How to share step 3D model with all the components on the PCB too?

[maui]

Hi @dolfijn
glad to see you are using StepUp

@dolfijn

How can I generate a STEP file as a solid (so it can be rotated and translated as one part) and still use different colors.

this is a nice feature of FreeCAD… as in the kicad StepUp Starter Guide

assure that your STEP module is fused to just one solid object
(Part Boolean Union in FreeCAD)
Note: here FreeCAD forum fusion howto10 some tips to fuse correctly objects in
FreeCAD

I don’t know Alibre, but I know that some MCAD sw don’t allow the user to make a union of parts, some others just fuse them, but they lose different colors…
Please consider that you can model your parts in Alibre and then import them in FC and make a union of the assemblies to obtain a single 3D object with colors…
in FreeCAD you can also load your Kicad footprint and align directly your model to footprint itself

How to interactive align 3d model to pcbnew footprint: new tool for kicad in 'Altium' style

Hi, I’ve made a tool to align the 3d model directly moving it over the pcbnew footprint. here there is a small video tutorial: [kicad StepUp tool: 3D Step and VRML File Alignment to footprint] With ‘kicad-StepUp-tools’ it is possible to load the kicad footprint in FreeCAD and align the 3D part with a visual real time feedback of the 3d model and footprint reciprocal position. Once the 3D part is aligned to the footprint pads and silk, the model can be exported in STEP format and …

Maurice