3D VISUALISATION TOOL

MODEL CUSTOMISATION
Overview
It is likely that the most important change that you might want to make is to customize the
appearance of the footprints appearing in the viewer. The good news here is that we have done
most of the work by including 3D models across the range of pre-supplied libraries, meaning the
only customization required is for footprints that you have created yourself. We have also taken
pains to make it easy to create your own 3D model information from within ARES and provided an
import facility should you prefer to work inside a foreign 3D graphics package. Finally, a basic
silkscreen extrusion algorithm is used where no 3D information is supplied in order that some
(hopefully sensible) view is presented regardless.

Applying 3D Data to Existing Designs

When you invoke the 3D Viewer command on a layout you have created in an older version of the
software or containing footprints that you have created yourself you will see that some (or most!) of
the 3D footprints are colored red. This indicates that a 3D model is not present for a given footprint
and that a simple extrusion of the silkscreen has been used to provide basic 3D capabilities.
If the board has been created in an older version (pre Version 7) of the software you can
automatically apply the 3D model data to the board via the ‘Update Visual Models’ command on
the File menu in the 3D Viewer. This action will do the following:
1) Apply 3D data from the library parts to the footprints in the ARES Layout.
2) Import the layout back into the 3D Viewer.
3) Refresh the 3D Viewer to display the new footprint models.

Applying Visual Data from the Libraries to a Legacy Layout

Naturally, this affects only those parts for which 3D models exist in the libraries (all pre-supplied
footprints and any custom footprints for which you have created 3D models). Parts which have no
3D data associated with them will still appear in red and you must create a 3D model for them as
detailed below.
Creating 3D Models inside ARES
3D information is stored within the package and we must therefore work inside ARES rather than
inside the 3D viewer when creating 3D models for custom footprints. Fortunately, ARES comes
equipped with a live 3D preview, allowing you to visualize the model and see the effects of
changes you make as you go along. To start work on a 3D model for a footprint simply right place
the part on the layout and then right click on it, selecting 3D Visualisation from the resulting
context menu. You should then be presented with a dialogue form consisting of a text box (for the
script entry) and a window on the right showing the current, extrusion only, preview of the part.
 Invoking the 3D Visualisation Command in ARES.
Note that there are five buttons along the top of the preview window – these allow you to fix the 3D
model at a given position and are often useful when scripting. Also note that the silkscreen graphic
is shown together with the drill holes, allowing you to accurately specify height clearance and pin
dimensions.
The idea now is that we type in parameters according to the type of package in order that our 3D
footprint more accurately reflects a real world device. Clearly the type of model depends entirely on
the dimensions of a physical part so we’ve summarized the information below.
Body Type EXTRUDED (default)
This method, used in the default case where no TYPE property has been specified, attempts to
form a closed polygon from a graphic on a particular layer, and then extrudes that polygon in the Z
dimension. Should there be no closed polygon type extruded behaves in the same way as
TYPE=NONE (detailed below), although additional processing is done to determine this case.
The LAYER property can be used to override which board layer is used to form the basis of the
closed polygon, where the following values are available:
SILK MECH1 MECH2 MECH3
MECH4 KEEPOUT OCCUPANCY
The default for the layer property the silk screen layer.
The following standard properties are also available:
COLOUR R,G,B value for the colour of the body.
MINHEIGHT Specifies the height of the bottom of the body from the top of the board.
MAXHEIGHT Specifies the height of the top of the body from the top of the board.
X Specifies the X-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
Y Specifies the Y-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
ANGLE The angle of the body relative to the packages angle (e.g. ANGLE=45)
Assignment of properties in the script block is made in the normal way:
<property>=<value>
with the exception of the colour property which is assigned as:
COLOUR=(r,g,b)
Body Type NONE
Setting this body type removes both the body and the pins, leaving a simple hole in the board.
TYPE=NONE
However if you require a JUMPER for example then you can add the parameter
PINTYPE=STRAIGHT which will redraw the pins. For more information, please see the subsequent
section on Pin Types.
Body Type CUBOID
The following details the provided properties for a cuboid body type:
TYPE Sets the body type (CUBOID in this case).
COLOUR R,G,B value for the colour of the body.
MINHEIGHT Specifies the height of the bottom of the body from the top of the board.
MAXHEIGHT Specifies the height of the top of the body from the top of the board.
X Specifies the X-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
Y Specifies the Y-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
SX Specifies the size of the width of the cube
SY Specifies the size of the length of the cube
ANGLE The angle of the body relative to the packages angle (e.g. ANGLE=45)
Examples of this type include the PRE-HMT, PRE-MT0.75, PRE-MT1.25 and the PRE-HMIN
footprints in our libraries. If you select and place one of these parts and then invoke the 3D
Visualisation command from the context menu (as above) you should see that the following
properties have been added:
TYPE=CUBOID
MINHEIGHT=1mm
MAXHEIGHT=5mm
COLOUR=(20,20,20)
X=6.5mm
Y=1mm
SX=20mm
SY=5mm
This duly produces a 3D cuboid as shown in the preview window. Adjusting values will live update
the preview window, allowing you to quickly customize to your requirements.

The PRE-HMT part with 3D Visualisation Data Applied.

Body Type AXIALCYLIDER
The following details the provided properties for a axial-cylinder body type:
 TYPE Sets the body type (AXIALCYLINDER in this case).
COLOUR R,G,B value for the colour of the body.
MAXHEIGHT Specifies the height of the top of the body from the top of the board.
X Specifies the X-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
Y Specifies the Y-axis distance of the origin of the body to the origin of the
board graphic
LENGTH Sets the length of the cylinder
ANGLE The angle of the body relative to the packages angle (e.g. ANGLE=45)
RADIUS Controls the radius of the cylinder about the cylinders axis.
BAND Sets the position and colour of the resistance bands
The final two parameters are worthy of further discussion as they allow provide considerable depth
of control and also enable automatic colour coding of resistor bands for example.
The RADIUS Property
The RADIUS property is of the form:
RADIUS=P1,P2,P3,P4
Where:
P1 Controls the vertical radius of the cylinder.
P2 Controls the horizontal radius of the cylinder.
P3 Controls the depth of the radius towards the cylinders axis.
P4 Controls the depth of the radius along the cylinders axis
Essentially, the first two parameters allow for the production of elliptical bodies and the second two
parameters extend the functionality to allow for the creation of torpedo shapes.

Note that it is not necessary to supply all four parameters if the desired shape does not
require them. The default for the first radius parameter is a small nominal value such that the
cylinder is visible. The default for the second radius parameter is to take the value of the first
radius parameter. The default for the third radius parameter is zero. The default for the fourth
radius parameter is to take the same value as the third
The BAND Property
The BAND property is of the form:
BANDx=P1,P2,(r,g,b)
Where x can be a number from 1 to 9 (up to 9 bands permissible) and:
P1 The starting point of the band along the axist of the cylinder (as a percentage of
the cylinder size.
P2 The end point of the band along the axis of the cylinder (as a percentage of the
cylinder size)
RGB The colour value of the band. If omitted, the default colour will be calculated from
the components value field, allowing for automatic colour coding of resistors etc.
The vast majority of resistors in our libraries are created in this way. If, for example, you pick a
RES40 from the libraries and invoke the 3D Visualisation command from the right click context
menu you should see that the following properties have been added:
TYPE=AXIALCYLINDER
MAXHEIGHT=2
LENGTH=0.2in
RADIUS=0.027in,0.027in,0.2mm,0.2mm
X=0.2in
Y=0.0in
COLOUR=(128,64,64)
 BAND1=20,25
BAND2=30,35
BAND3=40,45
BAND4=50,55
BAND5=80,85
In particular, note that no colour parameter has been specified for the bands as we want the 3D
viewer to calculate the colour codes for us depending on the value of the resistor. What we are
saying is that BAND1 starts 20% along the cylinder and stops 25% of the way along, BAND2 starts
30% of the way along and stops at 35% of the way along, etc. etc.

The RES40 package with 3D visualization data applied

The calculation of the colour band values only takes place when the 3D Viewer is invoked on
a board. Feel free to try this, first editing the RES40 and setting a value and then invoking the
3D Viewer from the Output Menu.
Pin Types
Having customized the body type it is sometimes also necessary to change the pin type for the 3D
model.
There are seven styles of pins available for use as follows:
NONE STRAIGHT BENTWIRE SMTZ
SMTJ SMTB CUBOID

Straight Bentwire

SMTJ SMTZ
 SMTB CUBOID

The default pin type in a given situation is dependant on the pad style in ARES and also on
whether the pad is below the footprints 3D body.
For through hole pads, the default pin style is BENTWIRE unless the pin is under the package body
or there is no package to attach to, in which case the default becomes STRAIGHT. For surface
mount pads, the pin style is SMTZ unless the pad is below the package body or there is no
package to attach to, in which case the default becomes SMTJ.
These defaults tend to work well but if need be you can assign a specific pin type in the normal
way. i.e. PINTYPE=xxxxxx. Additional properties that can be applied to pins are detailed below:
PINCOLOUR R,G,B value for the colour of the pin.
PINMAX This indicates the highest extent of the pin from the surface of the
board and is used by all pin types.
PINMIN This indicates the lower extent of the pin from the surface of the
board. For through pins this will likely be a negative value, for
surface mount it is likely to be zero.
PINDIAMETER For STRAIGHT and BENTWIRE pins, this controls the diameter of the
pin. For SMTB it controls the diameter of the hemisphere.
PINLENGTH For SMTJ and SMTZ this controls the length of the base of the pin.
PINTHICKNESS For SMTJ and SMTZ this controls the thickness of the pin.
PINWIDTH For SMTJ and SMTZ this controls how width of the pin.
PINMOVE This moves the pins closer or further away from the boundary of the
package body by the fixed amount specified.

Importing 3D Models from another Package

Models can be imported into the 3D Viewer via the following simple procedure:
To use a 3D model created in another package:
1) Export the model from your package as a single object in the 3DS file format.
2) Place the 3DS file in the library directory of your Proteus installation.
Place the footprint in ARES and select the 3D Visualisation option from the resulting context menu.
3) The following properties must then be added:
TYPE=MODEL
FILE=<filename>.3ds
NAME=<objectname>
SCALE=<scale><units>
Note that the file extension (.3ds) must be included in the FILE property
The 3D Viewer operates is terms of numbers and not in terms of physical dimensions. You
must therefore specify what size a single unit is. This is typically 1mm, 1in, 1cm etc.
Finally, it is possible that the model may require an X or Y offset to position it correctly. You can
therefore adjust the position via the following properties:
X= <x-offset><units>
Y= <y-offset><units>
For example, a DIP40 that was created in a 3D package might have the following script entered in
the 3D Visualisation dialogue form:
TYPE=MODEL
NAME=DIP40_600
FILE=DIP600.3DS
SCALE=1in
Guidelines for Model Creation in another Package
The key to any good 3D model is sufficient detail that it looks correct from the distance the user is
likely to use, while at the same time keeping the number of polygons that make up the 3D model
low enough that the display generation and update will be reasonably fast.
A classic example of where the above two criteria conflict is in a cylinder: the number of facets
that make up the approximation of a cylinder has to be such that the stepping is not obvious,
whilst at the same time too many facets will quickly produce a high polygon count that could
quickly swamp the rendering pipeline's processing resources, this problem can be further
compounded when the 3D model in question is merely a small radial capacitor that no one would
even notice missing or is perhaps obscured by other components.
Based on the above, here are some simple guidelines for creating a good quality 3D component.
1) Give the model sufficient detail that the object is representative of the component and that the
user would be able to identify the approximate type of component, though not necessarily the
specific component.
2) Use as few polygons as you can get away with: if you model has twice as many polygons as is
required your model will be twiceas slow to draw, this is not normally a problem for one
component but if you have PCB with 50 of them on you may get problems.
3) One of the areas where excessive polygons occur is on smoothed non planar shapes: curves.
The trick here is, where possible, to use smoothing, this causes a face to look curved without
actually having to be curved.
4) Keep an eye on the number of vertices and faces in a model, if they are hitting the thousands
and it is not a particularly complex part, you are likely making the model excessively detailed or
wasting polygons.
5) Do not be afraid of hand editing the results that are produced by the 3D editing package's own
algorithms, often they do not produce optimal results.
6) The import routine assumes a model is a single object in the *.3DS file, it is quite possible that
you will have to merge multiple objects to create a final object. You will also have to name that
object appropriately.