Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/255022
30 The PCB Magazine • February 2014 as well as other mechanical features that fully utilize the available 3D real estate. MCAD fea- tures such as cross-section views and interfer- ence checks help ensure that there will not be any future fit issues when prototypes are built. Keith Richman, president of Simplified Solutions, said: Generating a virtual 3D representation of PCB geometry within MCAD tools has historically been a time consuming task. Intermediate Data Format (IDF) has been around for 20+ years, but in the ear- lier days of IDF, the labor involved to create 3D PCB representations was time consuming and costly. In THE INTERNET OF THINGS DRIvES NEw PCB DESIGN APPROACH continues 2014, many tools are available to help expedite the 3D PCB process. Manufacturers and online services now provide 3D STEP models that can help popu- late a 3D PCB. In addition, some solutions contain integrated 3D component libraries that allow the 3D geometry task to be completed in just hours. 3D printer technology can then be utilized to generate a geometric 3D representation of PCB geometry prior to the more expensive manufacture of PCB proto- types. Speaking of component libraries, the amount of information needed on thousands of different components threatens to over- whelm even the most organised professional. Figure 2: Schematic of the arduino mega 2560 reference design.