Correct way to import STEP for Device Footprint, and import other libraries

[remiBB5EP]

Hello,

I have been playing with libraries in Fusion 360 for many days now. Designed Devices, Symbols, Footprints and Packages from scratch and also imported parts. Now I found it a pretty twisted (and long) process specifically when you need either to import an external STEP for a 3D package or specific devices from a library.

Can you please correct me / point me in the right direction if I am doing something wrong? Here is how I do:

A) Import STEP into a 3D existing Device that has no package

1. Open the Library where and under the device you want, right click on the footprint and select "Create new 3D model"

2. Click on "Show Data Pannel", then "Upload" and select the STEP file to upload

3. Wait for the STEP file to upload in the cloud

4. Focus the 3D model created in step one and in the Data Panel select "Insert into Current Design"

5. Rotate/Move etc... and click OK.

6. Immediately Right Click on the "Break Link" (because if you save with the link, even if you break it in the futur, you will never ever be able to delete the imported STEP Model because it's in previous versions you cannot delete, unless you delete your new 3D Model and restart at 1)

7. You can now save the 3D Model safely

8. Delete the designed generated from the uploaded STEP in step 2

I've read in the forum that if you create a new 3D model and browse to Fusion Team you will would have a message that the 3D Model is empty (this is correct, I got the message) and an option to upload a STEP file directly to it. I do not see this option. I've tried everything I could, like pushing it before I open the empty model in the browser but never saw this option.

B) Import parts (2D+3D) from local library to a personal library.

Let say I pay to get component design by SnapEDA and get a .lib and .step files. Or just I download those files from Newark because they have it for the part I buy.

1. Click on "File" / "Open" and select the .lib where there are parts to import

2. Refer to previous steps in A) to import the STEP files you need for 3D

4. When the file is open save it

5. Find where is it, you will need it later to delete it (it goes literally anywhere, there is no logic here to me. Not the last project, not the project I select before in the Data Panel)

6. Push the library in the cloud

7. Open your personal library where you want to import the part

8. Click on "Create" / "Create New Device"

7. Click on "Import..."

8. Click on "Open Library Manager"

9. Find the Library in the available list and click on "Use"

10. Close the Library Manager

11. Fin the device you want to import in the list

12. Click OK. The Device is imported with 2D and 3D.

13. Save you library

14. Click on "Manage"/ "Library.io" / "Push..." to upload your library in the cloud with a new version

15. Refer to step 5. and delete the imported STEP file that has been converted as a Fusion 360 format

16. Refer to step 5 and delete the imported library you do not need anymore. I don't think you need to remove it from "use" list since it's not referred anyway by any SCH at this point.

nota: we could start from step 6. directly but that does not solve the problem of the 3D STEP import. So I don't see this as faster. Maybe if you only need .lib with 2D (Device, Symbols, Footprint)  

I have the impression that it's a lot of step, especially if you consider that step 2. is 8 steps.

So I conclude that there is something I did not understand correctly and that I am probably doing something wrong here. 

Thank you very much for any pointer in the right direction.

Rémi

[prasenjit.mondal · Accepted solution]

@remiBB5EP Hope you are doing well. Option A is the way to import STEP file. However Step 6 is optional. You can reuse the same imported STEP file later for any other part having footprint with different densities.

Unfortunately if you want to import a part from different library into your library Option B is the way to go. We understand that it has lot of steps and definitely consider to work on it in future to make the process easier. Thanks for pointing out.

[remiBB5EP]

Thank you, @prasenjit.mondal, for your response.

I like the way Fusion 360 leverages the cloud and I understand why the models have to be first uploaded before you work on it. Not everyone like it but I think there is a lot of value with this approach. However, there are always ways to improve so here is my 2 cents.

For the 3D import, I would love to see a way to just "Import 3D Model..." in the newly created 3D for my footprint. I would select the STEP (or other format) and it would be inserted in the current 3D model. If anything happens in the cloud under the hood I would not care. If you need an option to "Insert Only" vs "Save a copy of original model and link to it", that's fair since I can select "Insert Only".

When I import a library, it would be great if you can have two options:

1) import it as a whole and save + upload it in the cloud (basically what you do today when adding a library for Use)

2) select Devices you want to import in a list and add it to an existing library

Currently, the closest to 2) is when you right click on a part you have already in a SCH and copy to exiting library. But you have to import the library before-end and delete it if you do not need it anymore. The problem when you buy parts and get the 2D + 3D from manufacturer, you get it one by one and you do not want hundreds of them. You just create one library for this manufacturer where you import them all every time you get a new one. Or you decide to import them in existing libraries per categories (Logical IC, LED, Power...). Your choice.

Again, my 2 cents.

Have a lovely day,

Rémi

[prasenjit.mondal]

Thanks for the suggestion. 

[zdenekZzz]

Hello,
I am able to create a schematic symbol, footprint, device, connect pins to pads. But when I am trying to add a 3D STEP model:
1. I have uploaded the STEP file from a download directory (drag and drop after click to Upload in Data panel)
2. right click on Footprint in list in library Content manager, then "Attach copy of existing 3D model", but uploaded STEP model is not in list of Available packages. What is the correct way?
3. right click on Footprint in list in library Content manager, when I select "Create new 3D model", then prompt for saving appears. a few lines of 3D structure (origin, Sketches) appears in top of page, but nothing is drawn, no layer, planes, no footprint lines visible. A last content of page (subwindow) persist. Is it a bug?
Thanks

[prasenjit.mondal]

@zdenekZzz Sorry for the trouble. "Attach copy of existing 3D model" actually lists down available packages inside the library. Uploading STEP file to data panel does not create package. That is why you cannot see in the list. Please follow the steps below to use the STEP file in package.

• Right click on the footprint and click "Create new 3D model" option.
• Save the package after prompt appears.
• Open the data panel and right click on the uploaded STEP file.
• Click "Insert into Current Design".
• Align and finish the package.

Feel free to let me know if you face further issues.

Can you share screenshot of the footprint regarding the issue you mentioned - "nothing is drawn, no layer, planes, no footprint lines visible."?

I do understand the confusion about the term "3D model" in "Attach copy of existing 3D model" option. I will discuss this with our team. Thanks.

[zdenekZzz]

Thank you for quick answer. I have done it in meantime, but I must close Fusion before.
After restart of Fusion, there was item "my_device_3D" in left bottom corner (data panel). "Insert (STEP) into current design" was unsuccessful in result, because this item has no linking to my device.

I repeat Open Library manager, Open, select footprint, "Create new 3D model" - and all seems to be correctly displayed (zero plane, thin footprint lines etc.). Previous fail seems to be bug, I have seen it  in recent history too.
Save 3D, save device - and it has 3D model. 🙂
Now, I have 2 item with identical name "my_device_3D" in left bottom corner (data panel), one orphan and one correctly attached to device. 

If I meet bug again, I will send screenshot.

Thanks.

[prasenjit.mondal]

Glad you made it work. What do you mean by "item has no linking to my device" when you failed to insert into current design.

[zdenekZzz]

After restart of the Fusion, there was item "my_device_3D" in the left bottom corner (data panel). "Insert (STEP) into current design" was unsuccessful in result, because this item has no linking to my device.

I think so, because when I added 3D STEP file "Insert into Current Design", correctly aligned on thin footprint lines, I saved this "my_device_3D", saved my device, but nothing appears in right subwindow for 3D model. I think there is not link between device and this item named "my_device_3D".

Thus I repeated entire original sequence from step "Create new 3D model", inserted STEP into it, and it worked, it is displayed after choose from Device list, it has link to device.

The bug "not displayed zero plane nor thin footprint lines": it is not drawing anything. Nor axis cross in the top right, if I remember correctly. It displays only the text tree in the top left of main subwindow (probably "Zero, Sketches"). All content of subwindow remains the same as previously. If it displays a device with footprint preview, it remains, although 3D space is expected. If previous content was black page, then entire subwindow remains black, except a few gray text lines of tree in top left corner.