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

ryan_mcgoldrick

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,

Aaron_Magnin

@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. 

EvanReese

I'm so so so into this! it's a big deal for us too.

Aaron_Magnin

Hey @ryan_mcgoldrick, you know us well, so you know by now that we don't often divulge intel on future capabilities & developments. With something like this --which would involve outside teams-- that would only serve to complicate matters further. That said, our non-binding non-answer to this is that we're definitely interested in improving data exchange with ECAD vendors.

We hear ya. We'd love to make this happen. Stay tuned.

ryan_mcgoldrick

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_Magnin

@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_Sartorio

We can agree with the question.

We miss this function very much!

We hope that there will be a connection in the future. 

Eugen

Me too....  would be great to be able updating assemblies with electronic components created in Altium.

Aaron_Magnin

We hear ya, @René_Sartorio & @Eugen

Kilian_Dolan

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_Smith

Also throwing my support behind this

blefroy_exs

And me

EvanReese

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.

Jascha_Wilcox

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.

robroy

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. Did I say please?

René_Sartorio

@Evan_ReeseHave you had any experience with the Onshape PCB Studio? Is it usable for everyday work?  

shopno_nil

Evan_Reese said:

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.

EvanReese

René_Sartorio said:

@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.

C_Meade

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).

jtedeschi

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.

EvanReese

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

ctayles

Looking forward to it @Evan_Reese and @jtedeschi!

Sten_Velschow

René_Sartorio said:

@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.

S1mon

@Sten_Velschow

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

blefroy_exs

I'm also waiting for this Altium - Onshape link expectantly - we will certainly use it at my company

bjørn_magnus_kristiansen636

The biggest dealbreaker at our company is the lack of Altium integration. I am lobbying for us to transition from Solidworks to Onshape, but there is skepticism since we heavily rely on the ECAD/MCAD collaboration through Altium.