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When can we expect MCAD CoDesigner from Altium to be integrated with Onshape?

ryan_mcgoldrickryan_mcgoldrick Member Posts: 66 ✭✭✭
PTC Creo already has this integration, as do Solidworks.

It would be very useful for our workflow with electrical team and possibly save the need for many drawings and 3D releases between teams to ensure correct component positioning.

Is this being worked on?

Is there a timeline for when this might be integrated?

The need for using this is arising and teams are requesting we revert to Solidworks so that we can use this workflow for Electrical/Mechanical work.

Thanks,

Best Answer

  • Aaron_MagninAaron_Magnin Member, Onshape Employees Posts: 114
    Answer ✓
    @ryan_mcgoldrick Glad I didn't disappoint. Thanks much for sharing your thoughts, and I can assure you the people you wanted to see this post, DID see the post. 

Answers

  • Evan_ReeseEvan_Reese Member Posts: 2,060 PRO
    I'm so so so into this! it's a big deal for us too.
    Evan Reese / Principal and Industrial Designer with Ovyl
    Website: ovyl.io
  • ryan_mcgoldrickryan_mcgoldrick Member Posts: 66 ✭✭✭
    Haha, ;) I ask these questions knowing this is the kind of response I will likely get, but hope it shows that others are interested too, or may help move things along in the queue of improvements.

    I'm optimistic that this will come soon from shared knowledge over at Creo team. Although expect it has its own challenges for Onshape.

    it would help a lot, and our electrical team keep pushing us to use solidworks for this workflow.
  • Aaron_MagninAaron_Magnin Member, Onshape Employees Posts: 114
    Answer ✓
    @ryan_mcgoldrick Glad I didn't disappoint. Thanks much for sharing your thoughts, and I can assure you the people you wanted to see this post, DID see the post. 
  • René_SartorioRené_Sartorio Member Posts: 58 PRO
    We can agree with the question.
    We miss this function very much!
    We hope that there will be a connection in the future. 
  • EugenEugen Member Posts: 18 PRO
    Me too....  would be great to be able updating assemblies with electronic components created in Altium.
  • Aaron_MagninAaron_Magnin Member, Onshape Employees Posts: 114
    We hear ya, @René_Sartorio & @Eugen
  • Kilian_DolanKilian_Dolan Member Posts: 2
    Hey, I know you're working on it but also just came here from googling when it's going to happen, so I'd like to throw my hat in and support this
  • Daniel_SmithDaniel_Smith Member Posts: 2 PRO
    Also throwing my support behind this
  • blefroy_exsblefroy_exs Member Posts: 9
    And me
  • Evan_ReeseEvan_Reese Member Posts: 2,060 PRO
    And me again. PCB Studio doesn't seem all that close to being a solution yet. No offense meant to those working on it. I recognize a lot of work has gone into it, and I hope to see it refined.
    Evan Reese / Principal and Industrial Designer with Ovyl
    Website: ovyl.io
  • Jascha_WilcoxJascha_Wilcox Member Posts: 3 PRO
    This is becoming a pretty big friction point for us. We also do not view PCB Studio as a solution over an Altium co-design integration.
  • robroyrobroy OS Professional Posts: 2 PRO
    Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. Did I say please?

  • René_SartorioRené_Sartorio Member Posts: 58 PRO
    @Evan_ReeseHave you had any experience with the Onshape PCB Studio? Is it usable for everyday work?  
  • shopno_nilshopno_nil Member Posts: 1
    And me again. PCB Studio doesn't seem all that close to being a solution yet. No offense meant to those working on it. I recognize a lot of work has gone into it, and I hope to see it refined.

    I thank your thoughts about PCB Studio. It's understandable that solutions take time, and your appreciation for the team's efforts is meaningful. I'm looking forward to further improvements.

  • Evan_ReeseEvan_Reese Member Posts: 2,060 PRO
    @Evan_ReeseHave you had any experience with the Onshape PCB Studio? Is it usable for everyday work?  
    I've taken a few runs at it, including along side some Onshape staff, and wasn't able to get it working for what we needed. I've not checked back in a number of months though.
    Evan Reese / Principal and Industrial Designer with Ovyl
    Website: ovyl.io
  • C_MeadeC_Meade Member, HON-TS Posts: 4 PRO
    I have been told that Altium is not clear how many customers are interested in an integration ala MCAD CoDesigner with Onshape. Where you have contacts at Altium, recommend to tell them that this connector is really important for you. The more voices that express the need, the more they will be motivated to work on this (and conversely if nobody asks it won't happen).
  • jtedeschijtedeschi Member Posts: 2 PRO
    edited December 2023
    Good morning everyone, I'm Jay Tedeschi, Product Manager for PCB Studio. I wanted to let you know that we are currently jointly developing a direct link between Altium 365 and Onshape, the goal of which is to provide the equivalent functionality of CoDesigner, that being bi-directional exchange of ECAD data, without the restrictions and limitations of the file based, Windows only, MCAD CoDesigner. As this will be facilitated via the cloud, we will be able to access Altium’s native data, rather than relying on an interchange format like IDF/IDX. This also means that if desired, users will be able to import 3D component models from Altium to create even more realistic board assemblies. There is still a lot of work to do, but we are hopeful that we will be able to get the initial release to customers sometime in the new year.
  • Evan_ReeseEvan_Reese Member Posts: 2,060 PRO
    jtedeschi said:
    Good morning everyone, I'm Jay Tedeschi, Product Manager for PCB Studio. I wanted to let you know that we are currently jointly developing a direct link between Altium 365 and Onshape, the goal of which is to provide the equivalent functionality of CoDesigner, that being bi-directional exchange of ECAD data, without the restrictions and limitations of the file based, Windows only, MCAD CoDesigner. As this will be facilitated via the cloud, we will be able to access Altium’s native data, rather than relying on an interchange format like IDF/IDX. This also means that if desired, users will be able to import 3D component models from Altium to create even more realistic board assemblies. There is still a lot of work to do, but we are hopeful that we will be able to get the initial release to customers sometime in the new year.
    This is FANTASTIC news! Thanks, Jay
    Evan Reese / Principal and Industrial Designer with Ovyl
    Website: ovyl.io
  • ctaylesctayles Member Posts: 1 PRO
    edited January 4
    Looking forward to it @Evan_Reese and @jtedeschi! :smile:
  • Sten_VelschowSten_Velschow Member Posts: 6 PRO
    @Evan_ReeseHave you had any experience with the Onshape PCB Studio? Is it usable for everyday work?  
    I have tried using it, but my PCB design relies on splines for the outline, and PCB studio only accepts PCB shapes based on simple lines and circles (!!)
    So for designing a PCB in any shape beyond the rectangular or circular it will not help at all.
    Hopefully Onshape is working on fixing this, because otherwise the tool is rather useless IMO.
  • S1monS1mon Member Posts: 2,321 PRO
    @Sten_Velschow

    Wow. Good to know. That's embarrassing. I haven't had restrictions like that with dealing with PCBs since the 1990's.
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