Published on Online Documentation for Altium Products (

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1 Published on Online Documentation for Altium Products ( Home > SnapSTEPModel Using Altium Documentation Modified by Jason Howie on Apr 11, 2017 Parent page: PCB Commands The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available: Add Snap Points from Vertices Applied Parameters: SnapType=CreateSnapVertex This command is used to add Snap Points to vertices of a chosen 3D Body, when viewing the current board/footprint in 3D. Snap points are used as reference markers on 3D objects and can be useful when orienting or aligning the 3D Body with primitives, or other snap points on the PCB (or PCB 2D Footprint). Snap points can be added to any 3D Body, irrespective of model type - extruded, cylinder, sphere, linked/embedded models (STEP, Parasolid, SOLIDWORKS), or a 3D Model Item referenced from an Altium Vault. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Add Snap Points From Vertices command, from the main menus. select the 3D model to which you wish to add snap points. The procedure for adding snap points is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model of interest and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed).

2 2. Pick the vertex where a snap point will be added. Move the 3D cursor over the surface of the 3D model. When coming within close proximity of a local vertex, the 3D cursor will be magnetically pulled to that vertex. With the 3D cursor over a vertex, click, or press Enter, to place a snap point. 3. Continue placing additional snap points as required, or right-click, or press Esc, to exit. Press Spacebar to enter mid-point mode, which places a snap point at the mid-point between two selected vertices. Tips 1. The snap points added to the chosen model will appear listed in the Snap Points region of the associated 3D Body dialog. 2. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and 3. The color of the snap points is based on the Selections system color. If you need to see them more clearly, change the color in the System Colors region, on the Board Layers and Colors tab of the View Configurations dialog (press L when viewing the board in 2D, to quickly access this tab). Bear in mind that any changes to system colors affect all PCB documents. Remove Snap Points Applied Parameters: SnapType=RemoveSnap This command is used to remove Snap Points from vertices of a chosen 3D Body, when viewing the current board/footprint in 3D. Snap points are used as reference markers on 3D objects and can be useful when orienting or aligning the 3D Body with primitives, or other snap points on the PCB (or PCB 2D Footprint). Snap points can be added to, and therefore also removed from, any 3D Body, irrespective of model type - extruded, cylinder, sphere, linked/embedded models (STEP, Parasolid, SOLIDWORKS), or a 3D Model Item referenced from an Altium Vault. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Remove Snap Points command, from the main menus.

3 select the 3D model from which you wish to remove snap points. The procedure for removing snap points is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model of interest and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed). 2. Move the 3D cursor over the surface of the 3D model. The 3D cursor will only move between existing snap points. With the 3D cursor over a snap point, click, or press Enter, to remove that snap point. 3. Continue removing further snap points as required, or right-click, or press Esc, to exit. Tips 1. The snap points remaining for the chosen model will appear listed in the Snap Points region of the associated 3D Body dialog. 2. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and 3. The color of the snap points is based on the Selections system color. If you need to see them more clearly, change the color in the System Colors region, on the Board Layers and Colors tab of the View Configurations dialog (press L when viewing the board in 2D, to quickly access this tab). Bear in mind that any changes to system colors affect all PCB documents. Orient and Align 3D Body Applied Parameters: SnapType=Full This command is used to align a 3D Body with the PCB (e.g. the mechanical housing/enclosure), or 2D footprint, when viewing the current board/footprint in 3D. It uses 6 points to perform its function; three points selected on the 3D model and then three corresponding points picked on the board/footprint. This technique does not necessarily require snap points to have been placed, since any vertex on the 3D model can be used. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Orient And Position 3D Body command, from the main menus.

4 select the 3D model that you wish to position. The procedure for placement is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model of interest and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed), and you will be prompted to select points on the 3D model. Press the Tab key to access the Choose Selectable Points dialog, from where you can opt to use vertices and/or snap points when choosing a point on the 3D model. 2. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the main anchor point. This is the 3D model anchor point, which will be used to intersect precisely with the board/footprint anchor point. 3. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the second anchor point. This is the 3D model alignment point. This point is used in conjunction with the previous one to calculate an alignment line that passes through both points. 4. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the third anchor point. This is the 3D model plane point. This point is used in conjunction with the previous two to calculate a plane that passes through all three points. 5. The cursor will now change to appear as two blue cones (selection mode), and you will be prompted to select points on the board/footprint. 6. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to define the main anchor point's destination. This is the destination point for the 3D model's main anchor point when the body is repositioned. 7. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to define the second anchor point's destination. This point is used in conjunction with the previous one to calculate an alignment line that passes through both points. The line of alignment on the board/footprint will align with the line of the alignment on the 3D model once it is repositioned. 8. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to define the third anchor point's destination. This point is used in conjunction with the previous two to calculate a plane that passes through all three points. The board plane and 3D model plane will be one and the same, once the 3D model is repositioned. 9. After the third destination point is chosen for the board/footprint, the 3D model will be repositioned accordingly. Tips 1. This feature will not work with extruded 3D models, since that model type has no 3-dimensional rotation support. 2. Resulting rotation values and standoff height will be reflected for the chosen 3D Body, after the move, in the associated 3D Body dialog. These can be adjusted to fine-tune placement as required. 3. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and Position 3D Body

5 Applied Parameters: SnapType=MoveOnly This command is used to align a 3D Body with the PCB (e.g. the mechanical housing/enclosure), or 2D footprint, when viewing the current board/footprint in 3D. It uses 2 points to perform its function; one selected on the 3D model and then one corresponding point picked on the board/footprint. This technique does not necessarily require a snap point to have been placed, since any vertex on the 3D model can be used. Note that this command repositions the 3D Body using a lateral translation only. No rotations will be performed as only two points are used in the translation. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Position 3D Body command, from the main menus. select the 3D model that you wish to position. The procedure for placement is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model of interest and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed), and you will be prompted to select a point on the 3D model. Press the Tab key to access the Choose Selectable Points dialog, from where you can opt to use vertices and/or snap points when choosing a point on the 3D model. 2. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the main anchor point. This is the 3D model anchor point, which will be used to intersect precisely with the board/footprint anchor point. 3. The cursor will now change to appear as two blue cones (selection mode), and you will be prompted to select a point on the board/footprint. 4. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to define the main anchor point's destination. This is the destination point for the 3D model's main anchor point when the body is repositioned. 5. After the destination point is chosen for the board/footprint, the 3D model will be repositioned accordingly.

6 Tips 1. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and Set Body Height Applied Parameters: SnapType=VertexHeight This command is used to adjust the height of a chosen 3D Body relative to the top surface of the board/2d footprint. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Set Body Height command, from the main menus. select the 3D model that you wish to position. The procedure for placement is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model of interest and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed), and you will be prompted to select a point on the 3D model. Press the Tab key to access the Choose Selectable Points dialog, from where you can opt to use vertices and/or snap points when choosing a point on the 3D model. 2. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the point whose height above the board/footprint is to be set. 3. the Choose Height Above Board Top Surface dialog that appears, to specify the height required for the nominated point on the 3D model, in relation to the top surface of the board/footprint. Select Board Surface, to have that point flush with the surface (0 height), or enter a custom height as required. With the latter, enter a positive value to raise the 3D model above the board/footprint surface, or a negative value to lower it below the board/footprint surface. 4. Click OK - the 3D model will be repositioned in the Z-plane accordingly.

7 Tips 1. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and Measure Distances Applied Parameters: SnapType=MeasureSnap This command is used to measure distances between two points on the same chosen 3D Body, or between points bewteen two different 3D bodies. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Measure Distances command, from the main menus. select the 3D model that you wish to position. The procedure for placement is as follows: 1. Position the cursor over the 3D model that you wish to measure from and click, or press Enter. The cursor will change to the 3D positional cursor (blue, six-pointed), and you will be prompted to select a point on the 3D model. Press the Tab key to access the Choose Selectable Points dialog, from where you can opt to use vertices and/or snap points when choosing a point on the 3D model. 2. Move the 3D cursor over a vertex, or snap point, and click, or press Enter, to define the starting point for the measurement. 3. Move the 3D cursor over a second vertex, or snap point, on the same 3D model and click, or press Enter, to define the end point for the measurement. Alternatively, click on a second, different 3D model, and choose a vertex, or snap point on that second model to use as the end point for the measurement. In either case, as you move the cursor to choose the end point, a measurement line extends from the chosen start point. 4. An information dialog appears showing the point-to-point distance, as well as component distances for X-plane, Y-plane, and Z-plane, in both metric and imperial units. 5. Continue to measure further distances, or right-click, or press Esc, to exit.

8 Tips 1. The color of the measurement line is based on the Selections system color. If you need to see it more clearly, change the color in the System Colors region, on the Board Layers and Colors tab of the View Configurations dialog (press L when viewing the board in 2D, to quickly access this tab). Bear in mind that any changes to system colors affect all PCB documents. 2. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and Align Face with Board Applied Parameters: SnapType=OrientFace This command is used to position a chosen 3D Body, so that its selected face is aligned with the surface of the board/2d footprint. choosing the Tools» 3D Body Placement» Align Face With Board command, from the main menus. select the 3D model that you wish to align. The procedure for placement is as follows: Position the cursor over the 3D model that you wish to align and click, or press Enter. The model will become transparent. Move the cursor over the 3D model to locate a face. Where a flat surface is found under the cursor, it will become opaque with a thin blue border. Once the appropriate face has been found, click, or press Enter - the selected face will be aligned with the surface of the board/footprint. Tips 1. Only a flat (planar) surface can be used for alignment. 2. The surface of the board/footprint (top or bottom) that is referenced, is determined by the Body Side setting in the 3D Body dialog for the 3D model. 3. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and

9 Define from 3D Body Applied Parameters: SnapType=BOARDOUTLINE_FROM_FACE This command is used to define the board shape from a selected face of a 3D Body in the workspace. This command is accessed from the PCB Editor - in 3D Layout Mode - by choosing the Design» Board Shape» Define from 3D body command, from the main menus. First, ensure that you are viewing the board in 3D (use the 3 keyboard shortcut to quickly change to this mode, if not). select the 3D model that you wish to use. The procedure is as follows: Position the cursor over the 3D model that you wish to use in generating the board shape for the PCB and click, or press Enter. The model will become transparent. Move the cursor over the 3D model to locate a face. Where a flat surface is found under the cursor, it will become opaque with a thin blue border. Once the appropriate face has been found, click, or press Enter - the new board shape will be created (replacing the previously defined board shape in the workspace). Only surfaces aligned with the X-Y plane of the existing board shape can be used to create the new board shape from. If you select a model surface that requires alignment in the X-Y plane, you will be asked, via a Confirmation dialog, to align - to the top or bottom surface of the board - before you can continue. In this case, after alignment is performed, you will need to run the Define from 3D body command again. 4. A dialog will appear confirming successful creation. This dialog gives you the opportunity to hide the model part and disable it from DRC checking. If it is kept, you have options with which to vertically position the model, using the selected face, in relation to either the top or bottom surface of the board. Tips 1. Only a flat (planar) surface can be used to define the board shape. 2. Generic model support includes STEP (*.Stp and *.Step), Parasolid (*.x_t and *.x_b), and

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