3D visualization for clearance check in PCB Design - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a PCB design engineer working on a new circuit board layout.

📋 Request: Your manager wants you to ensure that all components on the PCB have proper clearance to avoid electrical shorts or mechanical interference. They ask for a 3D visualization report that highlights any clearance issues.

📊 Data: You have a dataset containing the 3D coordinates and dimensions of all components placed on the PCB, including their height, width, depth, and position (X, Y, Z).

🎯 Deliverable: Create a 3D visualization dashboard that shows the PCB layout with components and highlights any areas where clearance rules are violated.

Sample Data

Component	X (mm)	Y (mm)	Z (mm)	Width (mm)	Depth (mm)	Height (mm)	Min Clearance (mm)
U1	10	15	0	5	5	2	1
R1	14	15	0	2	1	0.5	1
C1	20	10	0	3	3	1.5	1
U2	12	18	0	6	6	2.5	1
L1	25	15	0	4	4	3	1
D1	18	12	0	2	2	1	1
Q1	11	14	0	3	3	1.8	1
J1	30	20	0	5	5	2	1

1

Step 1: Import the component placement data into your PCB design software or BI tool that supports 3D visualization.

Load the table with columns: Component, X, Y, Z, Width, Depth, Height, Min Clearance.

Expected Result

All components are visible in the workspace with their 3D positions and sizes.

2

Step 2: Create 3D models for each component using their Width, Depth, and Height at their X, Y, Z coordinates.

For each component, draw a 3D box starting at (X, Y, Z) with dimensions Width x Depth x Height.

Expected Result

3D boxes representing each component appear in correct positions and sizes.

3

Step 3: Calculate the distance between each pair of components to check if the clearance is less than the minimum required.

For each pair (CompA, CompB), calculate the shortest distance between their 3D boxes edges. If distance < max(CompA.Min Clearance, CompB.Min Clearance), mark as clearance violation.

Expected Result

Pairs of components with clearance violations are identified.

4

Step 4: Highlight components or areas where clearance violations occur in the 3D visualization using a red color or warning symbol.

Apply red color or overlay warning icon on components involved in clearance violations.

Expected Result

Clearance issues are visually distinct and easy to spot on the 3D model.

5

Step 5: Add interactive controls to rotate, zoom, and pan the 3D visualization for better inspection.

Enable mouse or touch controls for 3D navigation in the visualization tool.

Expected Result

User can explore the PCB layout from different angles to examine clearance.

6

Step 6: Create a summary report listing all clearance violations with component names and measured distances.

Generate a table with columns: Component A, Component B, Measured Clearance (mm), Required Clearance (mm), Violation (Yes/No).

Expected Result

Report clearly shows which component pairs violate clearance rules.

Final Result

U1

↓

U2

↓

L1

✓Components U1 and Q1 are too close, violating the minimum clearance of 1 mm.

✓Components Q1 and R1 also violate clearance rules.

✓All other components meet the clearance requirements.

✓3D visualization helps quickly identify and locate clearance issues.

Bonus Challenge

Add a feature to automatically suggest new positions for components with clearance violations to fix the issues.

Show Hint

Use an algorithm to move components slightly away from each other along the shortest path until clearance is met.