Hi, Maurice,
I think I can use your scripts fine by now: ))
Now I found something seems to be an issue for me.
My hint is the problem comes from a power connector on the back side.
what I do:
0. move connector’s STP (from manufacturer) to a subdir of packages3d, called NTlib (from my initials)
I open connector’s STP in FreeCAD (C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d\NTlib\Tyco-1-1734172-2.stp)
start kicad-Tools macro
load kicad Footprint module (footprint is by me based on connectors PDF drawing. path:
C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\ntlib.pretty\Tyco-1-1734172-2.kicad_mod)
click “create axis”
rotate and translate while alignment seems to be fine
push “scale to kicad VRML”. File is generated in the folder
…packages3d\NTlib\Tyco-1-1734172-2.wrl
start up kicad and pcb_new
load my board
I edit the connector - 3d settings - add 3d shape (…packages3d\NTlib\Tyco-1-1734172-2.wrl)
I open up 3d viewer
I see the connector, but on the component side and the opposite direction.
I attach the whole project to look after. StepUp_issue.zip (410.6 KB)
What do I screw up? Or is this an issue of non-component side parts?
when you have aligned the module to the footprint in FreeCDA you need to save both ‘wrl’ and ‘step’ file
if you want to associate .stp extension, you need to use the latest kicad-StepUp Macro (the one included in the project is working only with .step extension)
I attached the project with the right oriented module (wrl, step) and the board with the right module association (assuming your KISYS3DMOD path to c:/Program Files/KiCad/share/kicad/modules/packages3d/)
PS I normally prefer to work with a folder dir different from the one in kicad share folder, because you can risk to delete them in case of removing the kicad sw and upgrading StepUp_solved.zip (1.0 MB)
I thought that when I run kicad-StepUp-tool, I started from the footprint, and STP gave the 3D body. After making alignment WRL would be generated. I assumed that previous WRL assignment (if any) of the kicad_mod was a “don’t care”. Is it a must starting with a kicad_mod where 3d model is un-allocated? If yes, it is a bug: the default position of the part body may be received from kicad_mod’s original assignment, but after manual moves/rotates it MUST NOT count if there was an initial 3d assignment or not.
I had saved it before, but in the attachment I sent to you I reloaded the original (downloaded) STP.
It would be nice to have two (or more) paths to 3d models in ksu config, as I’d have the ordinary parts (SMD resistors/capacitors) in C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d,
and the project specific parts in D:\work… If I can have only a single path, I rather put my stuff to
C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d\NTlib.
I see it is dangerous: care has to be taken when upgrading KiCAD.
And one more time: I don’t want to be a repining jerk; I appreciate and respect your work very much !!!
it is not a must starting with a 3d model unallocated, but it is a must, as pointed out in the manual, that you have scale to 1:1 and rotation only on z
Moreover, when you have aligned your 3d model to module, it is your responsibility to update the model wrl part and the board that already have this model in.
This is exactly what you have to do with kicad standard way of working with Wings3D even if you don’t use kicad StepUp. The plus with kicad StepUpis that you can see footprint when you align it… and of course you have the STEP exporting MCAD option
the easy way to align 3d model to footprint is to open the module in pcbnew and in parallel open the footprint in FreeCAD with kicad-StepUp-tools, align the STEP model to footprint in FC, export wrl and step model and add/reload the model in pcbnew 3d-viewer to check the result
[quote=“novaktamas, post:56, topic:1048”]It would be nice to have two (or more) paths to 3d models in ksu config, as I’d have the ordinary parts (SMD resistors/capacitors) in C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d,
and the project specific parts in D:\work…[/quote]
Having more then one search path it is not convenient at the moment;
Kicad doesn’t have more then a search path, instead you add more environment variables. …
Moreover, with more then a search path, if you have e.g. two libs with the same models/names, which will be the module that would have to be correctly loaded? I prefer stay simpler… one search path for 3d models, or just put full path (not relative to folder location)
[quote=“novaktamas, post:56, topic:1048”]If I can have only a single path, I rather put my stuff to
C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d\NTlib.
I see it is dangerous: care has to be taken when upgrading KiCAD.[/quote]
You can always copy all kicad std libs to e.g.
and place there also your 3d new libs
Then in case of update, you can easily decide what you want to overwrite and what to keep
That is what I do in my designs (I prefer to have the control in what is changing … e.g. if I have produced a board with a footprint and I found it is fine, I absolutely don’t want to have it changed without a manual override)
Moreover I started to clone some of basic smd kicad libs changing all wrl models and adding step and wrl StepUp compatible models to the new libs Capacitors_Tantalum_SMD.3dshapes Capacitors_SMD.3dshapes Resistors_SMD.3dshapes Housing_SOIC.3dshapes Housings_QFP.3dshapes
Then if you just overwrite the std libs with these ones, you’ll get a working StepUp environment
I asked developers to add a support to FreeCad 3D MCAD and VRML models in parallel to Wing3D models, but it seems they will not adopt it.
So for the moment the MCAD support is only through my external kicad StepUp exporter…
Thank you for using my script and for your feedback
Maurice
Since I am not able to use FreeCAD (any 3D modelling program except for Sketchup) right now I have no chance to try it out but as I understand this script makes some mandatory things possible, I have some ideas to improve it in the future.
If we combine a realtime communication infrastructure (like ours, aktos-dcs) with FreeCAD and Kicad, we can build a multiplayer game like development environment.
For example, one will start drawing schematic, other(s) will draw the device in FreeCAD at the same time with the mechanical related electronic components (like connectors, LEDs, etc) which are automatically imported via reading the net list. Then, some other or others will start drawing the nets and placing the rest of the components into the pcb where the edge cuts layer is gathered (and updated in realtime) from the 3D drawing.
From the point of view of pcb designer (who is using Kicad) some components (which are placed in 3D drawing) will be placed automatically.
From the point of view of 3D designer, the nets and the rest of the components will be placed in realtime.
If a collision is detected, both users will be notified in realtime. An interactive 3D scene of the collision area will be shown to the Kicad users.
We will start coding as soon as we finished our current works
ability to load directly the .kicad_pcb board and parts in FreeCAD
ability to load directly the .emn board and parts in FreeCAD
ability to load directly the .kicad_mod in FreeCAD to align the STEP model
ability to export the model aligned directly to VRML and STEP format
VRML exporting format much smaller and cleaner compared to the previous one
With this GUI it is possible to do most of 3D MCAD interaction with kicad EDA without a big knowledge in FreeCAD… So anyone can be focused on its own MCAD software
Please note that the config file has moved to a new config file
‘ksu-config.ini’
in home user path:
linux: ~/ ($HOME)
OSX: ~/ ($HOME)
Windows: %HOMEPATH%
you have to configure your [prefix3D] to
KISYS3DMOD path or 3D model prefix path
Hi @mangelozzi
kicad devs are working for a direct integration of STEP using the same approach I did with FreeCAD:
converting STEP to VRML and display natively the STEP->VRML model in kicad…
This part is almost done using OCE, which is the main MCAD library engine of FreeCAD…
Then there will be the part to export pcb board and models to STEP… this will take longer I think…
my kicad StepUp tools are available now and they probably will cover the STEP exporting process until a full integration will be done… kicad StepUp is covering:
kicad_pcb to STEP exporting
kicad_mod visual align 3D model over footprint
generation of STEP model for pcb and parts configuring ‘bounding boxes’ and ‘minimum volume’ of 3D parts
collisions detect for enclosure and footprint design
exporting of VRML models with Material Properties (almost public feature)
Many of these features will remain in FreeCAD (MCAD) environment anyway…
Moreover the direction is the same: leaving VRML files coming from Wings3D or similar modeler and get only STEP 3D mechanical models library as the source for kicad 3D
That is the reason I’m calling for an official repository for 3D mechanical models
The StepUp made by @maui is a tool GUI and script developed for kicad ECAD MCAD collaboration and to be used with FreeCAD
Yes, unfortunately much longer. At the moment I’m thinking 1-2 years because of the API which needs to be developed to create plugins to manage PCB data. I should be working on the design of that API, but it makes no sense to start until the initial 3D work has been merged. If I didn’t care about the API and didn’t care about making the kicad code an even more unmanageable mess I could put in an IGES exporter in only 2 days - and maybe a STEP exporter using OCE in only 1 or 2 weeks.
Hi @all
I’ve added to kicad StepUp tools an external macro to export STEP to VRML with material properties, also if the model comes as a STEP multi-color fused part (i.e. coming from manufacturers or on line libs) https://github.com/easyw/kicad-3d-models-in-freecad/blob/master/exportVRMLwColors/exportPartToVRMLwMaterials.FCMacro
this macro can be used after having aligned your STEP model to footprint and exported to STEP and VRML for kicad… if you desire an improved VRML model with not only diffused properties, but also with nice more material properties, you can select your part and run the macro… you will be asked to associate each color of the 3D MCAD model to a preset list of materials (i.e. metal grey pin, gold pin, black body, led blue etc…) aligned to @kammutierspule material list
Please note that method will give you a small difference in color appearance for exported VRML models compared to your original STEP models, but it will add nice reflective effect to be used in raytracing view, available with the new 3D refactoring coming soon
Great tool, the demo looks great! Unfortunately I have some issues running the thing on my side.
I have a board and three components with 3D models, which I found online. I had the option at download to specify which format, so I got the VMRL and STEP versions. For simplicity, I am using the default KISYS3DMOD path (C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\modules\packages3d). I placed both files for each component in a subfolder at the path: boardAD/(files go here…).
The models needed some scaling and offsetting which I did in KiCad manually. When I ran the script, several errors are displayed. It properly loads the board, then add some components (not all) then displays the following:
boardAD/myfirstconnector.wrl error: reset values of scale to (xyz 111)
boardAD/mysecondconnector.wrl reset values of scale to (xyz 111)
boardAD/mysecondconnector.wrl reset values of scale to (xyz 111)
(… as many times as this connector is present …)
boardAD/mythirdonnector.wrl reset values of scale to (xyz 111)
(… as many times as this connector is present …)
Basically, for all the components. The script did:
load one connector with proper scale and offset
load the second type of connector but wrong scaling and offset
did not load the third type (not visible in the object list in FreeCAD)
For the third connector, the STEP file opens correctly in FreeCAD in standalone.
All good library model should have (model shapes/your3Dmodel.wrl (at (xyz 0 0 0)) (scale (xyz 1 1 1)) (rotate (xyz 0 0 0)) )
kicad StepUp tools can take care of offset and rotation, but I still would suggest you to use them only for enclosures or mechanical spaces or screws…
you can align and check if your model will fit the footprint, loading the footprint itself inside FreeCAD and align there the 3D model in MCAD way
have a look at this thread
Also have a read at this thread from the first post… you will see that someone found the same doubts and did some steps to improve the ECAD to MCAD collaboration…
also this thread may be very useful
I have come across a small problem with importing a slightly odd shaped board. This is a curved board - sort of 'C" shaped but all that imports is a ‘D’ shaped segment of approximately half of the board.
Hi @John_Pateman
would you mind to share the board?
just the pcb edge would be fine or by a pm as you prefer…
your board edge segments create a closed path? (edge cuts layers had to be contiguous)
Also overlapping is not allowed for mcad but it seems to me it is fine for 3d rendering…
Anyway, having the pcbedge in kicad format would solve the riddle
My fault - you were right Maurice - the board edge was not joined although even at max zoom I had difficulty seeing where the problem was. I think the sensitivity for detecting closure must be different between the 3d render and the StepUp macro? I originally got a rectangular board in 3D view until I adjusted the outline. When I tried to import the file in StepUp I got the segment but the board rendered properly in 3D view. Sorry!
John
MCAD needs precision… if you want a square you need a real closed path
I discovered on my road to MCAD that there is a nice function in pcbnew:
“Edit Item” segment properties…
there you can discover exactly the start and end of a segment and fix it properly
