We exclude tools from Mentor Graphics, Cadence, and Altium because of their cost. Freeware programs with 3D, such as DesignSpark and KiCAD, are way too basic and lack 3D STEP export, so that leaves us with DipTrace, EAGLE, maybe Target 3001, or Easy-PC. This EDA/CAD software has a built-in real-time 3D preview module with STEP and VRML export capabilities out of the box. The 3D Preview module is somewhat similar to the Altium’s 3D, but a little more basic without single-layer display modes and cross-sectional views. DipTrace exports a 3D board model with all components installed into the STEP file, just like Altium Designer. This provides reasonably hassle-free integration with MCAD packages. VRML exporting is great for demonstration, but I've found it rarely used for any practical engineering tasks.ĭipTrace comes with a standard 3D model library, which developers offer for free. Usually, a component footprint is linked with a 3D model. If not, then program automatically searches the standard library when launching a 3D preview users can adjust the search tolerance settings and search folders. However, the standard library itself is not that big, which is why I often end up with blank footprints on the board in 3D. Notice that you can not specify the height of the footprint directly in DipTrace (like I used to do when dealing with blank footprints in Altium) to generate a simple square or rectangle shape for rough-estimate visualization.
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