(9) 3D PDF output
1.3D PDF output
Altium Designer 19 has a 3D output function, which can directly output the 3D effect of PCB to PDF.
'(1) Open the PCB file with the 3D model, execute the "File" → "Export" → "PDF3D" command in the menu bar, select the save path of the exported file, and the Export 3D setting dialog box will pop up, keep the default, click Click the Export button and wait for the software to export PDF 3D, as shown in the figure.
(2) Open the exported 3D PDF file with Adobe Acrobat DC software, as shown in Figure 1-347. This 3D PDF is physically connected, supports editing, and can be rotated. On the left side of the PDF, you can select the parameters to be viewed, such as Silk, Components, etc.
Note: The exported PDF 3D needs to be opened with a PDF software that can view 3D, otherwise the 3D effect cannot be seen.
2. Make PCB 3D video
To provide more engaging and useful board documentation, Altium Designer provides the ability to generate PCB 3D video documentation, allowing users to obtain detailed information on specific objects, such as the folding process of a rigid-flex board. The content of PCB 3D video is a series of continuous snapshots of PCB (3D) boards, called key frames. In each keyframe sequence, users can adjust the magnification, angle and rotation direction of each frame.
The steps to make a PCB 3D video are as follows:
(1) Press shortcut key 3 to switch PCB to 3D mode, click the Panels button in the lower right corner, select PCB 3D MovieEditor, and open the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel, as shown in the figure. The panel is mainly divided into the following three areas:
①3D video management area: used to add and delete videos, and can create any number of videos.
② Define keyframe sequence area: In this area, new keyframes can be added, and existing keyframes can be updated according to changes made to the 3D panel display in the workspace.
③ Control area: Provide controls for playing the selected video directly in the PCB workspace to realize the playback control of the video. Note:
①All configuration information of 3D video is stored in the PCB file, that is, each PCB has a corresponding 3D video list.
② Only in 3D mode can the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel be edited. In 2D mode, a warning will be prompted, as shown in the figure.
(2) Add new video. Click the New button in the video management area, or press the shortcut key Ctrl+N to add and name a new video.
(3) Define the key frame sequence. The video is actually composed of frames one by one, so the user needs to define each frame of the video. In 3D mode, in the PCB panel, rotate or adjust the PCB board to what the user wants to present, and then switch to the Key Frame list in the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel to add, as shown in the figure.
Note:
① The Name option can be used to modify the name of the key frame. The default name of the software is Key Frame, Key Frame 1, etc.
②Duration(s) is used to set the playback duration of the key frame, the software defaults to 3.0s, and the user can customize 0.0~100.0s.
③By clicking the ^ and v buttons, you can adjust the order of the keyframes.
④ The fixed time of the initial key frame customized by the software lasts for 0.0s, and the user cannot delete the initial key frame, and cannot add a new key frame above it.
⑤ If modifying the key frame, after adjusting the screen, click the [key Frame button, select Update to update and modify, or press the shortcut key Ctrl+A.
(4) Video playback preview. After adding and setting keyframes, the resulting video can be previewed directly in the design workspace. Click the button in the control area to play the video.
Note:
①The video must have at least two frames to play.
② button: used to rewind the movie back to the initial key frame; button: jump to the beginning of the previous key frame in the sequence. Button Payoff: Jumps to the beginning of the next keyframe in the sequence.
③ Interpolation settings. The interpolation style used to create a seamless flow between one keyframe and the next, and the rate at which frames are played. Altium Designer can use two types of interpolation, with the option to switch between the two, as shown.
●Key Frame to Key Frame: Linear interpolation between key frames - using a spherical linear interpolation algorithm between key frames will result in a slowdown at the end of each frame.
.Velocity between Key Frame: Uniform interpolation between key frames - use the quadratic spline interpolation algorithm between key frames to subdivide the range of rotation to make it less than 90 degrees. The result is speed-steady, more perfect keyframe-to-keyframe changes that don't produce significant slowdowns between frames. The default frame rate for playback within the PCB editor is 25 frames per second. The total number of frames used in the video depends on the duration set for each keyframe. Use Frame Rate to increase or decrease this rate as needed. Frame rate can be any value from 1~50.
(5) Output 3D video files. The PCB 3D video output is a configurable part of the Output job and can be generated using multimedia output media.
① Press the shortcut key F+N+U to add an Output job file to the project file.
② Add a multimedia output medium to the Output job file, as shown in the figure
③ Configure 3D video output. Double-click PCB 3D Video to set the corresponding display effect of the video, as shown in the figure.
: Click this button to toggle the display of the board shadow effect.
: Click this button to open the View Configuration dialog where you can adjust the look and feel of the board and change any settings for the 3D body and general 3D model as shown.
④ Select the output container for 3D video, as shown in the figure.
⑤ Set the output container. You can click the "Change" button in the Video "Output Container" to open the Video settings dialog box, as shown in the figure, and set it according to your needs.
⑥ After the settings are completed, you can click the "Generate Content" button in the "Output Container", and the video will be output to the Project Outputs for... folder under the project file, the effect is shown in the figure.
