New in CoDesigner

Altium's MCAD CoDesigner technology connects the mechanical and electrical design domains, allowing the mechanical and electronic engineers to pass the loaded PCB back and forth between the two domains.

In your Altium design software, this is achieved through an extension that loads and extracts board and component data from the PCB editor, the MCAD CoDesigner extension. In the MCAD software the Altium CoDesigner Add-in performs the same function, loading and extracting board and component data from the MCAD software.

The ECAD and the MCAD software pass design changes through an Altium Workspace, which can be hosted in the cloud on Altium 365, or on your company network using an Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server. The Workspace acts as a bridge, with both the ECAD and MCAD software connecting to it. The Workspace holds the board and component data, allowing the ECAD and MCAD engineers to continue to work autonomously, Pulling and Pushing their changes when they are ready.

  • The updates are listed in reverse order on this page - you'll find the latest updates at the top of the page.

  • The videos on this page demonstrate CoDesigner features using Altium Designer. The process of CoDesigning between other Altium design clients and your MCAD software is essentially the same.

  • For the latest announcements and engaging conversation, head on over to the MCAD CoDesigner forum.

  • Refer to the note in the right-hand pane for information on which features will be available in your installation of MCAD CoDesigner.

Supported Versions

CoDesigner is under continuous development, this page outlines the changes made in each version. Because the CoDesigner extension and Add-ins can be updated separately from the update cycle of your Altium design software, this page also includes information about supported versions of Altium software, as well as the supported versions of MCAD software.

Download and install the version of the Add-in you require for your MCAD software from the MCAD CoDesigner Plugins section on the Altium Downloads page.


New in CoDesigner 3.13.0

 
 
 
 
 

Released: 5 September 2025 – Version 3.13.0

Feature Highlights

Support for Harness Cables which include Twisted Pairs

In ECAD, a twisted pair is considered to be a cable, which can then be included with other twisted pairs within a larger cable. Because some MCAD tools do not support this type of cable-in-cable structure, MCAD CoDesigner now transfers the wires in a twisted pair as individual wires. Each wire has the twist properties applied, ensuring that their length is correct.

Twisted pairs are supported by transferring the pair as individual wires, with the twist properties applied. Twisted pairs are supported by transferring the pair as individual wires, with the twist properties applied.

Option to exclude the PCB Route Tool Path in MCAD

While the route tool path is essential for fabrication it is often not required during MCAD design, when the mechanical engineer needs to focus on fitting the board into the product enclosure. To support this, the Altium CoDesigner Settings dialog now includes the Build Route Tool Path checkbox, configure this as required. Note the Route Tool Path is always pushed from ECAD, this option controls if it is pulled into MCAD.

Typically, you will leave the option off, so that MCAD CoDesigner does not include the Route Tool Path during pull into MCAD.   

Choose if the Route Tool Path is to be included in the pull into MCAD.Choose if the Route Tool Path is to be included in the pull into MCAD.

Support for PTC Creo v12

Support for PTC Creo v12 has been added in the 3.13 update to Altium MCAD CoDesigner.

Altium MCAD CoDesigner now supports PTC Creo V12 (image courtesy of PTC).Altium MCAD CoDesigner now supports PTC Creo V12 (image courtesy of PTC).

Support for Autodesk Inventor 2026

Support for Autodesk Inventor 2026 has been added in the 3.13 update to Altium MCAD CoDesigner.

Altium MCAD CoDesigner now supports Autodesk Inventor 2026 (image courtesy of Autodesk).Altium MCAD CoDesigner now supports Autodesk Inventor 2026 (image courtesy of Autodesk).

Support for Siemens NX 2506

Support for Siemens NX 2506 has been added in the 3.13 update to Altium MCAD CoDesigner.

Versions Supported by CoDesigner 3.13.0

  • Altium Designer 24.8 (or higher) with MCAD CoDesigner extension version 3.13.0.2437

    • CoDesigner 3.3 is the latest version available for Altium NEXUS Client.

  • CoDesigner 2.10 is the latest version available for Altium CircuitMaker.

This update has been tested on the following MCAD platforms and Add-in versions:

 
 
 
 
 
MCAD Version MCAD Add-In Version
Autodesk Fusion® (Note 1) 3.13.0.2
Autodesk Inventor Professional® - version 2024 3.13.0.2
Autodesk Inventor Professional® - versions 2025, 2026 3.13.0.2
Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS® - versions 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 3.13.0.2
PTC Creo Parametric® - 9.X, 10.X, 11.X, 12.X 3.13.0.2
Siemens NX® - version 2206<2212 (Note 2) 3.13.0.2
Siemens NX® - version 2212<2312 (Note 2) 3.13.0.2
Siemens NX® - version 2312-2506 (Note 2) 3.13.0.2

Notes:

  1. Altium CircuitMaker only supports Autodesk Fusion.

  2. Siemens NX is only available to designers as part of an Altium Enterprise Solution. From MCAD CoDesigner 3.8 onwards, there are multiple versions of the installer for MCAD CoDesigner for Siemens NX, to suit different versions of the Siemens NX software. These installers all install identical versions of MCAD CoDesigner, they differ only in their detection of the currently installed version of Siemens NX. For MCAD CoDesigner 3.7 and older there is a single installer, and after installation of MCAD CoDesigner Siemens NX may show a warning when launched that the difference between the current version and the signed version is too great. This warning can be ignored, your installation of MCAD CoDesigner will function correctly. Alternatively, the Show Warning when Loading option in the Customer Defaults dialog in Siemens NX, can be disabled ().


New in CoDesigner 3.12.0

Released: 11 June 2025 – Version 3.12.0 Hot Fix for Siemens NX (MCAD Add-ins version change)
Released: 26 May 2025 – Version 3.12.0


New in CoDesigner 3.11.0

Released: 11 March 2025 – Version 3.11.0


New in CoDesigner 3.10.0

Released: 4 December 2024 – Version 3.10.0 Hot Fix for SOLIDWORKS
Released: 6 November 2024 – Version 3.10.0


New in CoDesigner 3.9.0

Released: 21 August 2024 – Version 3.9.0 Hot Fix (MCAD CoDesigner extension change to version 3.9.0.2208)
Released: 8 August 2024 – Version 3.9.0 Hot Fix for Autodesk Inventor

Released: 24 July 2024 – Version 3.9.0


New in CoDesigner 3.8.0

Released: 18 April 2024 – Version 3.8.0


New in CoDesigner 3.7.0

Released: 7 February 2024 – Version 3.7.0 Hot Fix for Autodesk Fusion
Released: 26 January 2024 – Version 3.7.0 Hot Fix (MCAD CoDesigner extension change to version 3.7.0.2033)
Released: 17 January 2024 – Version 3.7.0


New in CoDesigner 3.6.0

Released: 2 November 2023 – Version 3.6.0


New in CoDesigner 3.5.0

Released: 17 August 2023 – Version 3.5.0 – Hot Fix (no change to Altium Designer CoD extension)
Released: 27 July 2023 – Version 3.5.0


New in CoDesigner 3.4.0

Released: 29 May 2023 – Version 3.4.0.1859 – Hot Fix for GovCloud
Released: 10 April 2023 – Version 3.4.0.1792 – Hot Fix

Released: 23 March 2023 – Version 3.4.0


New in CoDesigner 3.3.0

Released: 21 December 2022 – Version 3.3.0

There are no new features included in this release.


New in CoDesigner 3.2.0

Released: 17 November 2022 – Version 3.2.0


New in CoDesigner 3.1.0

Released: 4 October 2022 – Version 3.1.0


New in CoDesigner 3.0.0

Released: 18 July 2022 – Version 3.0.0


New in CoDesigner 2.x

Released: 22 May 2020 (Version 2.0.3) – 25 May 2022 (Version 2.10.0)

Learn more about the updates in the MCAD CoDesigner 2.x releases.

 

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機能の可用性

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