Viewer Provides 3D Perspective On PC Board Designs

A detailed three-dimensional view of a finished printed circuit board is provided by 3D PCB Viewer, an add-in server product for the firm's Protel 99 design tools. The viewer is integrated directly within the Protel 99 Design Explorer and uses sophisticated component modeling technology to present an accurate 3D view of the boards.Once installed within Protel 99, the viewer is invoked by selecting a menu item. The software opens a new window to show the fully- or partially-routed pc board as a rendered, highly detailed 3D image. Full rotational and zoom controls enable users to view the board from any angle. Additional controls allow layers and components to be selectively removed from view. Highlighting of specific nets is also supported, as is printing in three different modes (draft, normal and proof). The viewer uses a built-in component classification system, which is based on a component's designator and footprint, to automatically select an appropriate component model.