App to create PCB overview for creating manual

sugenganthos · September 6, 2023, 4:52pm

Hello,
I want to ask about application for creating PCB overview. By exporting from KiCad.
I have seen many picture like this on user manual of inverter, development modules, etc.
It is like 3D view, only in 2D, top view, with only outline of component with some description text, and some leader arrow.

thanks.

RaptorUK · September 6, 2023, 6:03pm

Blender might be an over the top option, there was a thread which mentioned it recently.

sugenganthos · September 7, 2023, 2:06am

About KiRec3d, it is good plugin. But not best option for manual. It usually printed b/w, so 3d snapshot is not a good option.

I have used blender before. Using freestyle rendering is good for making ‘sketch-like’ image. But it take every corner. So imagine you export arduino board from kicad to vrml board. And import using blender (supposed the import is successful). Then using freestyle render from top view. You still need to delete so many lines: most chip pins, resistor and cap bands which separate body and solderable pin, etc. So many detail that need to be reduced if using blender.

maui · September 7, 2023, 6:24am

You may have a look at this thread:

IKEA style assembly instructions

https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?t=67540

github.com

henkjannl/TravelWallet/blob/master/making_of/Readme.md

# How the assembly instructions were created

I thought it would be a cool idea to make IKEA style assembly instructions. Creating the assembly instructions actually took more time than building the 3D model.

I documented the workflow since this can be useful for more serious purposes.

All files used to compile the manual are in a separate directory named `manual`. The assembly instructions are in one Inkscape file named `_User Manual.svg`. All images are vector based which translates well to pdf. The pdf file `User Manual.pdf` was created by simply saving this Inkscape file as pdf.

<p align="center">
  <img src="themakingof.png" alt="overview" width="600">
</p>

This is intended as a tribute to the clear assembly instructions from Sweden. I have absolutely no intent to harm any businedd interests. I'm happy to take the content mentioned under C offline if our friends in Sweden have mixed feelings, just let me know.


## A. The images of the wallet
The workflow for each little 3D image of the model started in FreeCAD:
* For each image of the wallet, create a dedicated FreeCAD assembly of the depicted situation (8 in total). These assemblies were created using the `A2plus` workbench. Each assembly is saved as `/manual/UserManualImage*.FCStd`
* After creating the assembly, group all parts together using the `Compound` command in the `Part` workbench
* Rotate the `Compound` to give it the right orientation when looking from the top by right-clicking `Transform` in the model tree

This file has been truncated. show original

sugenganthos · September 7, 2023, 7:01am

Thanks, actually I came up with the idea. Using User.1 layer, I need to create an outline for each component. Then view the board from top with only layer User.1 active.

That IKEA style manual can be used for isometric view.

Piotr · September 7, 2023, 8:16am

From your first post I didn’t understood what you exactly need.

In 2017 finding how to get such picture was my first task with KiCad (before I started designing first PCB). I decided to use for it Courtyard layers as there are no User layer pair (pair = swapping top/bottom with footprint). Because of this decision I have Ref and Value in my footprints at Courtyard layer.
Here I showed how my pictures look like:

With V4 and V5 I couldn’t get those pictured directly from KiCad so I exported to svg the copper layer and Courtyard layer (once with Values and once with References) and then mixed them using inkscape changing copper layer to gray 10%.
With V6 I don’t know, but with V7 I recently found that now I can get my pictured directly from KiCad using for it color themes.

mf_ibfeew · September 7, 2023, 9:19am

I’m also not sure what you really want (maybe a example picture of the desired result would be good).

On eevblog I have read something about “pinion”, and a google-search delivers GitHub - yaqwsx/Pinion: Generate interactive and nice-looking diagrams for your PCBs!
Maybe it’s worth a look.

My personal workflow for highlighting something in pictures (manuals): save board as extra file, delete all unnecessary footprints, change Silkscreen textsize to some bigger values. This leaves the board outline and only the footprints which are important for the customer. This is mostly used for position of connectors and jumpers and removes distraction from “unnecessary” footprints.

der.ule · September 7, 2023, 10:35am

Have you use the InteractiveHTMLBom tool ? It makes pretty pictures and highlight components.

here is an example (a random board from its github)
https://openscopeproject.org/InteractiveHtmlBomDemo/html/carte_test.html

paulvdh · September 7, 2023, 11:10am

Same here.
You can export in a few 2D drawing formats, and post process them in some external graphical program. You can also use PCB Editor / View / 3D Viewer [Alt + 3] and then make a screenshot of the top (or any other orientation) of the PCB.

BlackCoffee · September 7, 2023, 4:40pm

There are a handful of Tools and Approaches but, as other’s have said, we don’t know just what you want…

Here’s two examples to consider…

In Kicad, Create a Report and BOM and take Screenshots or Export PNG, then in Text-Editor, open the file and add Images (and/or Movie) to it (and text as desired)
In FreeCAD, Add the Exploded-Assembly Workbench and the StepUp WorkBench
In StepUp Workbench, Load the PCB (and Traces/Pad, if desired)
Use the Exploded-Assembly and Play it (make a screen recording if desired)

Can use other FreeCAD Workbenches (TechDraw…etc) to create 2D-line drawings with text… [ADDED Screenshot of Exploded Drawing…] … Just an Example…

Video example of Exploded-Assembly (I did not bother to set distances…etc)

greg_m · September 7, 2023, 9:03pm

Check PCBDraw:

sugenganthos · September 12, 2023, 5:53am

What I’m looking for is like this : https://www.guru3d.com/index.php?ct=news&action=file&id=26409

While the isometric version, I forgot where. But it is like your exploded drawing, only with some leader and description

mf_ibfeew · September 12, 2023, 2:32pm

After looking at your example picture I think my board-pictures in the product-manual are not as polished, but in general comparable:

As described above I produce this picture:

work with a extra copy of the board
delete all tracks+vias
delete all “small” footprints (R, C, ICxx)
change all connector-references to some big fontsize
save as gray-scale bitmap
if needed: adding nice plishing touches with graphic vector software (Corel Draw in my case)
the general process needs manual effort, but the needed time (roughly 30minutes) is not that much

BlackCoffee · September 12, 2023, 2:56pm

After Exploding (or, Not Exploding, your choice) can add Text and some other things.

TechDraw Workbench is Not for Drawing like a drawing program. It’s for Technical/Engineering drawn needs but, for Simple Text with Arrows and Bubbles/Boxes/etc, it’s usable without the need for spending time hiding/deleting (can simply Toggle the Visibility of desired items…)

Naturally, a user could edit result in favorite Drawing program…

system · December 11, 2023, 2:56pm

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