Hi there,
I’m using the FreeCAD + KiCadStepUp combination not very often and I am an absolute beginner to it,
but I am at least able to create simple forms of SMD & THT components and export them to KiCad to use as components 3D-models there.
Now I ran into a problem with a 3D-Model in igs format applied by the manufacturer → https://www.knitter-switch.com/var/pms/group-7/DRS%203x16.zip
(it’s a rotary hex-coded switch THT from “Knitter”)
where I always end up having a “partially transparent” model within KiCad …
open this *.wrl within Windows10 3D-Viewer, just to check → everything looks right (nothing is transparent or missing)
assign this *.wrl to the footprint in KiCad → what I get there is a “partially transparent” model or to be more precise: a model with missing surfaces / shapes
I did not change any color or material properties in FreeCAD, nor did I use StepUp.
The bright green color is a bit weird in the export I did but the part is not transparent and looks normal.
So I assume it is something you did with changing the material properties and colors.
so finally I found out now (how to get a proper *.wrl with the chosen material-properties and colours)
right at the beginning you have to convert this 5 compounds into “solids” (with the command “parts” → “convert to solid”),
then delete the original compounds out of the part,
the rest of my workflow above works just fine then …
(don’t use “union” or “boolean” or “join” for the 5 single “solids” in this case)
the intended workflow in KiCad is IMHO to have always both WRL and STEP,
(WRL is for shiny raytracing and STEP for the proper mechanical postprocessing e.g. fitting the pcb into an enclosure)
therefore you find each and every model within the stock KiCad libraries twice: as WRL and STEP with the same filename.
and for the same reason KiCadStepUp always creates 2 models WRL and STEP with the same filename, when re-exporting the parts model to KiCad …
In the KiCad PCB you now assign a WRL-model to each part,
(in the KiCad stock parts libraries this is normally done aready)
shiny 3D-view and raytracing guaranteed (with reflective material properties and all that…)
now if you want to export the whole PCB as STEP (for other CAD tasks - e.g. fitting the pcb into an enclosure), you can do this by using the STEP-Models for each part,
you just have to check the checkbox “substitute similar named models” in the STEP-export dialog in KiCad (-> see attachment).
KiCad then replaces (ony for the export) every WRL model with its STEP model of the same name (if present),
I think this is what you want …
I think you don’t have to do it …
just take care that every WRL-model has a STEP equivalent with the very same filename,
then you have all possibilities…
