3D PCB STEP missing sections of 3D part model

[craigarno]

I have a switch in my design which is missing a piece used for mechanical stabilizing when installed on the PCB.

Here is a view of the STEP file using an external STEP viewer:

and here is the same part STEP file 3D image from the Footprint Editor:

Here is a STEP image exported from the PCB Editor missing the stabilizer foot.

Another minor observation is that all copper, like mounting hole plating is missing from the rendering. This may or may not be related to this problem.

Any idea why this necessary mounting feature is missing from the PCB STEP Export? This omission is giving our mechanical CAD guy fits while he looks for other mechanical issues!

Here are the files used to build the KiCad library entries.
300SP1J1BLKM6QE.IntLib (22 KB)
300SP1J1BLKM6QE.lib (1002 Bytes)
300SP1J1BLKM6QE.step (439.0 KB)
SW_300SP1J1BLKM6QE.kicad_mod (2.9 KB)

Application: KiCad x64 on x64

Version: 7.0.10, release build

Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.2.4
FreeType 2.12.1
HarfBuzz 8.2.1
FontConfig 2.14.2
libcurl/8.4.0-DEV Schannel zlib/1.3

Platform: Windows 11 (build 22631), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW

Build Info:
Date: Dec 28 2023 21:18:15
wxWidgets: 3.2.4 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.83.0
OCC: 7.7.1
Curl: 8.4.0-DEV
ngspice: 41
Compiler: Visual C++ 1936 without C++ ABI

Build settings:
KICAD_SPICE=ON

[marekr]

Have you tried opening just the component step file directly in solidworks to see if it’s correct?

[BlackCoffee]

Step files/models are excellent but, user(s) need to understand how to work with them with respect to implementation in different Software. And, the STEP’s have different characteristics depending on the Exporter-Code and how/what’s selected for Export.

Best to do a Boolean operation on them such as Fuse or Compound.

I Compounded your STEP file (using FreeCAD). Result image below and here’s the componded STEP file… I did Not bother to Color it.

Compound_Step.step (423.2 KB)

Here, I amused myself and Colored it for you…

Compound_Step_Colored.step (436.6 KB)

[craigarno]

Yeah, maybe I like your colored version better…

Short version, false alarm, KiCad is doing what it’s supposed to, though I still wonder abut missing copper features.

I liked your idea of checking STEP files using other tools, wasted most of my morning trying to track this down. Every other tool I used showed a good STEP file.

Then I received this sheepish message, “Thanks for pointing out the tripod – it DOES exist in the STEP file. It’s missing in my Solidworks-part because I accidentally deleted that feature while removing all the caps and resistors.”

I think we have our answer, -not- KiCad’s fault, problem lies elsewhere.

[marekr]

@craigarno

I liked your idea of checking STEP files using other tools, wasted most of my morning trying to track this down. Every other tool I used showed a good STEP file.

Solidworks is unique in that it deduplicates STEP imports using logic as simple as “these two solids have the same label, they clearly must be the same part, just erase one”

[Claudio.Lorini]

@BlackCoffee

Here, I amused myself and Colored it for you…

Hey BlackCoffee, i’ve got more! where can i send it to you?

what do you use to do the coloring? is FreeCad enough? i’m getting fed up with gray stuff popping up on my boards and sooner or later i want to get some paint bucket and start decorating my libraries…

[BlackCoffee]

@Claudio.Lorini

what do you use to do the coloring?

Usually I use FreeCAD. For Kicad specific parts, I created Resistors, Cap, Wires and use my Colorizer App.

At that YouTube video above, Click the “more…” in description to see the link to the App. Near the end of it, I demo how to use a non-user created STEP file and color it.

Also, here’s a link to a Kicad post that may help if you want to install it on Linux/Windows

[paulvdh]

@Claudio.Lorini

Hey BlackCoffee, i’ve got more! where can i send it to you?

Quote:

• On the other hand. If there is a 3D model you can’t find (or if you just want color or pitch changes), ask and I will try to make it.

Source:

Tired of searching for basic 3D CAD Models? - Page 1