MCAD

Creating strong links between the electrical and mechanical design domains is a leading enabler of digitalization.

Collaboration across the electrical and mechanical domains leverages more tightly integrated and highly featured tools with richer data formats for greater accuracy and shorter time-to-market.

Complexity and the increasing use of thermal analysis software by non-expert designers demands new approaches for chip and PCB implementations.

MCAD integration provides the means for designers to test the mechanical compatibility of a PCB design – for cooling performance as well as whether the layout will fit into an enclosure without problems.

New tools and standards encourage communication between the electrical and mechanical domains, says Pawel Chadzynski. Most major electronics companies have separate electrical (ECAD) and mechanical (MCAD) design organizations. Efficient collaboration between these teams throughout the PCB design process can significantly reduce cycle times, lower the risk of re-spins, and improve quality. The first challenge to […]

In May 2008, the ProSTEP iViP Association released an agreed data schema and communication protocol to enhance collaboration between electrical and mechanical CAD tools (ProSTEP iViP Recommendation ECAD/MCAD, PSI 5). The article sets out the need for the new standards and how they deliver greater design effi ciencies than existing technologies, such as the IDF […]