Can't get 3D view of an Alps potentiometer

Community
#1

This is most likely a newbie question but I’ve googled and experimented and simply can’t get it to work.

I want to use an Alps RK09K113 potentiomete, there’s an existing footprint for it, Potentiometer_THT:Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Vertical, and even seems to be a 3D-model called ${KISYS3DMOD}/Potentiometer_THT.3dshapes/Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Vertical.wrl, but when I start 3D view I only get the footprint.

So I downloaded a footprint from Mouser, RK09K1130D62-pcb-part-libraries.epw, and added it in the properties. The program happily accepts the file but I still don’t see a 3D view, and I have absolutely no clue why (as I said, newbie).

What step(s) do I miss?

KiCad 5.1.9-0-10_14 on MacOS Big Sur 11.2.3.

#2

A search on my linux box:

paul@medion:~$ locate _RK09K_
/usr/lib/kicad-nightly/share/kicad/modules/Potentiometer_THT.pretty/Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Horizontal.kicad_mod
/usr/lib/kicad-nightly/share/kicad/modules/Potentiometer_THT.pretty/Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Vertical.kicad_mod
/usr/share/kicad/modules/Potentiometer_THT.pretty/Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Horizontal.kicad_mod
/usr/share/kicad/modules/Potentiometer_THT.pretty/Potentiometer_Alps_RK09K_Single_Vertical.kicad_mod

reveals that there are no 3D parts for this footprint.
In KiCad it is normal that links to non-existing files are used in the footprints. The reason is to be able to add the 3D models themselves later without having to update the libraries themself too.

I do not know what that “.epw” thing from mouser is. As far as I know KiCad only accepts 3D models as .step or .wrl.

Maybe you can use some CAD program to convert it, or find another 3D model that does work.

2 Likes
#3

snapeda.com has a 3d model. other good places to check are samacsys.com, https://www.3dcontentcentral.com/ or the manufacturer website.

1 Like
#4

mouser’s part libraries are actually pulled from samacsys. the .epw file is just an identifier to be used by their “library loader” program. but you can go to the website and download the files directly. in this case I don’t recommend it though - their model is a rudimentary bounding box, while there are actual models elsewhere.

#5

Sweet! Found the model at Alps, downloaded and managed to get it right.

Thank you, worked like a charm. Saved me time AND looks better than I’d bothered with if I’d have done it myself. :slight_smile:

Thank you.

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1 Like
#6

…and I spent a ##### hour on that Library Loader without understanding it. Probably because I have KiCad on Mac and had to run the utility in Windows. Kinda messed everything up so that was a dead end.