Adding multiple 3D models to board stackup in KiCad 5.0

How do you pull in multiple 3D models to create a board stack in KiCad? This video shows you how to use schematic symbols, placeholder footprints and either generated or found 3D models in your final board rendering. This method will help you to create nicely rendered photos for promotion, or more importantly, to detect problems before you send a board out to be manufactured.
Introduction to the ABC board: • Introduction to the AB...
You can see how the entire ABC board was made with a free week on Contextual Electronics: contextualelec...
Keystone 4881: www.digikey.co...
0:00 Introduction
1:27 Looking at the ABCDCBA
2:37 How to generate step files of your KiCad project
5:29 Inspecting spacing between the ABC and the ABCDCBA
7:26 Creating a symbol/footprint/3D model for the RPi4
9:30 Assiging a 3D model to a logo
11:20 Alternate method of moving modeling outside of KiCad
12:40 Starting rotation of RPi4 3D model to match the ABC board
15:07 Discovering a mistake in rotation
18:48 Looking at the full board stackup
19:53 Turning on the realistic / raytracing rendering
20:40 Wrap up

[@lucvanhove9639]

The Kicad lesson's from the past are the best educational course for me and till now nobody make it better. Thanks a lot. 👏👍👍👍👍👍

[@nicknack125]

I've been exporting separately into Fusion for all my assemblies, this is much more straightforward - thanks for the video!

[@tseckwr3783]

Thank you for taking the time to do this video. Learning KiCAD after using OrCAD/CADENCE tools for the past 30 years is a little bit of a task. Videos do help a lot.

[@RasmusSE]

Instead of changing the STEP path in the footprint back and forth, try the following... In the footprint editor, chance the footprint type from "SMD" to "virtual". The kicad logo probably is already set as a "virtual" (non-BOM) component. Then, in the 3d viewer you can choose to display/not display 3d models for your virtual footprints with a checkbox. Super fast and easy to toggle your "motherboard" on and off without mucking about with the footprint 👍🏻

[@ChrisGammell]

Great tip!

[@PatrickGall]

I like the use of the logo symbol as the link to the assembly. I've been creating symbols for mounting points (just calling them MP?) and then corresponding footprints that contains the bolt pattern information. That way I can reposition the mounting point footprint in the layout while still having confidence that the bolt pattern will line up no problem. I then link the 3d model with the footprint including the screws that will hold the components together. I also like creating the symbols for the mount points because I can visually communicate on the schematic, exactly how the mount points are grounded.

[@TheSkevenger]

You can add more 3D models to one footprint. Try link 1st PCB model to mating connector on 2nd PCB. So when you move the connector it goes together as it will be connected.

[@SwitchingPower]

You can have multiple 3D models on a single footprint, so an easier way is for the connector to have the connector and daughter board model so when you move the connector the other board moves with it

[@MarkFunderburk]

That is usually what I do.

[@dunk_law]

Still worth learning FreeCAD with KiCad Stepup addon.

[@SolaLupus]

+1 I also use this combo

[@maxmussdermann1754]

Thanks a lot! Watched quite some of your videos now and I'm impressed with the informative quality, you seem to always show exactly what I need. But please, talk a bit slower. Sometimes I have to put your videos on 0.75x speed to be able to follow the amount of information while doing it on KiCad on the other screen

[@doco6186]

Hey Chris, Happy Thanksgiving.

[@googolmorons620]

thanks! works in KiCad 6 as well 🤩🤩 but here's what I don't understand - why start creating a footprint of the module from the logo? you can make it from a connector that is installed on the main board (many of them in KiCad libs have default 3d model), draw the outline of the upper module and add a step file as a second 3d model to your footprint.

[@rwils6333]

So painful, export to 3d cad software.

[@roughedge-machineworks]

... uhm so why not just export it to step files open the steip file in fusion, freecad or even sketchup and line up the models and look at it.. ? Kicad lesson of the day; dont bother about making things to a measurment - kicad is not cad.. :D

[@stephenore9251]

None of this is good, it's almost to painful to watch.. there are much better ways to doing this and keeping it maintainable from one project to another..