Applied Parameters: None
Summary
This command is used to access the Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel. The panel is the main interface for collaboration between the ECAD and MCAD domains using ProStep's Electrical Design, Mechanical Design (EDMD) standard for data exchange, that is based on XML protocol. This collaborative standard is often simply referred to by the name of the exchange file format - IDX (Incremental Design EXchange format). With this intermediate exchange file (*.idx), an electrical designer can 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.
For a high level overview of this ECAD-MCAD collaborative functionality, see
IDX Support.
Support for this standard of collaboration between ECAD and MCAD domains is available in Altium Designer, courtesy of the Mechanical CAD Collaboration extension. This extension allows you 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.
Access
This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by choosing the Tools » Mechanical CAD Collaboration command from the main menus.
The command is only available once the Mechanical CAD Collaboration software extension is installed in Altium Designer. This extension can be found on the Purchased tab of the Extensions & Updates view (DXP » Extensions and Updates). You will need to restart Altium Designer to complete the installation.
The panel can also be accessed by clicking the PCB panel-access button at the right of the Status Bar, and choosing the Mechanical CAD Collaboration entry from the associated pop-up menu. Alternatively, use the View » Workspace Panels » PCB » Mechanical CAD Collaboration menu command.
Use
After launching the command, the Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel will be presented. 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.
Tips
- Altium Designer supports IDX format version 2.0 only.
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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 and ECAD Baseline.idx.
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The Mechanical CAD Collaboration panel provides controls for keeping changes synchronized between the ECAD and MCAD domains. Changes are proposed through EDMD Changes files:
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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.
Altium Designer Documentation
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((Command Reference))_AD
((EDMD Commands))_AD