FREECAD
Design 3D parts with computer aided design
Make a 3D part in FreeCAD’s Sketcher workbench with Michael Reed, even if you think an orthographic view is the inside of someone’s mouth.
OUR EXPERT
Michael Reed could have had a modelling career – sexy parametric constructive solids modelling, that is.
FreeCAD is a CAD (computer aided design) program that can be used to design and visualise 3D objects. It’s a parametric modeller in that all dimensions are specified as parameters, and they can be controlled like variables in computer programming. This also means that you can design a complex 3D object and, at any time, alter any element that makes up that object.
FreeCAD is also a solid modeller, meaning that if you cut a chunk out of a solid object in FreeCAD, it’s like taking a bite out of an apple. By contrast,in a polygonbased modeller such as Blender, the objects that you work with are actually hollow.
FreeCAD can turn its hand to many different types of projects such as simple models like the one we’re going to work on in this month’s tutorial, and ranging all the way up to detailed architectural design of buildings and complex robotic concepts. The different areas of specialisation are accessed through the various workbenches of FreeCAD. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’re going to spend most of our time in the Part Design and Sketcher workbenches, and we’re going to make a 3D object – an electronic enclosure.
THE SKETCHER WORKBENCH
1 FreeCAD has a lot of toolbars…
You might want to move them around to make sure that they’re all accessible.
2 The Workbench menu
Enables you to switch workbenches.
3 The Constraint toolbar
These tools make it possible for you to limit the movement of different elements.
4 The Workbench area
This is where you draft out a 2D view of a surface of the model. The moveable, editable constraints are shown in red.
5 The Combo view
You’ll move freely between the Model tab to obtain an overview of your work-inprogress model, and the Tasks tab to carry out your next action.
6 The 3D navigator
Use this feature if you want an exact view such as ‘top’ or ‘right’ or to reorientate yourself if you’re lost.
Free as in design
Having launched FreeCAD, start by clicking the New icon in the main toolbar to create a new document. Select the Part Design workbench (not to be confused with the Part workbench) in the drop-down in the main toolbar. When you change from one workbench to another, you should notice available tools in the toolbar change.
The sidebar has a window marked Combo View and this has two tabs: Model and Tasks. If you look at the content of the Tasks tab, it should offer the option of creating a body inside the Start Part subwindow. The Tasks tab will regularly make useful suggestions such as this, and they’re based on the most common next steps considering what you’re currently doing. Click Create body in the Tasks tab. However, note that you could have gone your own way and clicked the Create body icon in the toolbar instead, and the end result would have been exactly the same.