topic Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library in Fusion Electronics Forum

Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

apdobaj — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:59:35 GMT

I'm attempting to add a 3D STEP file of a USB connector to the library that I used to instantiate the component into my electrical design. I downloaded the library to a local drive and imported it into the library manager and it imported the symbol and footprint just fine and I was able to proceed with the schematic capture and layout. Now that's done and I want to export a 3D model of the PCBA for the mechanical team. When I right click on the library in the library manager, I get a dialog:

When I click Yes, it brings up a blank page in the component editor in a tab labeled "Untitled" where I would expect it to bring up an "editable copy of the library" as clearly stated in the dialog. What am I missing?

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

yqliu — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:28:56 GMT

@apdobaj , does the "Untitled" tab look like this?

If so, you have created a Fusion library successfully. You can continue to edit it by selecting the items in Content Manager first.

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

apdobaj — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:26:51 GMT

OK got it, thanks for that. There's only one component in this library, so I expected it to display. Now I would like to add an STP or DXF file to the component as a 3D model. I attempted to follow this video but it's useless because there is no such option as "create package from footprint". But right clicking the part in the footprint tab does have an option "attach copy of existing 3d model" but it is grayed out. And in the screen that comes up when clicking "create new 3D model" doesn't have a path for importing an existing stp or dxf file. So what do I do now to get this 3D model file attached to the component?

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

apdobaj — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 17:20:42 GMT

OK futzing with it some more I was able to import the MCAD file into the component and now the "attach copy of existing 3d model" is now not grayed out. I did that (I had to align it with the footprint) but the library component is still not showing the 3d model (red circle in the screenshot) but when I double click on the bold text highlighted in yellow in the screenshot, the 3D model pops up. I then pushed to 3D and the USB connector (component I'm trying to model) still showed the yellow triangle saying there's no 3D model for it. So I deleted the component in the schematic and re-added it, changed the reference designator to the original value, and of course I then had to re-route the lines that were broken, and now when pushing to 3d the USB connector now doesn't have the yellow triangle. But the created 3D model doesn't have the USB connector in 3D. Good grief, this is insanely convoluted.

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

jorge_garcia — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 23:01:09 GMT

Hi @apdobaj,

I hope you're doing well. It could be that the footprint doesn't have the 3D model correctly inserted into it.

Check out this video and make sure you are inserting the 3D model correctly to associate it with the footprint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlhIeRFX-N4&list=PLmA_xUT-8UlKE-U-eEqrkNEI7rd1fUnLY&index=4

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

apdobaj — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 01:59:59 GMT

I added the 3D file exactly as you do in the video. Besides, I can see the 3D package in the component in the library. But when I push the 3D, it tells me that it's missing 3d geometry, when clearly it's there in the component. Any other ideas?

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

apdobaj — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 02:38:16 GMT

I'm at my wits end, this just plain doesn't work. The component clearly contains the 3d info, it just doesn't show up in the 3D pushed view.

Re: Add a 3D STEP model to an existing local library

jorge_garcia — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:08:30 GMT

Hi @apdobaj,

One thing comes to mind, did you perform an update in the Electronics Design file. Changes in the library are not automatically consumed by the design files, you have to explicitly update the design. In the library menu, you'll find the Library Update commands.

Let me know if you continue to run into problems.

Best Regards,