Presentation-ready visuals from Altium Designer 3D PCB views.
Altium Designer is PCB design software with a PCB editor that can display an assembled board in 3D. Its 3D Layout Mode helps electronics teams inspect component bodies, board form, connector placement, and relevant mechanical context. That engineering view can also be a useful starting point for explaining a hardware concept to people who do not work from layers, nets, or fabrication data.
Altium Designer is PCB design software with a PCB editor that can display an assembled board in 3D. Its 3D Layout Mode helps electronics teams inspect component bodies, board form, connector placement, and relevant mechanical context. That engineering view can also be a useful starting point for explaining a hardware concept to people who do not work from layers, nets, or fabrication data.
Use Altium Designer's 3D Layout Mode when the physical character of an approved PCB needs to be communicated beyond traces and layer data. A clear view can show a connector edge, display board, power module, dense assembly, or board positioned against a relevant enclosure or bracket. Where the footprints include 3D bodies, the view can make component height and overall arrangement easier to discuss with product, marketing, documentation, or procurement stakeholders.
Set up a view that focuses on the story: show the useful side of the assembly, crop away unrelated detail, and select orthographic projection for an uncluttered explanatory view or perspective for a more product-like composition. Send that fixed viewport capture to RENDERCAD to create a polished visual for a design review deck, product brief, datasheet concept, launch planning, or internal hardware update. The result is best treated as communication artwork, not as an engineering record. Keep component selection, placement, clearances, enclosure fit, dimensions, and manufacturing release decisions in the Altium project and its controlled outputs.
Open the PCB document in Altium Designer and switch the PCB editor to 3D Layout Mode. Confirm that the component 3D bodies needed for the conversation are visible, then rotate and zoom to a useful fixed angle. Altium Designer supports both orthographic and perspective projection, so choose the former when the board needs a straightforward explanatory view and the latter when the image should feel more spatial. Include only meaningful enclosure or mechanical context.
Create a source image from the 3D view using a screen capture or the PCB editor's 3D image export. Upload that image to RENDERCAD and direct the presentation toward an appropriate background, lighting, shadow treatment, and composition. Review the finished visual against the approved Altium view before using it externally. Do not use a generated image to validate clearances, identify components, communicate tolerances, or replace fabrication, assembly, or release documentation. For automated image workflows, consult the developer documentation.
Modeled by CADSharp in Onshape. Rendered with RENDERCAD.
Add | Change | or Remove referenced objects with the stroke of a brush.
RENDERCAD uses a maintained selection of image-generation models for different rendering tasks. Results can vary by model and input, so compare generated output with the source design before relying on geometry, materials, or dimensions.
| Feature | RENDERCAD | Competitor |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Generative AI | Varies by tool |
| Output | Images + Video | Varies by tool |
| Resolution | HD / 4K | Varies by workflow |
| Image Speed | Image renders complete in 60 seconds. | Varies by scene/tool |
| Video Speed | Videos complete in 2-5 minutes. | Varies by workflow |
| Scene Set Up | No separate local scene | Varies by workflow |
| Input | Screen Snip | Varies by tool |
| Hardware | Cloud GPU | Often local GPU/CPU |
| Install | None | Varies (web or app) |
| Cost | from $9/mo | Varies widely |
Read the numbers. We trust you to know theirs.
Skip a separate local scene build. Pick a condition, material, and background while RENDERCAD handles the image-generation step. Image renders complete in 60 seconds.
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RENDERCAD™
Use the browser workflow directly, capture a selected view with the desktop app, or start from the browser extension.
Get StartedCommon solutions for Altium Designer users
RENDERCAD can place a clear viewport capture into a described lifestyle environment, such as a kitchen or office, and produce options for review.
The screenshot workflow uses image inputs, presets, and plain-language direction. Teams should still review generated output with the appropriate designer or product owner.
Use a condition preset or regional instruction to explore dust, scratches, or age. Generated wear patterns do not predict real product use.
A supported browser can submit a clear 2D input without a local rendering GPU.
The current desktop app or browser extension can capture a selected view and send the screenshot into RENDERCAD without a CAD rendering plugin.
Completed renders retain their associated references in Render History. Use the re-render workflow to load a previous setup, then review the references and instructions before generating again.
Select the glass or transparent components with a mask. Apply glass-specific prompts to the masked area while treating opaque parts differently.
A reference can communicate palette, material, lighting, or composition more directly than text alone. Generated results still require review and may need additional iterations.
Capture a clear view and describe the intended glow color, brightness, and surrounding light spill. Review the generated image because bloom and illumination can vary.
Upload a clear image, choose the Realistic engine, and describe a large soft light source or overcast lighting. Generated shadows are visual approximations, not a physical lighting calculation.
Videos complete in 2-5 minutes.
No local NVIDIA rendering GPU is required. Use a supported browser to upload an image or a current capture tool to select a screenshot; generation runs on cloud infrastructure.