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Hi Cirilo, thank you for your advices...I exported the file from my mobile were I don't have all the macros I normally use, so I lost the scaling factor...
7m -> 7mm sorry... please find attached the correct scaled version...Just going back to the problem of OC STEP exporting, I think the model is fully usable as interchanging format from kicad to mechanical engineers...
opening the .STEP file one can see many different objects, but they can be just grouped in a single option in the 3D sw, so the engineers can manage the new object and manipulate in their projects.
In FreeCAD for example it is possible to group it with -Part -Boolean -Union and obtain a single object to be manipulated inside the CAD
Moreover, if you just want to send only one object to the 3D mechanical engineers, it is possible to export the converted file directly to IGES format with FreeCAD and obtain just a single object for all the board and components...
For those reasons I would consider very interesting for kicad users to have a first version of exporting to STEP also if using OpenCascade format will produce multiple objects. At the moment the converting process is a bit tricky and loses color attributes (they have to be added to STEP model after conversion), so the integration in kicad would improve the result.
An other very useful option would be to have the IDF export for bare pcb (already implemented) and for all modules... I see that IDF format is very light and is widely accepted in many 3D CAD sw....
Also, as you pointed out, IDF respects arc and circles...then may be improving IDF export adding component models would be very appreciate by kicad users...
thank you for your support ... Maurice attache zip file with: test-3-dae.png, test-3-igs.png, test-3-stp-fusion.png, test-3-stp.png test-3.dae, test-3.igs, test-3.stp, test-3.wrl On 16/05/2015 02.59, Cirilo Bernardo wrote:
Sorry, I meant 7m not 7km. Still, the scale is wrong and the other comments re VRML and OC/STEP still stand.- CiriloOn Fri, May 15, 2015 at 11:02 PM, easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx> <easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:Hi Cirilo and all, please find attached an exported vrml file from kicad, converted from vrml to STEP the result is a step file readable by 3D sw e.g. solid works... board and components are separated parts and can be manipulated in 3D sw I use to send these kind of files to 3D people to be inserted in a mechanical layout system. Do you think this result could it be reasonable at this time? thank you Maurice On 5/15/15 12:12 AM, Cirilo Bernardo wrote: Hi Maurice, The STEP export has been discussed many times and OpenCascade is not suitable; I would never accept a STEP file produced by OpenCascade because it does not maintain the assembly hierarchy and other product data. Tom's demonstration code was very simple and we were hopeful at the time that OpenCascade will make life easier for us, but when I imported the model in SolidWorks I saw that I had many dozens of parts when I should only have had 3 parts. Inspecting the STEP file showed that the file generated is just not acceptable for mechanical engineers. The OpenCascade people offer a paid-for add-on which is supposed to provide the functionality required but this is obviously not suitable for us. We will have STEP export one day, but STEP is a much more complex standard than IGES so it will be implemented later. As for displaying such models (STEP and IGES) that is a non-trivial issue and I have no plans to do that. - Cirilo On Fri, May 15, 2015 at 2:19 AM, easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:easyw@xxxxxxxxxxxx> <robit@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:robit@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote: Hi Cirilo and all, as a first step to integrate STEP in kicad, I think exporting STEP plain board (no copper, no silk) and modules would be a great improvement. I don't know if would be possible to integrate some libs from pythonOCC http://www.pythonocc.org/features_overview/data-exchange/ I found in mail archive that Thomas did a sort of export to STEP https://www.mail-archive.com/kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/msg06620.html what happened? any integration in kicad code? I noticed that step models are typically heavier in bites then vrml, so rendering would be also heavier... For that reason, and for the big existing 3D library, I would consider to maintain vrml models for 3D rendering and add STEP export (and eventually STEP import) in kicad please let me know your opinion... Maurice On 5/13/15 6:16 AM, Cirilo Bernardo wrote: You might mention that for those who need to interact with mechanical designers KiCad can export IDF interchange files. For those who like to roll their own, FreeCAD will read the files; for those who send the files to another shop, they can convert the IDF file to VRML and view it with a VRML viewer - no need to install FreeCAD. Plus: coming up (maybe towards the end of this year), KiCad will be able to export to IGES to provide the mechanical designers with a much more accurate 3D model of the project. IDF only represents components as simple extrusions, but IGES can provide accurate 3D models. I made component models for the demo projects 'video' and 'pic_programmer' to show the IDF exporter at work. If you wish I can send you a tarball of the IDF files and the resulting VRML files as produced by the idf2vrml tool. Making a few comparisons to Eagle: 1. KiCad has a native IDF exporter, Eagle requires the user to install a ULP. 2. KiCad: 32 copper layers, 16 tech layers; Eagle: 16 copper (I don't know the limit on tech layers). 3. KiCad: free + no artificial limits placed on capabilities; Eagle: artificial limits placed depending on license fees. Although the feature is still in development, once KiCad can export IGES models I expect this to become a free built-in capability. With Eagle you need to pay an *annual* license to a third party for IGES or STEP export. Note: I don't expect KiCad to have STEP export for at least another 2 years unless someone else with time on their hands is inspired to code it; I mean a meaningful STEP export which maintains product relationships and a proper assembly heirarchy, not the flat file produced by FreeCAD/ OpenCascade which is absolutely useless to mechanical designers. - Cirilo On Wed, May 13, 2015 at 1:48 AM, Adam Wolf <adamwolf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:adamwolf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Hi folks, I'm preparing a presentation on KiCad for Maker Faire Bay Area this weekend. (Fun fact: the presentation after me is someone designing a Raspberry Pi daughterboard *on KiCad on a Raspberry Pi*). The audience will be folks who may be interested in making PCBs, and may work with fancy pants PCB designers, but are probably closer to the beginner side. I'm hoping to cover a little of KiCad history, newish features (openGL, Python, P&S routing, differential routing), upcoming features (eeschema revamp...), and the new release rhythm and nightlies. I know there's the longish videos by the CERN folks on the differential routing, but does anyone have fun videos of openGL mode being awesome, or the P&S routing? I can make my own, but if someone already has them and is willing to share, I'd love to include them. I hate to offer this, but if anyone else has suggestions on things I should mention, feel free to send them on. Thanks everyone! Adam Wolf Cofounder and Engineer W&L _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> Post to : kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> Post to : kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> Post to : kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers <https://launchpad.net/%7Ekicad-developers> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
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