PCB 3D Print Settings

Modified by Jason Howie on Mar 17, 2015
Contents
Other Related Resources
View Configurations - Physical Materials (Dialog)

Parent page: WorkspaceManager Dialogs

The PCB 3D Print Settings dialog.

Summary

This dialog allows the designer to define settings when generating a print of the board in 3D.

Access

The dialog is accessed in the following ways:

  • With the PCB 3D Print entry selected on the Default Prints tab of the Options for PCB Project dialog, click the Configure button.
  • Click the Configure control associated to the PCB 3D Print entry, in the Generate output files dialog (Project | Project Actions | ).
  • If the PCB 3D Print output type is the default print for the PCB editor:
    • Use the Outputs | Documentation | Print » Page Setup command, then click the Advanced button in the PCB 3D Print Properties dialog that presents.
    • Use the Outputs | Documentation | Print » Print Preview command, then right-click in the main previewing window, and choose the Configuration command from the context menu.

Options/Controls

Render Resolution

Use this region of the dialog to specify the quality of the "picture" of the 3D model to be printed, in terms of a rendering resolution. Supported resolutions are 75 DPI, 150 DPI, and 300 DPI.

The available resolutions are not printer dependent.

View to Print

Use this region of the dialog to select the view of the board to be printed. Choose from the following supported options:

  • Entire Board From Above - choose this option to print the 3D view of the board looking directly down from above the board (camera perpective perpendicular to the board).
  • Entire Board From Below - choose this option to print the 3D view of the board looking directly up from below the board (camera perpective perpendicular to the board).
  • Custom - choose this option, and click the Take Current Camera Position button, to print the 3D view of the board as it is currently displayed in the PCB editor.
If you make a change to the orientation of the board in the 3D workspace, you will need to access the dialog and click the Take Current Camera Position button again, to update the print configuration.
By using the Custom view option, you can ultimately print out views of the board from differing perspectives.

View Configuration

Click the Take Current View Configuration button in this region of the dialog, to apply the current workspace view configuration for surface colors, visibility and opacity, and board thickness.

The view configuration settings are defined on the Physical Materials tab of the View Configurations dialog (access this tab by pressing L while viewing the board in 3D).
If you make a change to the 3D view configuration, you will need to access the dialog and click the Take Current View Configuration button again, to update the print configuration.

Preview

This region of the dialog presents a preview of what will be printed. It will dynamically update as changes are made in the View to Print and/or View Configuration regions of the dialog.

 

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