Design Article
3D modeling integrates flexible PCB design
Manuel Rei, Dassault Systèmes
7/13/2011 7:35 AM EDT
Cutting design times by 5
Dassault Systèmes’ customers that have implemented this design approach using CATIA Flexible PCB Design have claimed to have reduced their design time cycle by up to 80 percent. Concurrent mechanical and electronic design of flexible PCBs facilitates an optimum floor planning and routing on flexible boards, potentially reducing their size. Designing the flexible PCB in context with the 3D virtual product mock-up allows design iterations between MCAD and ECAD to be minimized.
This makes it possible to achieve right-first-time design, and reduces the need for physical prototypes. The 3D and flattened views of the flexible PCB will be used in downstream applications such as drafting and manufacturing. In case of design change, modifications are propagated seamlessly, leading to significant development cost reduction.
These benefits allow Flexible PCB Design users to obtain a quick return on investment. As an example, a worldwide leading cell phone manufacturer could reduce its design time from 5 days to less than one day for a new flexible PCB, thanks to the complete, end-to-end, 100-percent digital integrated design process provided by Flexible PCB Design.
Dassault Systèmes works closely with its users to improve their process coverage as well as their product functionality and reliability. Considering the remaining space inside a device such as a car radio or a GPS system, it is easy to understand why using an application like Flexible PCB Design provides users with the ammunition to create globally competitive products.
About the author:
Manuel Rei is industry solution leader for collaborative mechatronics engineering solution Dassault Systèmes - www.3ds.com/hightech
Courtesy of EE Times Europe
Dassault Systèmes’ customers that have implemented this design approach using CATIA Flexible PCB Design have claimed to have reduced their design time cycle by up to 80 percent. Concurrent mechanical and electronic design of flexible PCBs facilitates an optimum floor planning and routing on flexible boards, potentially reducing their size. Designing the flexible PCB in context with the 3D virtual product mock-up allows design iterations between MCAD and ECAD to be minimized.
This makes it possible to achieve right-first-time design, and reduces the need for physical prototypes. The 3D and flattened views of the flexible PCB will be used in downstream applications such as drafting and manufacturing. In case of design change, modifications are propagated seamlessly, leading to significant development cost reduction.
These benefits allow Flexible PCB Design users to obtain a quick return on investment. As an example, a worldwide leading cell phone manufacturer could reduce its design time from 5 days to less than one day for a new flexible PCB, thanks to the complete, end-to-end, 100-percent digital integrated design process provided by Flexible PCB Design.
Dassault Systèmes works closely with its users to improve their process coverage as well as their product functionality and reliability. Considering the remaining space inside a device such as a car radio or a GPS system, it is easy to understand why using an application like Flexible PCB Design provides users with the ammunition to create globally competitive products.
About the author:
Manuel Rei is industry solution leader for collaborative mechatronics engineering solution Dassault Systèmes - www.3ds.com/hightech
Courtesy of EE Times Europe
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
hm
7/13/2011 10:41 AM EDT
It looks very interesting. Is it possible to have video tutorial with one typical application?
What is approximate cost for this tool?
Sign in to Reply
MN
7/14/2011 7:08 AM EDT
Catia is about $US15K, although the academic version is only $US99.
Sign in to Reply
MHK_#1
7/20/2011 11:23 PM EDT
This is useful in a very specific case, such as example with a structural component in a tight space application. From my experience, the most problem in PCB board design case is a lack of communication between a board designer and a logic designer. It would be a super-duper tool, if this tool can not only handle 3D components on PCB layout, but pull a logic design data from FPGA/ASIC chip library and a backplane file. Could this tool do that? Or already doing it?
Sign in to Reply
RWatkins
7/21/2011 12:37 PM EDT
3D model incorporation as part of circuit design and board layout is indeed quite valuable as our company can attest, especially when developing housings for portable battery powered devices where size and fit are critical design issues.
There are several packages out there that have some degree of 3D capability in them, ranging from KiCAD (Linux freebie with limited capabilities and a somewhat clunky interface for part models) to the $100,000/seat "high-end" systems.
We have only one major issue related to this with the system we are currently using, Altium, that the PCB library models are stored in flat-file fashion so that changing or adding 3D PCB parts models for a moderate sized library can result in a pretty extreme file size and long storage and retrieval times. This issue becomes more extreme the more complex the 3D models are, for example 120-position board stacking connectors like are available from Hirose.
We have one case currently where we have a 4-board stack 65mm x 75mm each board, with two board-board spaces of 3mm and one board-board space of 2mm, and parts on both top and bottom of several of these boards. Without 3D modeling, the effort required would be daunting to avoid collisions between bottom layer parts on one board and top layer parts on the next board down.
One feature that would be nice, if available, would be to also model the copper on and in the PWB as part of the 3D model, as this would help even further in EMC evaluations using modeling software like HFSS. This copper generation should be an option that is NOT default, because the complexity of the model generated will be extreme, resulting in large files and long processing times.
Sign in to Reply
hm
7/21/2011 1:07 PM EDT
@Rwatkins: Yes, what you mentioned is very much true. I had around 800 parts on my medium size PCB. When I generated step model for it, the size of file was huge. I generally switch OFF 3D models for normal routing. I switch them ON only for verification purpose. This speeds up routing.
Having copper and vias modeled in 3D will be great. Also, when I export Altium 3D model to step model, it removeds some details. The step conversion should also be improved.
Sign in to Reply
docdivakar
7/27/2011 7:02 PM EDT
Yes, there are solutions available today as @RWatkins mentioned but they cost a lot!
I second the need to model Cu traces and lands on the board. It is very much needed for multiple needs including power management, thermal, EMI, etc.
MP Divakar
Sign in to Reply
Estelle Fernandez
8/16/2011 5:32 AM EDT
You can as well listen to the e-Seminar posted here : https://3ds.webex.com/ec0605l/eventcenter/recording/recordAction.do?siteurl=3ds&theAction=poprecord&recordID=40564422&pso_3ds_flag=from3dsh
Sign in to Reply
Manuel Rei
8/16/2011 11:35 AM EDT
Hello All,
Thanks for your comments.
If you would like to have any detailed information on how CATIA V6 can help you designing flexibles PCBs, please contact me. My email is manuel.rei@3ds.com
Sign in to Reply
Keith-Richman
10/23/2011 11:15 AM EDT
Just a FYI...Simplified Solutions has released IDF-to-3D. This is a web based tool with an integrated 3D library that allows the user to generate 3D PCBs in 1-2 hours. Use of the tool is free and you can view a 3D PDF of your 3D PCB prior to purchasing the output in STEP format.
For more information, please see www.simplifiedsolutionsinc.com
Sign in to Reply
Haiwang International Electronics
1/30/2013 2:56 AM EST
Haiwang Internationals is professional Quick Turn PCB Assembly manufacturer & Production in China since 2006,Haiwang can meet all your Electronic Printed Circuit Board process needs from double-sided to multi-layerd PCB's and from turnkey PCBA prototype through mass production
Sign in to Reply