Hi,
Someone requires a 3D model of the board I working on, they asked for a .step file.
After trying various things for 2 hrs I gave up and sent the person a .wrl, .emn and .anything else I could export.
Unfortunately he cant open these uncommon formats in MCAD, he needs step or IGES format.
Additionally it seems the .wrl file only creates a file with the PCB (from what I can see from opening it freecad), no components.
Question 1:
How do you create a 3D file which contains the components too?
So having tried opening the .kicad_pcb in FreeCAD-PCB… All I got was about 10% of the board, some pads and silkscreen text nothing else.
I tried opening the .wrl model in FreeCAD-PCB, the board looks nice but has no components. I tried to just export that as step file and it says "… is not a shape, export will be ignored… google it and got this… "You have to convert the STL file to a shape before you try to convert it to IGES etc… First open the mesh (stl) file, you then have to “create a shape from mesh” (Part Workbench, Part menu, 6th item down).
" But the create shape from a mesh option is greyed out for me… so dead end there.
Second approach…
I tried KiCad Step-Up to export a step file. When I run:
“C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.15\bin\FreeCAD.exe” kicad-StepUp-tools.FCMacro MyProjectName
I get a bunch errors saying…
missing modules(s)…
e.g.
C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d\Diodes_SMD.3dshapes\SMC_Standard.step
But it exists but as .wrl file. Don’t know why its assuming a .step file?
Click okay and only a PCB outline load, not even a silkscreen.
So I can’t export board with components, or convert it to a common step or iges format. I feel when I follow tutorials I end up getting nowhere. I think it would be really great if KiCAD step up could be incorporated into the main build.
Mere mortals such as myself get nowhere trying to use these scripts.
Question 2:
How to convert a KiCAD 3D file to step up?
Thanks for any help!