kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Nick Østergaard <oe.nick@xxxxxxxxx>]

2015-03-30 0:06 GMT+02:00 Mário Luzeiro <mrluzeiro@xxxxx>:
>
>> > 1 - Full integrated (with pcbnew and all kicad) 3D designer.
>
>> I don't believe making KiCad a 3D design tool is a good fit for the
>> project.  There are plenty of 3D design tools out there already.  I'm
>> fine with KiCad supporting other 3D model files such as STEP, IGES, etc.
>
> I explained it in a very wrong way. Sorry.
> I full agree with you.
>
>>  One thing that must happen before I will allow too much more 3D
>> development to continue is there needs to be a coherent 3D model library
>> management tool similar in design to the footprint library management
>> design.  The current 3D library management is poorly designed and adding
>> more features on top of it will only continue to exposed it's weaknesses.
>
> Exactly, thats what I mean for "3D design" of the board... not the 3D models it self.
>
> Also, If you watch that videos from Mentor Graphics, you will see that you can use the 3D to place the components in the board, and thats what I mean for a "full integration",
> There are other softwares that have some management and proper way to add the components and place it in the footprint... and then.. place it in the board... and you can see in real time that changes and adjustments. (for example, you can see in real time 3D DRC.)
>
> That will need some work for the part of pcbnew.. but.. if you want to have a real time look of the placement of the 3D components in the board, that is not possible right now.. it will take ages to move a component.
>
> So one side of the thing is the management as you describe and make the pcb board more aware of 3D information.. and the other that is missing .. is the full communication with 3D viewer of that information (similar when you select a component in pcbnew, it will show it in schematic)
>
>
>>> 2 - Visualization tool.
>
>>This is what I see as being the end game for 3D modeling in KiCad.  We
>>should be able to view and export high quality 3D board assembly models
>>to support mechanical designs using a competent 3D modeling tool for
>>designing enclosures and such.
>
> I think there are two mixed concepts here, in KiCad: 3d-viewer and 3D exporter.
> 3D exporter features (Cirilo is working on its improvements!) I think it is good to make it slip from 3d-viewer, so, it should be as is, two slip subjects.
> We shall use 3d-viewer as a good  approximation to visualization of the board, but if you really want to check and do mechanic validation you should use an external CAD tool (as you explained).
>
> The 3d-viewer may not deal with / use proper CAD data information.. it will deal more with triangles (in final stage to be rendered to the GPU).
> Maybe we can then have something in 3d-viewer that will export in a "3d format file" for usage in softwares such as POV-ray, 3D Studio Max, Maya (but not for CAD tools.. that should be in keep in a 3D exporter in Pcbnew as it is now.. IMO).

This is what the VRML exporter fulfills now.