Altium has introduced a 3D design tool which allows designers fit boards into enclosures in real time.

Based on the company’s earlier PCB visualisation technology, it is now possible to link to external STEP models from within Altium Designer to bring, for example, the model of the casing into the PCB design environment.

By using the non-proprietary STEP 3D file format as a mechanism, it allows for ECAD-MCAD collaboration without requiring organisations to purchase costly integration add-ons or use a specific mechanical CAD package.

The complete board design can also be output as a STEP model for use by the mechanical designer.

See http://www.altium.com