Specifically Hirose DM3AT-SF-PEJM5. I have downloaded other step files and converted in FreeCAD, but this one does not work. Looks fine in FreeCAD. Export to wrml and also .obj for testing. Does not show up in KiCAD or in Wings. Ie the file imports into Wings but nothing is visible. Any ideas?
That little thing on the left is a SO8-PowerPak at the origin (where KiCAD expects it)… the hirose part is the one on the right (imported into FreeCAD directly from that stp file, no changes made).
For it to ‘appear’ you need to adjust it’s alignment to the footprint… by a lot.
[Edit] It’s off by ~165mm in X and ~155mm in Y direction in FreeCAD.
Yes, thanks. By several inch in fact. I take it there is no easy way to drag a model in 3D to get the proper coordinates?
2 solutions (at least)…
-
install @maui 's StepUP plugin/extension for FreeCAD and set it up so that you can align the 3d model with the footprint StepUP get’s from KiCAD (should be perfect).
-
load this stp model besides the hirose connector (it’s center is at KiCADs origin) and align the hirose connector with it to the origin (not perfect):
_TEST_10MM.stp (155.2 KB)
PS: by linking @maui like I did he will take notice and probably chime in within the next 24-48 hours 
PPS: coordinate modifications in FreeCAD for solution 2 are made like this:
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OK. I guess I will have to become more proficient in FreeCad… Sigh .)
I managed #2, ie to pull the Hirose on top of the test thingy, then I deleted said thingy and exported. The resulting image does not show up anywhere 
Hi @AndersG
if you would like to have a try at kicad StepUp
the tools are just a FreeCAD Macro and the main purposes are:
- help in aligning a 3D model to footprint
- easily generate 3D wrl and STEP models kicad compliant and aligned to kicad footprint
- convert kicad pcb and parts to FreeCAD and STEP model just loading the kicad_pcb directly in FreeCAD
there are two video tutorial at youtube
aligning 3D model to kicad footprint
export kicad pcb and parts to STEP
or directly downloadable from source forge
KicadStepUp-Align-export-STEP-Tutorial.mp4
KicadStepUp-Export-STEP-Tutorial.mp4
You can directly load the kicad footprint in FreeCAD, import your 3D STEP model and align it to the footprint in just few clicks
(i.e. rotate X, center X, center Y, put on Z), then export both wrl and STEP aligned to footprint with a simple button click…
please feel free to ask if you may need further assistance 
Maurice
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OK. Will have a look.
FWIW. Most electronics vendors seem to provide 3D in step format so it would be best if KiCAD supported that natively.
That is one of the reason why I started my kicad StepUp tools …
the main one was that I needed an ECAD MCAD collaboration, to build my enclosures aligned to my electronics…
Kicad at that time seemed not in the phase of develop anything like that, so I came out with my hack! 
Anyway, probably also because my tools became very popular and the support for STEP in FreeCAD has proven to be very reliable (I did get almost no issues on my tools in more than a year and half with more than 11K downloads), my path to MCAD has been adopted to implement a direct support for STEP in kicad through OCE (which is the mechanical kernel of FreeCAD)…
You probably have missed the recent nightly build in which OCE plugin is included…
So, if you use the latest nightly build, you can directly display STEP models inside kicad…
At the same time aligning them to the footprint can be done inside kicad or through my StepUp tools in a more mechanical precision way…
Also exporting from kicad pcb to STEP has been included to kicad nightly, but it is still possible to use my tools to convert the board and parts, both using directly STEP models or VRML ones coming from STEP/FreeCAD model.
Kicad has not a mechanical kernel, so any mechanical design should be done in a Mechanical environment…
At the same time you can get accurate VRML 3D models if you start your design from a mechanical model (STEP or FreeCAD for example) and have also all the material properties that can give your 3D rendering a nicer result to your boards…
if you search for STEP in the forum you’ll get a lot of interesting topics and info
Maurice
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Great. No I update rarely. God badly burned by the version with reversed diodes… 
So, I make sure I have time to check everything when I upgrade. I will definitely test your plugin and that you have videos is agreat help too.
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STEP has been supported for a few months now in the development branch. The feature will not be ported to the current stable branch though since it was a very big change to the code.
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OK. That is good to hear. I guess I will wait for the next stable release. I really liked the upgrade to the one I run now (4.0.2). Many improvements, especially the handling of footprints is so much better!
You should update to 4.0.4
No new features, but several annoying bugs fixed
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OK. I guess it is time to bite the bullet. I have been using KiCAD for a very long time and sometimes have the upgrades been smooth, others not so. At least nowadays I never modify stock footprints. I have a separate subdir with footprints that I have created and modified.
BTW. The way KiCAD caches stuff with designs is really great!
Upgraded to 4.0.4 and my PCB still looks OK .)
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If you ever set up your KiCAD differently (no github for example) do untick the ‘Set Environment Variables’ as otherwise a lot of porcelain is being broken.
I’ve not had problems using these settings by upgrading my install so far (help files I just select English):
