enclosure is associated with the board in the Board Enclosure section of the Altium CoDesigner panel.
• The enclosure with the board can now be pushed to ECAD.

Sending the PCB Assembly with your Changes to ECAD

• Make sure your PCB assembly is opened as a separate doc (as a root assembly) in MCAD.
• Go to the Altium CoDesigner panel.
• Click Push.