Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Zuken | Subject: Cadstar Platinum 3D
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 02 February 2005
Package adds a new dimension to PCB
design
A new package offers a novel solution for applications that require advanced PCB design with 3D functionality.
Zuken is now offering a novel solution for applications that require advanced PCB design with 3D functionality - Cadstar Platinum 3D The first package of its kind to be launched into the global marketplace combines leading edge desktop PCB design capabilities, while ensuring industry leading integration via MCAD standards including ACIS, STL, SAT, Step AP203 and AP214
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 6 Nov 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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3D package adds extra dimension to PCB design
Zuken has released Cadstar 3D, a novel desktop solution for combined 3D validation of electrical and mechanical designs.
This package is a combination of Cadstar Platinum, the company's most popular Windows based solution that includes the industry leading interactive routing solution PREditor XR 2000 and verification tool Cadstar 3D.
Incorporating features such as unlimited components and layers, with a 3D environment, allows the user to view the board as a whole, while adhering to both electrical and mechanical design rules without having to access the parent design system.
The enhanced version of the desktop design suite, that forms the basis of Cadstar Platinum, combines a complete tool set required for PCB design.
Further reading
Dedicated design for radial PCBs
Cadstar Radial Design is a single-environment solution for the design of radial PCBs, based on Zuken's Cadstar suite of PCB design tools and the company's high speed Route Editor.
PCB CAD parts library saves reinventing wheels
Zuken has made the Cadstar parts library for PCB design solution available online, enabling designers to access symbols, footprints and parts information instantly from any location.
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Zuken has a half price upgrade offer to the full version of Cadstar 5.0 Gold Plus to existing Cadstar DOS users.
Including library tools on CD and online, along with schematic capture that allows easy up-front design capabilities working hand-in-hand with other functions of the design suite.
Also included is the PREditor XR2000 place and route editing tool, created to meet the most demanding design requirements of today.
As the leading routing solution currently in the marketplace, it provides ultimate control over component placing and routing processes with the options of fully automatic or easy-to-use interactivity.
Additional benefits include, push aside of components and tracks, automatic copper pouring, track necking and fattening to automatically produce the maximum possible copper widths on specified nets, and true error free single track and auto-completing interactive routing achieved using Activ-45, the latest 45 degree routing algorithms.
Cadstar 3D bridges the gap between the PCB designer's requirements and mechanical constraints on product design.
It has the ability to allow the user to place, rotate and swap components in a 3D environment, while simplifying design processes with direct importing and exporting functionality.
This allows board outline changes coming from MCAD to be automatically transferred back to the PCB layout.
In the case of complex board outlines, an IDF or DXF file is no longer required as design rule checks within the tool identify potential collisions between objects on the PCB and between the PCB and enclosures.
Integration and compatibility with other design environments provides highly effective checking and visualisation, removing the need for physical prototypes and design iterations at the mechanical stage.
This is achieved through combined validation of electrical and mechanical designs, eliminating mechanical clashes early in the design process, therefore reducing time required to achieve an optimum end product.
Users of this package can also benefit from upgrades recently made to the 3D solution - Cadstar 3D 4.4.
The increase in Windows style functions, performance advancements such as 100 times faster STL file importing, and the reduction of design file sizes by approximately 10% has enhanced both functionality and performance.
Advancements have also been made in versatility and simplicity, with custom views, new commands for grouping and ungrouping geometrical objects, and automatic selection of entities for DRC and collision check functions.
Adding to these benefits, keepout volumes can now be viewed in a semi-transparent format.
Tight integration and intelligent data flow between ECAD and MCAD of the 3D facility, combined with the advanced design capabilities of the Platinum solution provides the ultimate package for PCB design. Request a free brochure from Zuken ...
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