Hi Maurice, This is good in SolidWorks as well; I have a few questions:
Where is this FreeCAD script to process the files and create the assembly? What is the secret to making OCC/FreeCAD create a hierarchical STEP file rather than a flat file? - Ciirlo On Thu, Jul 2, 2015 at 7:28 PM, easyw <[email protected]> wrote: > @Tom > > Hi Tom, following your advices (design in STEP B-Rep) > I came with this approach: > - prepare or just download STEP models for 3D parts > - convert STEP to VRML to build the pcb in kicad (using FreeCAD) > - just place pcb parts in kicad as always > - export IDF pcb plain board > - assembly automatically the board in MCAD reading 3D modules and > positions from kicad pcb file with the kicad_StepUp script > - export the STEP assembly from MCAD (using FreeCAD) > > I asked a friend of mine to import the result in SolidWorks and it seems > to be fine... > > Could you please check if the result (demo.step) it is fine in > hierarchical STEP assembly? > > Thank you very much > Maurice > > > > On 01/07/2015 23.49, easyw wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> kicad StepUp is a new approach to export kicad board and modules in STEP >> AP214 (with colors) >> >> exporting needs these requirements: >> 1) install FreeCAD 0.15 >> 1b) in windows copy the Idf.py patched file in FreeCAD/Mod/Idf >> folder (in Linux IDF import seems fine) >> 2) start your 3D module model design directly in STEP using FreeCAD or >> just getting the model from a STEP library >> (units mm required) >> 3) put your STEP model in the same directory in which are normally the >> wrl models >> 4) convert your 3D STEP model in vrml through FreeCAD >> (scaling it to 0.3937, a kicad_StepUp_vrml_export macro is provided >> just launch e.g. freecad sot23.step kicad_StepUp_vrml_export.FCMacro) >> 4) in pcbnew just populate your board as usual, using only vrml models >> with the corresponding model in STEP >> 5) export the plain board through IDF menu (no IDF models are needed, >> just wrl standard ones) >> 6) move to the 'demo' dir and execute the python kicad_StepUp FCMacro >> launching: >> freecad demo.emn kicad_StepUp.FCMacro >> (in windows you may need to specify freecad.exe bin >> path) >> and wait until your 3D board will be automatically >> populated following kicad_pcb source board >> (note only kicad_pcb version 4 is supported) >> 7) the script can be configured to follow the KISYS3DMOD path >> >> Please consider that the project is at alpha state and not everything >> has been completed >> (e.g. at the moment Bottom items do not respect orientation, >> and Top orientation is referred only to pcb module, assuming wrl >> module ha the same orientation >> the script will stop in case of missing modules without any message) >> >> I would need someone to check if the models used and the resulting >> demo.step obtained from the elaboration >> is fine to be used in MCAD e.g. SolidWorks that I do not have... >> I checked the result with a trial of Catia and Rhino and it seems fine... >> >> If the result is fine to be used in MCAD the refined script could be >> used to convert the pcb artworks for 3D MCAD modelling, and could be >> easily ready to go for the stable release.... >> >> The only requirements, different from the actual way of using kicad is >> to substitute Wings3D with FreeCAD and, obviously, populate the 3D >> models with STEP lib... >> (anyway Wings3D can be used besides FreeCAD if the 3D STEP exporting it >> is not needed) >> >> attached a kicad demo project, with self containing STEP and wrl modules >> to be used just out of the box, >> some screen-shots of the result >> here there is also a link of the script in action... >> http://youtu.be/Ukd47VXYzQU >> >> thank you for any suggestion and feedback, >> Maurice >> > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : [email protected] > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >
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