FreeCAD Tutorial: Part Design - A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating 3D Geometry

As a beginner in FreeCAD, creating 3D geometry can be a daunting task. However, with the help of the PartDesign Workbench, you can easily create complex shapes and designs. In this tutorial, we will show you how to create a new body using the PartDesign Body tool, and then use the Revolution tool to create a 3D object.

Step 1: Create a New Body

To start creating your 3D geometry, open FreeCAD and go to the PartDesign Workbench. Click on the 'PartDesign Body' icon in the toolbar or press F5 to create a new body. This will create a new body container in the tree view.

Step 2: Create a Sketch

Next, click on the 'Sketch' icon in the toolbar or press F3 to create a new sketch. The sketch should appear now inside the Body.

Step 3: Use the Revolution Tool

To create a 3D object using the sketch, select the sketch in the tree view and go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar. Click on the 'Revolution' tool or press F4. This will open the Revolution dialog box.

In the Revolution dialog box, set the 'Number of segments' to 45 and click OK. This will create a 3D object based on your sketch.

Step 4: Use Boolean Operations

To perform subtraction operations, go to the 'Boolean' section of the toolbar and click on the 'Fuse' tool or press F5. Select the two bodies you created in steps 1 and 2 and click OK. This will fuse the two bodies together.

Step 5: Create a Pad

To create a pad, select the sketch in the tree view and go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar. Click on the 'Pad' tool or press F6. Set the 'Height' to 28mm and click OK. This will create a pad based on your sketch.

Step 6: Use the Placement Dialog

To place the pad in the correct position, go to the 'Data' tab of the toolbar and click on the 'Placement' button or press F7. This will open the Std Placement dialog box.

In the Std Placement dialog box, select the pad you created in step 5 and set the 'Z position' to 28mm. Click OK to apply the changes.

Step 7: Join Two Solids

To join two solids together, go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar and click on the 'Union' tool or press F8. Select the two solids you created in steps 1 and 2 and click OK. This will create a single solid by joining the two.

In this tutorial, we have shown you how to create 3D geometry using the PartDesign Workbench in FreeCAD. We have demonstrated how to use the Revolution tool to create a 3D object, perform subtraction operations using Boolean operations, and join two solids together. With these steps, you should now be able to create complex shapes and designs using FreeCAD.

Tips and Tricks

* To create a new body, go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar and click on the 'New' button or press F5.

* To use the Revolution tool, select the sketch in the tree view and go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar. Click on the 'Revolution' tool or press F4.

* To perform subtraction operations using Boolean operations, go to the 'Boolean' section of the toolbar and click on the 'Fuse' tool or press F5.

* To join two solids together, go to the 'PartDesign Body' section of the toolbar and click on the 'Union' tool or press F8.

By following these steps and tips, you should now be able to create complex shapes and designs using FreeCAD. Happy modeling!

Freecad tutorial part design pdf