How to import a .STEP cad file to Eagle

harry percy wrote:

I was wondering if anyone could help / point me to a description of

how to take a STEP file (a cad drawing) of a ALPS switch and import

into Eagle as a libary item? (or should I just start from the

begining and draw a new item in Eagle?)

 

The item Im trying to use is push switch from ALPS

 

>

http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/HTML/Switch/Push/SPUJ/SPUJ193700.shtml

 

Regards

 

Hazzer

Creatiing your own library part is the way to go. Besides, I suspect the

pad information would not be in the STEP file.

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harry percy <communitymanager@premierfarnell.com> wrote:

I was wondering if anyone could help / point me to a description of how

to take a STEP file (a cad drawing) of a ALPS switch and import into

Eagle as a libary item?

(or should I just start from the begining and draw a new item in Eagle?)

 

The step model is a 3d format for viewing the components physicalities. It

does non contain soldering information.

But it would be nice is a future version could actually use it and render

it for 3d collision drc. It could also be used to check your footprint, and

if I dream further it could be used to auto create the footprint.

I suspect that neither is not going to happen in many years, if ever.

"Morten Leikvoll"  a écrit dans le message de groupe de discussion :

589724597342302077.993435mleilvol-yahoo.nospam@news.cadsoft.de...

harry percy <communitymanager@premierfarnell.com> wrote:

I was wondering if anyone could help / point me to a description of how

to take a STEP file (a cad drawing) of a ALPS switch and import into

Eagle as a libary item?

(or should I just start from the begining and draw a new item in Eagle?)

 

The step model is a 3d format for viewing the components physicalities. It

does non contain soldering information.

But it would be nice is a future version could actually use it and render

it for 3d collision drc. It could also be used to check your footprint, and

if I dream further it could be used to auto create the footprint.

I suspect that neither is not going to happen in many years, if ever.

===

Step files are not very useful for a footprint where you need mainly proper

outline, pads and drills.

However, if you have time, here is a way to check that your footprint will

fit the Switch :

- make your own library package for the switch, based on the datasheet.

- see http://eagleup.wordpress.com/how-to-model/#import_step to convert your

step model into a skp file (can be quite long, see the video)

- install the export/import plugins by following the tutorial

http://eagleup.wordpress.com/installation-and-setup/

- then export your board and import it into Sketchup. If you have all the

steps correct you should see your board and the switch on it.

I use this process with every new mechanical part, as usually their

datasheet is not very precise for our E-CAD use

You can also see eventual collisions with your enclosure, with other

components ...

Check this video for a real world exemple of project modeled in a couple of

days :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uC9YPETKAYg

Jerome

Cheers Jerome

I'll go over the videos 2night.

Harry

God that's way too long winded.

OK easy peasy,take STEP file view in Mechanical CAD software (RS Design Spark)  top view,make sure DXF setting 1:1 scale true font

Export OUTPUT DXF format

Go into PCB CAD software edit component (assume you made symbols and pads),import layer as shape.

Position in correct place,I use the solder pins from DXF to align then remove 99% pins pads by turning PCB layers off, success rate 99%

check scaling set correct when importing DXF files into PCB cad.

I do it this way for loads of different shapes,even Icons.

Running Easy PC CAD V19 here,same as RS Design Spark-Eagle should be able to do same thing,but not tried but found a egale DXF Import ULP

here

https://github.com/erikwilson/import-dxf

Rob

Thank you for some info provided in this post.

From these I was able to import the STEP generated file of my component in Sketchup and set colors on the component part, now mt trouble is how to import this 3D model inside my library as 3D footprint?

Thank

Fabio