best free software for modifying 3D parts for PCB design? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 02:12:05 am
content: There are lots of free 3D models available online but sometimes the parts available aren't really appropriate for PCB design purposes mostly because they include the leads at full length. For a 3D PCB viewer you want the leads to be only slightly longer than the thickness of the board.What would be the best free software that could be used for modifying .step files and such?

author: ChunkyPastaSauce
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 03:43:48 am
content: There are a few of them, but give autodesk 360 a try. FreeCAD should also do it.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 04:52:45 am
content: solidworks. but it ain't free... i'll have to give freecad a spin. i'd love to have a solidworks clone...

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 05:33:29 am
content: Freecad cant do subtraction,only format conversion. Blend i guess iirc is a complete free 3d editor.. solidwork?better be inventor by autodesk..either break a bank o meet the one eyed guy..

author: ChunkyPastaSauce
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 06:22:38 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on October 06, 2016, 05:33:29 amFree cad does subtraction finehttp://imgur.com/a/F9nJIhttp://imgur.com/a/CPXpsQuote from: free_electron on October 06, 2016, 04:52:45 amThe original developers who made solidworks started another called OnShape. It's free as long as you dont mind models being public.AutoDesk Fusion 360 is very good by the way. It's free for hobby or commercial use as long as revenue is under $100k. Direct download from the site. I use solidworks professionally... like a ton... but likely switching to Fusion if at some point my work provided license ends. Even with SW license, I still use fusion on the side for stuff solidworks doesn't do.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 07:14:48 am
content: Quote from: ChunkyPastaSauce on October 06, 2016, 06:22:38 ammy mistake. i used it to convert iges to step. when i dive more into the menu there are some unused features such as part design and ability to make sketch, yes FreeCAD is probably a good advice, in fact as far as i can search, FreeCAD is the only tool that can convert iges to step stably and comfortably with little learning curve. i just dont use the other features because i'm using other CAD for what are needed...

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 09:41:40 am
content: fusion 360

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 12:18:07 pm
content: Try FreeCAD, it's powerful but lightweight. I have it installed (simply extracted) in a USB stick like a "portable app".

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2016, 02:52:57 pm
content: FreeCad looks decent but it keeps crashing. It could end up being useful for converting between different file types.I've been wondering about Fusion 360 for a while so I installed it and so far it looks nice. It's very different from the more artistic 3D tools I used to use in the past like Lightwave 3D but that's fine because it's what I'm looking for anyway.

author: rfbroadband
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 18, 2016, 10:25:51 pm
content: I use Inventor but it is very expensive and one would obviously not spent that much money to "just" create or modify step files for PCB 3D views. (same for Solidworks). If you find a free one that works, please post it.