After measuring determining the dimensions of the original assembly, I modeled a replacement with a type-C USB connector in SolidWorks. Maintaining the original placement of the mounting pins ensures compatibility with the original case and main circuit board. This involved drawing the front face, the cutout for the type-C connector, the left and right supports, followed by the posts and top/bottom mounting pins, plus beveling, extruding, and cutting, where appropriate. Finally, a cutout was added for the circuit board to slide into.
Next, I designed a circuit board that interfaces between the type-C USB connector, and the flat flex cable (FFC) that connects to the main circuit board, using Autodesk EAGLE. This is necessary because although the type-C USB connector is electrically backwards-compatible with the original micro-B USB connector, additional components are required to signal USB 2.0 operation mode, instead of USB 3.0/3.1 operation mode, which uses additional signals and pins on the type-C connector.
Subsequently, I exported a 3D model of the circuit board from EAGLE, and imported it as a part into my connector assembly using SolidWorks CircuitWorks. Likewise, I also imported manufacturer models for the type-C USB connector and FFC connector. This allowed me to verify that my CAD model is consistent, without interference between sub-components.
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