Hello,
is there a possibility to export the 3D board with the 3D component as .wrl or .step file? So I can import in FreeCad or some other CAD programms.
You can export as VRML, or better still as IDF. MCAD users will prefer IDF to VRML. If you’re using Linux and can build KiCad then you can also build one of my tools currently in development and generate an IGES solid model from the IDF file:
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But the IDF exporter of KiCad export only the Board without the parts. If I want to build that board in somewhere I would like to look if al is good and if the connectors are on the right position.
Nothing will guarantee that connectors etc are in the right position even if VRML might give you such an illusion. Correct location and orientation of any 3D model is something which you need to verify carefully. As an example, in the older KiCad footprint and VRML model libraries the reference position was always the centroid of the part but now the thru-hole parts such as DIL packages have their reference at Pin 1; the default orientation has also changed. So to use the newer models you need to specify a different offset and orientation angle for the board to look right; however this does not affect the placement file data at all if you generate a position file from KiCad.
If you want to do a mechanical fit check then using IDF will be better than VRML since you will create your own IDF component models and can check to make sure the orientations etc. are correct. The VRML models are of various quality and some obviously have incorrect sizes - after all many are modeled by a human using Wings3D rather than using software which imposes rigid control of the dimensions. With the older VRML models and the pic_programmer demo for example, 2 of the DIP-8 packages collide.
I have attached a sample of the pic_programmer demo IDF files including the script which created the IDF components; it is not difficult to use the tool but you do need to spend time to learn to use it. A VRML file created by the idf2vrml tool is also included so you can see what the IDF model will look like when imported by MCAD software.
The existing VRML export code does include the VRML models and the output unit choices (in, mm, m) make it easier to import into MCAD systems.
pic_programmer.tar.bz2 (227.0 KB)
But when I open your .emn file with freecad, I see only a board with some wire components on it:
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I made a screenshot from my board were I added a connector from molex:
It should look like this, but as 3D model.
Ah, now I understand. Unfortunately FreeCAD’s IDF importer is defective. I wrote to the FreeCAD devs more than a year ago and was told no one is interested in maintaining the FreeCAD IDF importer and that if anyone complains they would be happy to simply delete the importer from the project. However if you can build the software I have a tool which will convert IDF to IGES and FreeCAD loads the IGES model without problems. Well, there is a minor problem: FreeCAD ignores the color attributes. The thread about the tool is here:
I found jet a method to do that I want: It is a plugin for Freecad which name is “Freecad-Pcb”. There you can import the KiCad Pcb and connect all footprints with the 3D Models.
Thanks, I’ll try that out as well; it will save me running a second computer with SolidWorks just to see the colors in the IGES assemblies I’m generating.