KiCad StepUp tools are a FreeCAD Macro and a FreeCAD WorkBench to help in Mechanical Collaboration between KiCad EDA and a Mechanical CAD. With StepUp it is possible to: - load kicad board and parts in FreeCAD and export it to STEP (or IGES) for a full ECAD MCAD collaboration. Screenshot of Top viewport. 1223×865 4.04 KB. The exported DXF draft.dxf (6.4 KB, R12 Lines & Arcs) as it appears in FreeCAD: Screenshot of FreeCAD. 1339×727 70.2 KB. The circle on the right has moved to the left. The same issue exists with KiCad: Screenshot of KiCad. 1671×723 103 KB.
Step by Step Instructions
- Replace ‘test_points' array with test points gathered from kicad export step.
- Set ‘tp_min_y' to minimum y value from ‘test_points' array.
- Set ‘pcb_outline' to point to exported outline DXF.
- Set ‘pcb_x' and ‘pcb_y' to max (x,y) dimensions.
- Set ‘work_area_x' and ‘work_area_y' to be greater than or equal to ‘pcb_x' and ‘pcb_y' respectively.
- Set ‘pcb_th' to thickness of pcb (typically 1.6mm).
- Set ‘mat_th' to thickness of laser cuttable material (typically acrylic) in mm.
- Uncomment ‘projection (cut = false) lasercut ();' and comment other statements.
- Hit F6 to generate design.
- Click File->Export->Export as DXF.
- Cut with CO2 laser or send off to ponoko to cut.
Advanced Configuration
OpenFixture is written using openscad and is fully parametric which mean you can edit just about any variable at the top and it will generate a usable fixture solution. The typical variables that most users will need to edit are:
PCB variables (Follow this guide to export these in kicad):
- PCB dxf outline exported from kicad or other EDA software.
- Array of [x,y] coordinates extracted from pcb layout software.
- tp_min_y – Smallest y value from [x,y] coordinates above.
- Outer PCB dimensions (pcb_x, pcb_y).
- PCB thickness
Material/Assembly variables:
- mat_th – Material thickness that's being cut by laser.
- screw_th_len – Thread length (in mm) of M3 hardware (recommended at least 14mm).
- work_area_(x,y) – Set these to pcb_x and pcb_y for most cases.
Other variables most people won't touch: Harvard business publishing simulation answers.
- If using non-M3 hardware update:
- screw_d – screw diameter.
- nut_od_f2f – hex nut outer dimension flat to flat.
- nut_od_c2c – hex nut outer dimension corner to corner.
- nut_th – hex nut thickness (z).
- If using alternate hardware for hinge joint (ie: nylon bushing or something else).
- pivot_d – Set to diameter of pivot hardware.
- To change the support border to allow components close to the edge
- pcb_support_border – Must be less than nearest bottom component to the edge.
Office tab enterprise 13.10 key generator. After entering the necessary information above uncomment one for the following 3 lines and compile (F6).
//projection (cut = false) lasercut (); // Uncomment for exportable dxf to laser cut
//3d_model (); // Uncomment for full 3d rendering
//3d_head (); // Uncomment for 3d head rendering
//3d_base (); // Uncomment for 3d base rendering
After exporting the DXF from openscad you may need to open it in inkscape to convert it to a format needed by the laser cutter. For the epilog I have access to it's stroke lines must be 0.001″ and exported as a PDF. Once laser cutting is complete you will be ready for assembly. Please follow the assembly guide here: OpenFixture Assembly.
Hi,I have a sketch created from a step model I would like to export as DXF to import it into KiCad. Trying to import into KiCad I'm getting the error message 'No graphic items found in file to import'.
I opened the file in LibreCad and saw that the dxf does not consist simple lines which are moveable, but a complex part which I cannot modify, just moving as complete (When I'm creating a simple multiline sketch, in LibreCad I can move the single lines around without moving the others). This might be the reason KiCad is not able to open it because it's to complex.
I deleted in a second sketch (Sketch001) the most of the sketch out, because otherwise it is quite slow.
It is the Flatpak version:
OS: Linux 5.4.8-arch1-1
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.18.14555 (Git shallow)
KiCad StepUp tools are a FreeCAD Macro and a FreeCAD WorkBench to help in Mechanical Collaboration between KiCad EDA and a Mechanical CAD. With StepUp it is possible to: - load kicad board and parts in FreeCAD and export it to STEP (or IGES) for a full ECAD MCAD collaboration. Screenshot of Top viewport. 1223×865 4.04 KB. The exported DXF draft.dxf (6.4 KB, R12 Lines & Arcs) as it appears in FreeCAD: Screenshot of FreeCAD. 1339×727 70.2 KB. The circle on the right has moved to the left. The same issue exists with KiCad: Screenshot of KiCad. 1671×723 103 KB.
Step by Step Instructions
- Replace ‘test_points' array with test points gathered from kicad export step.
- Set ‘tp_min_y' to minimum y value from ‘test_points' array.
- Set ‘pcb_outline' to point to exported outline DXF.
- Set ‘pcb_x' and ‘pcb_y' to max (x,y) dimensions.
- Set ‘work_area_x' and ‘work_area_y' to be greater than or equal to ‘pcb_x' and ‘pcb_y' respectively.
- Set ‘pcb_th' to thickness of pcb (typically 1.6mm).
- Set ‘mat_th' to thickness of laser cuttable material (typically acrylic) in mm.
- Uncomment ‘projection (cut = false) lasercut ();' and comment other statements.
- Hit F6 to generate design.
- Click File->Export->Export as DXF.
- Cut with CO2 laser or send off to ponoko to cut.
Advanced Configuration
OpenFixture is written using openscad and is fully parametric which mean you can edit just about any variable at the top and it will generate a usable fixture solution. The typical variables that most users will need to edit are:
PCB variables (Follow this guide to export these in kicad):
- PCB dxf outline exported from kicad or other EDA software.
- Array of [x,y] coordinates extracted from pcb layout software.
- tp_min_y – Smallest y value from [x,y] coordinates above.
- Outer PCB dimensions (pcb_x, pcb_y).
- PCB thickness
Material/Assembly variables:
- mat_th – Material thickness that's being cut by laser.
- screw_th_len – Thread length (in mm) of M3 hardware (recommended at least 14mm).
- work_area_(x,y) – Set these to pcb_x and pcb_y for most cases.
Other variables most people won't touch: Harvard business publishing simulation answers.
- If using non-M3 hardware update:
- screw_d – screw diameter.
- nut_od_f2f – hex nut outer dimension flat to flat.
- nut_od_c2c – hex nut outer dimension corner to corner.
- nut_th – hex nut thickness (z).
- If using alternate hardware for hinge joint (ie: nylon bushing or something else).
- pivot_d – Set to diameter of pivot hardware.
- To change the support border to allow components close to the edge
- pcb_support_border – Must be less than nearest bottom component to the edge.
Office tab enterprise 13.10 key generator. After entering the necessary information above uncomment one for the following 3 lines and compile (F6).
//projection (cut = false) lasercut (); // Uncomment for exportable dxf to laser cut
//3d_model (); // Uncomment for full 3d rendering
//3d_head (); // Uncomment for 3d head rendering
//3d_base (); // Uncomment for 3d base rendering
After exporting the DXF from openscad you may need to open it in inkscape to convert it to a format needed by the laser cutter. For the epilog I have access to it's stroke lines must be 0.001″ and exported as a PDF. Once laser cutting is complete you will be ready for assembly. Please follow the assembly guide here: OpenFixture Assembly.
Hi,I have a sketch created from a step model I would like to export as DXF to import it into KiCad. Trying to import into KiCad I'm getting the error message 'No graphic items found in file to import'.
I opened the file in LibreCad and saw that the dxf does not consist simple lines which are moveable, but a complex part which I cannot modify, just moving as complete (When I'm creating a simple multiline sketch, in LibreCad I can move the single lines around without moving the others). This might be the reason KiCad is not able to open it because it's to complex.
Do anybody know why FreeCad exports the part as one and not each line separated?
I deleted in a second sketch (Sketch001) the most of the sketch out, because otherwise it is quite slow.
It is the Flatpak version:
OS: Linux 5.4.8-arch1-1
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.18.14555 (Git shallow)
Build type: Release
Kicad Export Dxf Software
Branch: (HEAD detached at 0.18.4)Hash: 980bf9060e28555fecd9e3462f68ca74007b70f8
Python version: 2.7.15
Kicad Import Dxf File
Qt version: 5.12.5
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Kicad Export Dxf Software
Locale: English/United States (en_US)