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hackclub / OnBoard

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Documentation for KiCad & Support for KiCad 3D WRL Models #878

Closed LimesKey closed 3 months ago

LimesKey commented 4 months ago

In reviewing pull request submissions, reviewers often have to take a screenshot of the front and back of a submitter's PCB for marketing purposes. A 3D model would provide much more value for better screenshots and keeping the designs of hundreds of submitters for us to look back on. Unfortunately, 3D models would only apply to people using KiCad as EasyEDA makes it very difficult to export a full 3D Model unless you switch to EasyEDA Pro and then it's a little easier.

A "VRML" (.WRL) provides all the 3d model information about the PCB design that we would need, the silkscreen, colours and most importantly, the 3d model of components if the submitter imported that information. However, there is one downside that I cannot figure out yet, some of the components are offset or rotated incorrectly which differs from the KiCad 3D Viewer which distorts the real design.

WRL File 3D Viewer Screenshot
WRL File 3D Viewer Screenshot

When OnBoard hits 1,000 submissions or whatever, it'd be nice to have a small collection of PCBs in their 3D model for a nice photo of some projects people have created. There'd also be the possibility of converting a 3d model into just a simple screenshot instead.

LimesKey commented 4 months ago

https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/18468

LimesKey commented 4 months ago

This actually seems to be just an issue with the 3D Viewer I'm using, whoops. See here for details. If we could get somebody to help with this issue that is experienced with KiCad to help write just introductory documentation on how to use it and how to submit files from it, I think that would help a lot of people.