How to import STEP-file in assembly?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am working a a script that reads a file PCB file from the electrical CAD software EAGLE and creates a mechanical compoment from it. To see how far I went, look at the attached file. 

What is missing now is to place the actual components. Most manufacturers from electrical connectors already offer STEP-Files of their products so my goal is to make my script read those 3D-models and place them on my PCB.

Unfortunately, I have no clue how to do this. Can you give a minimal example on how to import and place a STEP-file? Bonus question: Is it possible at all to import a STEP-file from the local hard drive or needs the STEP-file to be in A360 already? 

[prainsberry]

Very cool.  We actually just wrote a script to import IDF files and create all of the components based on their outlines in Eagle.  We are looking into something that will also allow importing step files.  

Currently we do not support model import through the API, unfortunately.  If you want I can send you the script we did to import IDF files.  Planning to publish it soon.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your fast answer! If importing models is not possible, are there any workarounds you can think of? Is placing another Fusion360 part through the API possible? My goal is to have a 3D-Modell that contains outline of connectors that are angled to the pcb. As far as I know, IDF only has a prism for each component, so a round connector that is not perpendicular to the board would show up as a box and the information of position and diameter of the axis of the connector is lost. This way it is not possible the create the cutouts in the frontpanel.

Your IDF-Script would be definetely interesting because although my script works, it takes a while to complete and I am sure you did some performance improvements.

In fact, EAGLE 7 has an IDF-export and they also offer a website where you can upload your IDF and replace the boxes with actual step files but the whole is complicated. My scripts does not require and IDF export,

[prainsberry]

We are actively working on a solution for this need and should hopefully have more to share as we zero in on a solution in the next couple months.  

Actually the script I have is fairly slow too.  Problem is that the javascript API runs out of process and for heavy modeling operations is a little slow.  If it had been done in Python I believe it would be much faster.  

Which language are you working in?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am using python for my script. My script is rather slow because I create a Hole-feature for each drill in the PCB so I am creating a large number of features. Maybe grouping all drills of the same diameter in one sketch an creating only one hole feature per diameter will speed everything.

I am looking forward for a solution to import STEP-files in further versions.

[Roman_Vesely]

Hi jaegeraxel,

 are you able to insert Design documents from Data Panel from your script ? If so, you can use this workaround:

1) Create some Project and potentialy folder inside

2) Use Upload command and Upload all requested STEP files to this folder

3) Once it will be Uploaded and Translated you should see all these files as Fusion Design documents

4) You can Insert them to the Assembly by script

Regards

 Roman

Fusion QA team

[Anonymous]

Can you give an example how to do step 4 using a script?

Uploading the library of parts and having them as fusion documents is a perfectly acceptable solution.

[ekinsb]

Unfortunately step 4 is not currently possible.  There are plans to add this capability in the future but it's not currently possible and also isn't in the next release.

[Anonymous]

Ok for the first shot and until step 4 is possible, I will try the following workaround: I manually add the components of interest to an assembly and my scripts just moves them to the right position. 

[robduarte]

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@prainsberry wrote:

Very cool.  We actually just wrote a script to import IDF files and create all of the components based on their outlines in Eagle.  We are looking into something that will also allow importing step files.  

Currently we do not support model import through the API, unfortunately.  If you want I can send you the script we did to import IDF files.  Planning to publish it soon.

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I'm interested in getting a copy of the script.

[prainsberry]

Actually we are having a bit of an issue with it in the current release. We are hoping to have it fixed for the May update and will be posting it publicly at that time. Sorry about that

Regards,
Patrick Rainsberry

[robduarte]

Thanks for the update