If you want to jump right in, I'd recommend you start with the Part workbench.įrom the start screen, pick Create new… (or press Ctrl+n) to create a new, blank project. Let's try and sort it all out with some examples. Quite the contrary: The number of options and all the rules you have to follow to get a valid piece that will actually print is quite daunting. However, knowing all this does not help you get any closer to actually producing a piece. You can acquire even more by going to Tools | Addon Manager from the program's menu. FreeCAD's modular nature means users can create their own specific desktops to scratch their own specific itches.Īnd create they do: When you open FreeCAD, there is a drop-down menu in the middle of the top toolbar, which shows more than 20 preinstalled desktops. There are also custom desktops for preparing a piece for 3D printing for architectural design for screws, bolts, and other fasteners for rendering photorealistic (ahem!) images from your pieces and so on. So, for example, you will have one workbench (with its own set of tools, especially designed for drafting pieces), another for turning the shapes into an actual 3D object, another for assembling several pieces together into a device, and another to produce the blueprints that you can share with a manufacturer. Workbenches are distinct areas especially designed for specific tasks within the 3D-design workflow. One of the interesting things about FreeCAD is that, apart from your typical items-and-properties-on-the-left-workspace-on-the-right layout, it adds a third dimension to the interface: workbenches. There are also versions of FreeCAD that work on Windows and macOS. I will be using the current version 0.18 in this article. However, if you want an up-to-date version, something I strongly recommend, you will probably have to check out the "extra software" repositories (e.g., PPAs, AURs, or whatever).įreeCAD also has an AppImage of the latest stable version. Installing FreeCAD is easy enough: Most Linux distributions list it in their regular repositories. And then, based on this sketch, we’ll create a model in the Part Design workbench.Figure 1: FreeCAD is a very complete CAD system that lets you import pieces from OpenSCAD. We will cover the basics of sketching in Sketcher workbench. This tutorial makes it easy for a absolute beginner to quickly learn the basics of part design and start creating their first 3D models. By following the step-by-step instruction, you will learn how to use the various tools to create parts. This is a comprehensive guide that covers the basics of FreeCAD. This basic course is ideal for those who are new to FreeCAD and want to get started with part design. In conclusion, like any other 3D modeling software, learning FreeCAD takes time and requires patience, dedication, and continuous practice. To improve your skills further, it is also recommended to watch video tutorials. Practicing these commands will help in building a model from scratch. Next, familiarize yourself with a few useful commands, such as sketching, extruding, fillets, chamfers, and pocketing. First, it is essential to start with the basics of the tool’s interface, learning and memorizing the different functions and tools available, and selecting the right workspace that suits your needs. Learning how to use FreeCAD is not too difficult with the right approach. This is due to its open-source license, it is free from any proprietary restrictions placed on it. It can be downloaded and used for free for personal and commercial purposes without any hidden costs or fees. Overall, FreeCAD is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a free but powerful 3D modeling software for their projects. With multiple workbenches available such as Part Design, Sketcher, Draft, Arch, and more, FreeCAD offers a diverse range of tools for different fields of application. It is designed to be flexible and customizable, allowing plugin development and scripting using Python. FreeCAD supports various file formats such as STEP, IGS, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, and more which makes it compatible with other CAD (computer-aided design) software. It offers a wide range of tools and features that enable users to create and modify 3D models with precision and accuracy. If you find my tutorials helpful, you can support CADCAMLessons:įreeCAD is a free and open-source parametric 3D modeling software primarily designed for mechanical engineering, product design, and architecture.
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