Altium Designer = Setting PCB Origin

[n7188u]

Dear Forum Members,

I am using AD9. I imported a STEP board and now I need to accurately set the board origin. I tried Edit>Origin>Set but I can't snap the origin to any feature in the board. Is there a way to place a reference point in the board that snaps to an edge or corner and then place the origin at a specific X,Y coordinate from that point?

Regards,
Chris

 

[loosemoose]

i think you use the command place 3D Body to place the step model. you can set the origin of the step model when you place it. on the bottom left hand side there is a "snap points" option.
just click add and it will add one at the origin of the model. then you can move the step model with this origin to where you need it to be.

 

[n7188u]

Sorry I didn't reply earlier. I think I am beginning to understand how Altium PCB definition works. I noticed that once you create the PCB shape form the STEP, the step model is not really linked to the PCB shape anymore. You can move the 3D model of the STEP around and nothing happens to the PCB shape. With that understanding, I gave up about trying to snap anything to the STEP model in order to locate the origin and I proceeded to create primitives from the board shape. Then I used these to snap the PCB origin in the spot I wanted.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[androm]

May I ask what's the point in importing just a board (not a board housing) as a step model? If you're dealing with some complex shape it can be done with .dwg or .dxf file.

Regards, androm

 

[loosemoose]

Altium is not too friendly with MCAD interaction.
However there is a training video you can watch. It shows the flow between Solidworks and Altium.