Tutorials PartCraft help Walkthroughs
Open a STEP file and build on it
Bring a supplier's or another CAD program's STEP solid into PartCraft, as a new part or added to the current one, set which way is up, and add sketches and features to it.
Written for PartCraft 0.3. The same help is inside the app: press F1.
PartCraft opens STEP files (.step or .stp) as imported solids: an exact solid you can sketch on, cut, drill, fillet and combine with your own features. It has no history of its own: you cannot change the dimensions it was made with, only add to it or cut from it.
STEP import needs the exact kernel. If it is not ready yet, PartCraft waits for it ("Loading the exact kernel to read STEP…").
Open a STEP file
- Choose Open or press ⌘OCtrl+O, and pick the
.stepor.stpfile. Or drop it on the 3D view. - If the part on screen is empty, the STEP solid becomes a new part named after the file.
- If the part already has features, PartCraft asks: "Import bracket.step: 1 solid, 64 faces. Add it to Part1, or start a new part with it?" Choose Add to this part, New part or Cancel.
An Imported1 feature appears in the history and the status bar says, for example, "Imported bracket.step: 1 solid, 64 faces, 15200.512 mm³. Sketch on its flat faces and add features; it is kept inside the part file."
Set which way is up
Most CAD programs use Z up; PartCraft uses Y up. By default PartCraft turns the file so its Z points up here.
If the part arrives lying on its side, select Imported1 and set Up in the file to Y up. The panel also shows the file name and how much STEP text is stored.
Build on it
- Click a flat face of the imported solid and choose Sketch on this face.
- Add cuts, holes, bosses, fillets, chamfers or a shell as on any part.
- Use Linear, Circular and Mirror with the imported solid as a feature to copy.
- Check its size in the Part box: volume, surface area, size.
Where it is kept
The STEP text is stored inside the .partcraft.json file, so the part file is self-contained: you do not need the STEP file again. The part file gets bigger by the size of the STEP file.
Messages
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| '"part.stp" is not a STEP file (it does not start with ISO-10303-21).' | The file is not plain STEP text. Ask the sender for an AP203, AP214 or AP242 STEP file |
| "That STEP file is too big (over 60 MB) to import here." | Simplify the model at the source, or send parts one by one |
| "This STEP file could not be read (fail)." | The file is damaged or uses parts of STEP the kernel cannot read |
| "This STEP file has no closed solid (only surfaces or wires), so PartCraft cannot use it as a body." | The model is surfaces only. Ask for a solid |
| "STEP needs the exact kernel (OpenCascade), which did not load: …" | See The exact kernel and the mesh kernel |
Limits
- The imported solid keeps its shape exactly, but has no editable features. Changing a hole size in it means cutting or filling it with your own features.
- Colors, names of bodies, assemblies and PMI (tolerances in the file) are not read. An assembly STEP file comes in as all its solids in one imported feature (the Bodies line of the Part box counts them), not as separate parts. A closed surface model is sewn into a solid where it can be.
- STEP is the only other format PartCraft opens. STL, IGES and other programs' native files are not supported.