jbell
July 27, 2023, 4:55pm
9
Getting a STEP file with traces/vias and whatnot has been explored before on this forum. I looked into this a while back and saw a few posts asking about it. It’s not the main focus of them, but they are discussed in the thread. The first one I linked is the shortest, but has a good comment from kliment explaining why it doesn’t have traces by default and how you can get them:
If I use the 3D viewer in the PCB Editor, my board has all the components and the silkscreen markings beautifully displayed. There is no option to export a STEP file there, which is a pity since the model is fully created. If I close the 3D viewer and am back in the PCB Editor, there is an option in the File menu to export a STEP file, but it re-builds the model. The resulting STEP file does not contain the silkscreen markings. I see no error message.
In Kicad Settings/Preferences there is a pa…
As an interim step, you can use FreeCAD (with StepUp workbench) to import the Kicad PCB and Traces/Pads.
Then, Export it as a ‘STEP with Colors’ file.
Then, import/open the STEP file in SolidWorks.
I did that several times when SolidWorks was my CAD tool for clients.
I no longer use SolidWorks and did not bother to install on new system. FreeCAD does everything I need…
Sure, it’s one more step/tool but, if you know SolidWorks, you can use the FreeCAD ‘Part Deisgn’ workbench as it’s the clos…
some info…
First order of business… I came to FreeCAD after 20 yrs of using SolidWorks and Pro-E. I discovered that the ‘Part Design’ workbench is similar enough that it took only verrry short time to become an ‘expert’. Some tools/features in SW are located in the ‘Part’ and ‘Draft’ workbenches. It can be confusing but, mostly because the ‘Syntax’ of what things are called. Example: You know what ‘Extrude’ means but, in FC, it’s called ‘Padding’.
(A similar stupidity exists in programmi…