3D Models & FreeCAD

Ubuntu is a good start. It probably accounts for the majority of users who worry about using the latest stable release because they are doing real work with Freecad

Hi!

First of all thanks for your great kicad StepUp tools @maui

I’am fairly new to kicad and freecad but I was able to do some freecad models, create .wrl and .step files after some experimenting and adding the models to kicad.
This process worked perfect for my custom models but I have difficulties converting with the existing .wrl to .step files, they seem to be empty.

I was running FreeCAD-0.16.6706 with kicad_StepUp_tools_v5017. After reading this thread I changed today to FreeCAD_0.17.11104 with kicad_StepUp_tools_v5019.

Unfortunately the StepUp export does not even produce a .step fiel in this combination… I guess I might miss a configuration/setting or something. I still have the release 0.16 installed with 0.17 unzipped to a separate folder. StepUp FCMacro is in “C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro”. Actually all the StepUp functions do not work… Any hints/ideas what I’m doing wrong here?

I could not find a newer FreeCAD 0.16 release with the fix yet…
Any proven working FreeCAD / SetpUp version configurations for .wrl to .step export?

Thanks and regards
techanic

I didn’t understood your problem, but technical you should not convert WRL to STEP. (I am wondering if this is possible…)
WRL and STEP are two different formats that do not represent the same thing.

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Never ever do wrl to step.
In case you haven’t seen it the official 3d models have been overhauled with scripted step and wrl models. Also I would suggest to have a look at the generators if you are trying to make something from a standard package.
Any specific model you need?

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Thanks @kammutierspule and @Shack for pointing me in the right direction… I was not aware that it’s the wrong approach :frowning: I was missing step models for some of the official 3d models in 0.16 so I thought I could just convert them with StepUp tools.
Have to read up on new models / script approach first.

You shouldn’t have any problem with ksu in both configuration…

this is correct, the procedure to have a VRML model for kicad is starting from a 3D model or a STEP file and from this export the wrl model.
You shouldn’t start with a VRML 3D library and try to convert VRML to STEP, but do the opposite:
start your 3D library in STEP and then convert STEP to VRML for using these 3D in kicad…
kicad StepUp can convert STEP to VRML in a most compatible way for kicad and also can convert/assembly your kicad pcb to STEP model
If you start using 3D parts coming from STEP or FC model, your part will be mechanical accurate and your VRML will be a copy of that… the opposite way will not give accurate mechanical models…
the path from wrl to STEP is not useful / feasible, you will get a very bad STEP model coming from a tessellate model (VRML is a lot of triangles representing the outer surface of the component)
The only way is from a mechanical model STEP to a VRML model

look at here for some tips
preferred-method-to-create-3d-models – github.com/KiCad/packages3D

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added all the parameters for Axial THT caps using cadQuery


and made a script to generate the rect capacitors :slight_smile:

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Just finished my endeavor (*) of LED SMD 5630 and SMD 5730 packages and footprints to come up with something that works for my future uses of these things.
The 3D packages are kept generic to the most common details/features I could find over a variety of these via google/datasheets.
I hope you will find them useful:

LED_SMD_5630.stp (190.8 KB)
LED_SMD_5730.stp (228.3 KB)
LED_SMD_5630.wrl (79.2 KB)
LED_SMD_5730.wrl (182.6 KB)

*)

  • the ‘polarity marker’ on 5630 depicts pin #3 and on 5730 the anode
  • pin numbering for 5630 goes top right #1, bottom right #2, top left #3, bottom left #4
  • the thermal slug/pad at the bottom of the housing for 5630 sometimes is connected with the anode, sometimes with the cathode
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Hey @jkriege2

I have made some changes to you 3dscript for the caps so it can output parameters for the CadQuery script this works really well for the MKS script :slight_smile:


next step is to add support for the MKT package.
do you want to keep the current kind of model? I think Im more use to the ones looking like this, but I dont really have any preference:

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@jkriege2 @Rene_Poschl @maui doesnt anybody have any objections if I go with the newer white/yellow body for MKT?

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I would guess that each manufacturer has slightly different colors anyway. So i do not really care about the exact color. (As long as the measurements are correct, i’m happy.)

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The current models are made like this kind

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The new you linked is fine for me too :slight_smile:

Please use the original style: The MKT footprints were specifically made for such devices that do not have a box that extends over the pins to the outside (one might argue whether MKT/MKS is then the correct naming convention, but that’s what the symbols represent!!!):

If that is the case Ill go with the original type.
And then we can have a look at the other type sometime in the future

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the generator for the MKT caps are done and the params are exported from the foorprint script :slight_smile:
Cant figure out if the fillet looks off though


EDIT: familly photo

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looks very nice, although I would not round the edges … if you look at one of these caps, they usually have sharp edges

Best,
JAN

Fixed it :slight_smile: will hopefully have time to make a PR later today

I miss the old Mullard licorice allsort capacitors

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