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How do I import 3D for a part that is not supported by KiCad/Wings
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I'm trying to get an IGES, STEP, or Pro/Engineer 3D file into PCBNew.
I've tried gmsh to read the STEP file, which I can do, but the resulting exported VRML and STL files are skeleton files containing no 3D model. I then tried following the advice in an earlier post on Kicad (the one to which I'm replying) to use BRL-CAD. After a bit of stabbing in the dark I found that iges-g -n -o 522711669.g 522711669.igs got the model into BRL-CAD form (it can be viewed in Archer). However, I now can't get it into STL form (for import into Wings) or VRML form (for direct reading into PCBNew). I get an error message: C:\apps\BRL-CAD\7.14.8\bin>g-vrml -o 522711669.wrl 522711669.g all nmg_booltree_leaf_tess(all): tessellation failure db_walk_subtree() FAIL on '/all' "all" is the correct object name, and yes, I am working in the bin directory. Googling got me nowhere. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Has anyone found a way of getting these widely used 3D file formats into PCBNew without resorting to some expensive CAD program to which they are lucky enough to have access? Regards, Robert. -- () Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. /\ |
Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Has anyone found a way of gettingI've now figured out a way to do this. FreeCAD () can read STEP (and other formats) and export as VRML and STL. I found that the VRML file crashed PCBNew as soon as I tried to view the model (in 3D) in the module editor, but the STL file could be read into Wings and re-exported as a VRML file that PCBNew was happy with. Obviously there will probably be bit of scaling and rotating to do, but otherwise it works just fine. What started me down this path is that Molex provide STEP, IGES and Pro/Engineer 3D files of their connectors, which look a lot better than my own 3D models (featureless boxes with pins poking out of one side). Regards, Robert. -- () Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. /\ |
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Thanks for the update. I keep telling myself that I'll really use this tool some day "real soon now" but life keeps getting in the way.
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Donald. -- *Plain Text* email -- it's an accessibility issue () no proprietary attachments; no html mail /\ ascii ribbon campaign - <www.asciiribbon.org> ----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert" <birmingham_spider@...> |
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--- In kicad-users@..., Robert <birmingham_spider@...> wrote:
You need to mesh (or tesselate, same thing) the model first. In Gmsh it works by selecting "Mesh" from the drop menu, and pressing "3D". If the resulting mesh is too sparse or dense, you can reload the geometry from the Geometry-subpanel, adjust the mesh density with the slider you can bring up from the button with two triangles on the bottom left of the screen. The number represents the polygon size, so lower number equals denser mesh. Once the desired density mesh is created, you can export it as STL and then use Wings to convert is to VRML. I wouldn't use direct VRML export as it may still leave the CSG elements in place and cause troubles. <snip> Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Has anyone found a way of getting |
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