Working with QY CAD PCB Collaboration


The QY CAD PCB Collaboration software is an add-in to QY CAD 3D design that communicates design intent between ECAD and MCAD systems. Using QY CAD PCB Design with QY CAD PCB Collaboration you preview and consider design proposals, then accept, reject and counter-propose design proposals between disciplines at any time throughout the design process.

The workflow for working with QY CAD PCB Collaboration is:

  1. Create a new board assembly

  2. Use ECAD Collaborator to import and export ECAD and MCAD data

  3. Manage PCB project settings

  4. View and edit properties

  5. Filter the display of PCB items

Creating new board assemblies

The New Board Assembly command is the starting point for ECAD/MCAD collaboration. Use the command to display the New Board Assembly dialog box so you can create the PCB board.

You can use the dialog box to:

Using ECAD Collaborator to import and export ECAD and MCAD data

ECAD and MCAD share data through IDX files. With ECAD Collaborator you can import data from the ECAD system to QY CAD or export data from QY CAD to the ECAD system.

You can import and export:

  • Baseline files

  • Change or incremental files

  • Response files

When you import the PCB board data generated in ECAD and display it in QY CAD as an assembly, board attributes are assigned to the corresponding assembly in Solid Edge.

You can export the data from a QY CAD assembly through ECAD Collaborator. After creating the assembly, use the ECAD Collaborator command to select the IDX file and PCB items within the file that you want to export, along with notes for the ECAD user, and then click Send on the ECAD Collaborator dialog box.

QY CAD Collaboration 2022 support of Altium and Allegro IDX files

QY CAD Collaboration 2022 supports IDX 2.0 and 3.0. The following table lists the objects supported.

Objects

Import

Collaborate

Export

Board

Yes

Yes

Yes

Mounting holes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Electrical components

Yes

Yes

No

Cutouts

Yes

Yes

Yes

Keep out areas (Placement and Route)

Yes

Yes

No

Vias**

Yes

No

No

Copper traces as a sketch**

Yes

No

No

Mechanical components

No

No

Yes
Note:

  • ** Import by baseline only and not through proposal

  • Objects that are not marked ** can be imported by baseline and proposal.

Definitions

  • Import—You can import the data in IDX format.

  • Collaborate—You can import and export these objects. The collaborator tracks the objects so you can send and receive updates through actions such as addtion, deletion, and change on the objects.

  • Export—You can add these PCB objects in PCB assembly and export the data in IDX baseline.

PCB items supported by QY CAD PCB Collaboration

QY CAD PCB Collaboration supports the following PCB items

  • Board outline

  • Board thickness

  • Through mounting holes

  • Cutouts

  • Contours

  • Embedded components

  • Mechanical components

  • Placement keepouts

  • Plane Keepouts

  • Trace keepouts

  • Via keepouts

Managing QY CAD PCB Collaboration project settings

Use the Settings command to change PCB Collaborator settings for:

  • File locations→Specifies the location of the PCB project. All assembly and sheet metal files for the project are generated within this location.

  • Colors→ Specifies the graphics color for the following PCB items:

    • Board

    • Components

    • Keep outs

  • You can select a default color or define a custom color for these items.

Importing 3D components

Use the Import 3D models option on the ECAD Collaborator dialog box to import 3D models exported by Pads Professional and Xpedition. The 3D files are in .xtd and are automatically aligned and mapped according to the associated alignment and mapping file.

During import, a progress bar displays the status of the conversion of the .xtd file to the QY CAD file. After the import process completes, the log viewer indicates the status and location of the PCB Collaboration library where the 3D models are saved after import. A text file in the library contains a list of documents available in the library and updates automatically when new 3D models are saved to this location.

After import, the PCB assembly containing 3D realistic models is displayed. Any 3D models not available in the collaboration folder or QY CAD starter library, are represented as 2.5D.

Collaboration support in QY CAD PCB Design 2021

Use the Ownership property in the Properties section of the ECAD Collaborator dialog box for components and mounting holes to control how data is exchanged between QY CAD PCB Collaboration and QY CAD PCB Design 2021.

The property has two possible values:

  • Electrical—This property is set by the ECAD user and specifies that only the ECAD user can modify the component or mounting hole. Any changes made by a MCAD user to the component or mounting hole are rejected in the MCAD Collaborator and the details are sent to the user in a response file.

  • Mechanical—This property is set by the MCAD user and specifies that only the MCAD user can modify PCB items.

Note:

If the Ownership property is blank, the PCB items can be modified by both ECAD and MCAD users.

Viewing and editing PCB properties

Use the Properties command to display the Properties dialog box where you can view and edit PCB property values.

You can view and edit properties for the following PCB items:

  • Boards

  • Components

  • Keep outs

  • Cutouts

  • Holes

To display the Properties dialog box, do one of the following:

  • Click PCB→Properties and then click the PCB item.

  • Right-click a PCB item in PathFinder and then click PCB→Properties.

  • Click a PCB item in the graphics window, and then click PCB→Properties.

Filtering the display of PCB items

Use the Filters command to define criteria to filter items on the PCB assembly. You can use the Filters dialog box to define multiple criteria at one time. After you apply the criteria, any unwanted PCB items are hidden and you see only the filtered items in the assembly.

Note:

The filtered data within the assembly carries over to the next session. To display all items within the assembly, you can clear the options and click Apply.

Using PathFinder in QY CAD PCB Collaboration

When working in QY CAD PCB Collaboration, you can use QY CAD PCB Collaboration PathFinder to help you view the PCB items available in the PCB assembly. QY CAD PCB Collaboration PathFinder displays in alphabetical order a collection of items that includes boards, components, cutouts, holes, and keep outs.

When you select an item entry in QY CAD PCB Collaboration PathFinder, the item is selected in the graphic area and vice versa.

You can right-click an item in the QY CAD PCB Collaboration PathFinder to display the Properties command so you can view and edit properties for that item.

Reject harness design updates ECAD Collaborator command

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