Not able to Replace Component Body in 3D PCB Workspace

[niranjangaikwad28]

Hello guys I have designed my PCB in Eagle and pushed it into Fusion360 workspace to create a eCAD model. I am following this video from Adafruit . I want to replace the component body with a step file I found on Library.io but there is no option to do so.

I have followed all the steps in the video till the PCB is opened in Fusion360. In the video the workspace is PCB while my workspace is 3D PCB, I guess this is because of version upgrade, I may be wrong. I want to replace the component with a 3D step files I found on Library.io. If anyone has idea where I am going wrong, please point me to the right direction. Thank-you 🙂

[edwin.robledo]

Hi niranjangaikwad28,

This is a great question, thank you for participating in the Fusion 360 electronics forum.  I am not all that familiar with the method Adafruit is using to map 3D models, but I fairly certain it doesn't work with the recent updates. Ideally, you want to perform this update directly in EAGLE. From the EAGLE schematic or PCB editor, right-click the part and use the option Add Custom 3D. When the package editor appears, here you will be able to either upload the STEP file you already have or select ADD to browse the repository of 3D models we have on Library.io. Once the 3D model appears in the package editor, use the alignment tools to fine-tune its placement on the footprint. 

[niranjangaikwad28]

Thanks for the prompt reply @edwin.robledo :). I didn't mention in the previous post but I actually tried the method you have mentioned. In the schematic, I have right clicked on component > Add Custom 3d package and uploaded the step package, was exactly as you mentioned. Then I saved it and pushed it into Fusion360. Below are my updated 3D packages

The 3D packages that I have uploaded

I even updated Fusion360 to it's latest version and restarted. Upon looking at the saved files, even the version was my latest version that I pushed. I am still getting black default patches instead of the 3D components that I had updated. Even checked the preferences if there is any manual settings I have to change but there is no PCB settings like in the older version. Is there any other way to troubleshoot this problem?

Edit: I noticed the package name have been changed with the 3D ones that I have uploaded but there component has not been replaced. Is there a setting to enable 3D components manually?

Components that I had replaced

[niranjangaikwad28]

Hello there, I have been trying to solve this problem for quite some time now but did not find any feasible solution. I looked through the forum and it seems many people are having problems pushing components from Eagle to Fusion after January 2020 update. The problems faced are the same. My guess is the 3D packages are not being updated while synchronization. It would be nice to have Add/Replace 3D component in the 3D PCB workspace itself. Also it would be cool to have Eagle's package generator feature integrated in 3D PCB workspace. I think the 3D package generator feature would be more practical in Fusion than in Eagle and it would also solve the inter-software sync problem. Just my opinion. If anybody finds any solution for above problem, please update this post. Thanks.

[RichardHammerl · Accepted solution]

Hi @niranjangaikwad28 

I just go new information on this problem. I'm sorry, but the moment there is no solution available yet. 

The only workaround for EAGLE is to create a library component and assign the 3D model to the footprint and then add this component to the project. Now the push to Fusion will work correctly. 

You mentioned the EAGLE's Package Generator. It is also available in the Fusion Library editor. Open/Create an Electronics Library and create a package. Click the icon marked with the arrow in the image below. Now create the library component and add it to your design. This would be a feasible workaround in Fusion.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

[niranjangaikwad28 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the quick reply @RichardHammerl , I will try both the methods and see what works the best.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @niranjangaikwad28  for rasing this issue.  I too have spent a significant amount of time trying to create a 3D model of a populated board with 3D models of IC's and connectors.

@RichardHammerl I have created the new package as suggested - but cannot find anyway to get the new package to  the PCB.  Fusion360 insists on using the 3D PCB design view for my Eagle generated model.  This view has very little editing functionality (flip or move device).  I cannot add or replace devices/packages as you suggest.  I have added a new 3D model (package) to the device in the library as suggested - and still no progress.

This seems to be a big step backwards from earlier functionality - not sure what the advantages are.  

[RichardHammerl]

Hi @Anonymous 

the replacement of the part has to be done in the 2D PCB. After creating the 3D model it will be added to the library and will be available for adding/replacing components in your board/schematic. As soon as you added the component to the 2D PCB switch to 3D and it will be updated automatically. 

The 3D PCB allows to move and flip components and it is not meant to be a full featured PCB editor. All of the electronics design" should be done in the schematic and 2D PCB. 3D is the entry into the "mechanical world" and the mechanics guys are allowed to adjust components so that they PCB fits into the product/enclosure.... but we do not want to give them all options to easily mess up the whole board... 😉 

Your post does not tell me about the library you used for creating the 3D model. Is it a new library or did you take one of your existing libraries? There are a number of options to bring your new 3D model into the 2D PCB like Library Update or Replace.... if you need further help, tell me. 

Best regards,

[niranjangaikwad28]

Good-day @Anonymous , glad to have someone who feels the same. After @RichardHammerl's advice on the workarounds, I spent some more time on this today. The following are my conclusions:

1- I was feeling too lazy to create a package from scratch so I downloaded a library with appropriate 3D package for my resistors and capacitors. Replaced the components with the new ones and then pushed it to Fusion360 and viola, there was my component with 3D package in 3D PCB workspace. Although this method works for generic components, not all components come with a 3D package. For example I had found a sweet 3D model for a barrel connector and used the "Add Custom 3D package" to add it to my PCB component via package editor. That 3D package failed to sync in Fusion 360 and the sweet 3D barrel design never appeared. My conclusion is the "Add Custom 3D package" does not work as intended.

2- This time I opened the schematic and board directly in Fusion360>New Electronics Design, uploaded the schematic, linked the board and validated design consistency for schematic and board. After that I did the same thing that I did with eagle, replaced the old components (without 3D package) with  new components (with 3D package). Then viewed it in 3D PCB and there were my new components with 3D package. There were still a lot of components without 3D package available so I tried the Open Device>Create New Package>3D package generator. There was no option to upload custom step file like that in Eagle's Package Generator. The templates of Fusion's 3D package generator were that of generic components and not of the one that I wanted (DC barrel connector in my case). To conclude, these are lots of steps to replace a 3D package but the purpose (replacing with a custom step file) is not served in my case.

I have arrived to the above conclusions by figuring the workarounds as mentioned by @RichardHammerl, please correct me if I am wrong anywhere. It is evident that the older version which had PCB workspace was more straightforward and practical. I have still not figured out how to add a custom 3D component step file without making it from scratch. If anyone is able to accomplish that please add to this post.

[Anonymous]

Hi @RichardHammerl - that is the process I'm following, at least I think I am.  Please see my screencast to see the specific steps I took - and you'll see that the 3D view does not show my device.

In the screencast, I use a predefined library with a custom made component - created via the Create package features of Fusion360.

I did trim the video to remove some delays.

Is this what you'd expect?  Maybe I'm missing some key steps?

Thanks for your help

[Anonymous]

Thanks @niranjangaikwad28 that sounds like positive progress.  Could you share a quick screen cast of how you replace the devices with your new library.  I've tried that also, but still not abale to get a positive outcome.

Thanks again

[niranjangaikwad28]

Hello @mikePJ3VU, here you go. I have replaced a resistor here in Fusion360's New Electronics Design workspace

[Anonymous]

I don´t understud workflow because in Eagle I only click righ button on mouse when I want edit 3D peckage on device, in fusion i don´t understund how to edit 3D package in board in 2D or after switch to 3D. 

[alexA3RDM]

I'm currently getting bitten by this same bug, also using Eagle standalone since the F360 electronics workspace is still way too unstable for professional work.

I'm in the same boat - bunch of components on the board from *someone else's library* and I don't want to go to all the trouble of importing into my own, replacing, and re-pushing (which, incidentally, crashes Eagle every time, but that's a different story).

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hello @alexA3RDM , @niranjangaikwad28 , @Anonymous , @Anonymous ,

Hope all is well.

We just released EAGLE 9.6.2 today with the fix to allow you are able to add the customized 3D Package and push to Fusion 360, could you please upgrade EAGLE and have a try again? 

Thank you.

Regards,

Helen

[Anonymous]

@niranjangaikwad28 I'm facing the exact same issue as yours here. I used to replace the components with my own STEP files after exporting from EAGLE to Fusion, quite straight forward to do so. So sad Autodesk removed this feature, I hope they can retrieve back this feature. 

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hi @Anonymous ，

In latest EAGLE 9.6.2, if you replace the 3d Package for one component with your own STEP files from library.io, and then push the file to Fusion 360, it should work well now.

Could you please upgraded to EAGLE 9.6.2 and try again, if you haven't have chance to upgrade it yet?

Hope it helps.

Regards,

Helen

[Anonymous]

I have upgraded Eagle to 9.6.2.  I can confirm that the add custom 3D package works - thank for re-instating this feature.

Pushing to Fusion from here is a much better method than the single platform you are driving towards.  Perhaps in the future the single platform will be mature enough to deliver on segragation of responsibilities you seem to have in mind.  Its always good to give options though, as many companies don't all have this seperation.  Especially smaller companies.

[Anonymous]

I'm using EAGLE 9.6.2 now but I didn't know the 3D library package feature for Eagle before. After watching this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzm8gvWyQcw I managed to import my STEP files to 3D package. It took quite a long time to sort out my Eagle library with the 3D but it's worth, just a few clicks to convert 3D from Board in future. Thanks @HelenChen-ElectronicsQA !

[Anonymous]

I have upgraded to 9.6.2 but I can not find the "add custom 3D package" button... Where is it hidden?