Adding different colors to 3D model with FreeCAD

[eelik]

I’m wondering what is the simplest way to add different colors to one object with FreeCAD so that when I export it with StepUp it has more than one color.

At the moment I have designed couple of very simple objects with Part workbench, using only cubes and cylinders. That would be enough for most needs and even looks pretty good in the KiCad 3D view, but I can export it only as single object which has one color. The first thing I would do would be adding pin 1 marks to some packages.

[Rene_Poschl]

How to design a 3D shape with color

I have designed a 3D shape for a photo-darlington OP580DA. [OP580DA] I designed parts separately so I can include colors where is needed since I am using FreeCAD 0.17, I have combine all parts together using Assemby2 WB I export it as a STEP file. [body] [receiver] [pin] when I align the footprint with 3D shape using Kicad StepUp WB its get difficult because I can’t move the hole 3D shape only parts as I designed them. My question is, which technique to use in designing a custom 3D shape…

[eelik]

Thanks for the pointer. There wasn’t clear and specific answer there, but here is the very simple answer for the Part Workbench which should have been obvious.

1. Create a shape.
2. Open context menu -> Appearance for that shape.
3. Change Material.
4. Repeat.
5. Select shapes and make a union. This union has different colors.
6. Open StepUp WB.
7. Select the union.
8. Export with StepUp. The export dialog works as a wizard and shows one color at a time. Use “as is” or change each color for wrl.

[Rene_Poschl]

@eelik

Export with StepUp. The export dialog works as a wizard and shows one color at a time. Use “as is” or change each color for wrl.

The step file will also use the selected color.

@eelik

There wasn’t clear and specific answer there, but here is the very simple answer for the Part Workbench which should have been obvious.

post number 4. Even comes with annotated screenshots

[eelik]

I assume you mean post #5/answer #4. I think I took a hint from that. Maybe I thought it didn’t apply completely because you seemed to use Part Design, not Part. In any case I now know how to do it.

My former experience with StepUp didn’t help to understand that there can be many colors which each can be changed. Here is a enhancement idea for @maui, just in case he doesn’t have enough of them and has too much free time: single page for all export options would be good. Colors could be in a table.

[maui]

@eelik

Export with StepUp. The export dialog works as a wizard and shows one color at a time. Use “as is” or change each color for wrl.

I would suggest to select the material/color you want to assign to the selected color… ‘as is’ is an option that doesn’t add any material features… you have a list of almost 30 different materials to fit your need

[eelik]

Does it happen to have “almost invisible colorless dust on top of IC package which can be seen only from certain angle and disappears when it is touched” to mark the pin 1?

[maui]

You can assign whatever color you want to pin mark, i.e. red if you prefer to the white one…