Make a quick 3D STEP model of any PCB in less than 1 minute!

  • By Simon Garrison
09Feb
Make a quick 3D STEP model of any PCB in less than 1 minute!

Perfect for visual presentations, building enclosures, and collaboration with colleagues.

This blog post describes how to easily make a 3D STEP (AP214 or AP242) model of your PCB design in less than one minute.  There are many benefits to generating a 3D STEP model of your PCB with components, and here's a few:

  • Making an ideal visual presentation of your device.
  • Share your device with colleagues and/or Mechanical Engineering.
  • Used to build an accurate enclosure for your PCB.
  • Makes modelling PCB assemblies painless and accurate.

All you need is an IPC-2581, ODB++ file, or Gerber files.  It's all really quite easy with FAB 3000, and involves very little user input.  Please view the only steps required:

  1. Import your IPC-2581, ODB++ file, or Gerber files into FAB 3000.
  2. Export to a 3D STEP file.
  3. Make sure to choose "Components Only" from the Layer Options dropdown box.
  4. Select the file name and location you wish to save your STEP file, and that's it!

Here's a sample movie tutorial (no sound) which shows how easily and quickly it can be done with FAB 3000.

 

Note: Gerbers files have limited information, so FAB 3000 will require you to first extract the components.  If you have a Netlist file FAB 3000 can extract the components with just a few clicks.  See this blog post for more details:  http://www.numericalinnovations.com/blogs/news/how-to-generate-a-centroid-file-aka-pick-and-place-for-any-pcb-in-less-than-2-minutes

 

FAB 3000 (CAM Software)

FAB 3000 is a professional CAM software package targeted for anyone who would like to have "high-end" CAM software to run advanced DRC/DFM verification, generate component centroids, create SMT Stencil pads, Panelize PCBs, and perform many other useful features. Download Now

 

Get Numerical Cloud for only $75/month.  Includes FAB 3000 (CAM Software), ACE 3000, and EasyGerb. Runs on up to 3 computers. Easily perform all Design Integrity Checks on your Gerber and ODB++ files. No contracts and cancel anytime.