3D Step Model for Altium

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Adwaittronics

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I am looking for 3D model(STEP) files for components for pcb designing ,I visited PCB-3D site but its free membership contains very limited STEP files of components and its paid membership is not affordable for me ,does any one have any other source where I can get the 3D step files of components kindly help.
NOTE: working in Altium Designer ver10.
 

very few 3D STEP files you can get it for free. You can get all the parts 3D model in 3dcontentcentral. Anyway thanks for the information.
 

If you have 3D software like Autodesk Inventor, it might be faster to draw the 3D models yourself instead of searching them in the large 3DContentCentral database. I usually run a quick search for the package in 3DCC and if nothing shows up on the first page I don't bother browsing through them all and draw it myself.
 

The problem is a lot (if not most) PCB designers aren't lucky enough to have a 3D package or have received training for using such a package....
 

marce said:
The problem is a lot (if not most) PCB designers aren't lucky enough to have a 3D package or have received training for using such a package....
Click to expand...
That is unfortunately true, though for simple models like relays, QFN IC's, electrolytic capacitors etc. a 3D package like Sketchup (free software from Google) can also be sufficient, and very easy to learn.
 

Most of us like to have realistic 3D STEP file. Otherwise you can use Altium itself to create 3D module.
 

I am using solidworks software to make 3D model and I made electrolytic cap Radial- Diameter:10mm, Height:16mm ,Pitch:5mm. But when I imported its step model into Altium 10 ,the footprint of the cap is aligning at the top surface of the cap. Also the colour of the model is uniform even though I gave different colours to body and top,bottom surfaces.
I am clueless ,kindly suggest solution ,maybe a proper video link of making electro cap step in solidworks.see image
**broken link removed**
 

You have to match the models zero point with that of the PCB component and Altium 3D works. Cant exactly remember the command in Solidworks but it allows you to set a new zero point....
 

Thanks marce,but I already carried out the steps you suggested but the problem persists.
 

Adwaittronics said:
Thanks marce,but I already carried out the steps you suggested but the problem persists.
Click to expand...
Instead of correcting the origin in Solidworks, you can also do it automatically in Altium. In the PCB Library editor, go to 3D mode and then choose Tools => 3D Body Placement => Set Body Height. Then click on a point in the 3D model that you wish to align with the PCB surface and click OK in the window. Altium will now automatically set the model height!
 

Thanks ArticCynda your post solved the problem but one more problem is that of colour of the model,even if I assign colour to the model in solidworks it appears completely white after importing in Altium Designer 10.
Any solution?
 

I've also noticed that color information isn't always transferred to Altium correctly.

- make sure that the file format is AP214 when exporting the STEP model, the AP203 often gives trouble
- set the transparency of all primitives to 1 (100% opaque)
- avoid the use of textures

Good luck!
 
thanks ,this one also worked!!!
 

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