how to permanently correct orientation/location

[fatbeard]

While designing a PCB, the parts are usually available from the manufacturers in .stp format.
What is more than a bit annoying is that the available models do not have the same orientation (or even center).
This results in e.g. connectors laying on their side inside the PCB, while other components appear in some weird orientation and/or floating in mid-air....
All of this is -of course- correctable by transformation(s), but the original orientation and location remains. Which can lead to unexpected results when copying/rotating stuff and is -in general- a Rpita.

Here is an example:

Screenshot from 2021-06-24 14-11-03.png (14.91 KiB) Viewed 1186 times

The 'PCB' is a padded sketch on XY-plane, symmetrical around the origin; both the capacitor (moved in Y-direction for clarity) and the connector are imported step files. Not seen is another imported stepfile, which is on the right side of the sample (about 3meters away).
Only the capacitor was moved, the rest is untouched.

Is there a way to correct the orientation and location of an imported step file so that it matches the rest of the design permanently?

[thomas-neemann]

here is a suggestion about compound. is that a solution for you?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LkPG5slRT0

phpBB [video]

[fatbeard]

Nice suggestion, it works (a bit). Found that one by myself, too.
One loses the rendering of the original (sub)parts, and the original (with its twisted origin and location) is still there...

For a quickie it's usable, but I was looking for a more robust solution...

[thomas-neemann]

if the original interferes, you can make a simple copy of the compound and delete the original

[thomas-neemann]

....One loses the rendering of the original (sub)parts, and the original (with its twisted origin and location) is still there...

here is a suggestion in which the sub-parts are retained.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Sx4ILzlN4

phpBB [video]

[fatbeard]

Nice, but that is only part of the solution.
When I start with just the connector I have this unusable thing:

Screenshot from 2021-06-25 10-31-30.png (11.29 KiB) Viewed 1039 times

After correcting the orientation (rotate 90° around X-axis) I have this nice thing:

Screenshot from 2021-06-25 10-33-04.png (10.6 KiB) Viewed 1039 times

but the original orientation tends to pop up unexpectedly.

When I make a compound I am left with this ugly thing (note that the colors have all gone):

Screenshot from 2021-06-25 10-39-25.png (5.34 KiB) Viewed 1039 times

that still has the original, wrongly oriented one 'under the hood'. Which tends to pop up unexpectedly...

The only way I have found to get what I want is to create a new part, copy the elements of the original into this, correct the orientation/origin of each one, downgrade each one to faces, upgrade those faces to a shell and then re-apply the original color to the new element...
Doable for parts with only a few elements, but it gets rather tedious for more complex parts.

I can't help but thinking that there must be a simpler way to achieve this...

[Bance]

Are you using 'KicadStepup'?

Get it from addon manager.

[fatbeard]

No, I'm using Eagle 5.12...
Relatively new to the whole 3D PCB thing, so I'm "building" the whole model from the ground up.
Very educational...

[Pauvres_honteux]

A couple of threads, that may intrest you, is dealing with the manipulation of stuff in the 3D-viewport.

The programming bit: 3D-manipulators in general

The usage bit: A collection of links on the subject of the usage of 3D manipulators

[fatbeard]

... and this is supposed to help me how ?

It's always nice to see an expert at work, but without any further explanation it is not really helpful.
Most videos go way to fast (even at playback speed 0.25) to even remotely follow what they are doing, and give absolutely no idea why they are doing it...
Apart from that, some of them are ... hrrummm... 'of age' .