I'm new to FreeCAD and trying to design a part. I have modelled a face with rounded corners using splines and wires to connect the splines. Extruding and exporting this leads to the expected result. But makeOffset2D the face leads to something that I did not expect. (I also subtracted the smaller extruded shape from the larger one in the images)

offset_shape = shape_2d.makeOffset2D(offset_dist, 0, True, False, False)  print("Is closed?", offset_shape.isClosed())

The shape is not closed, and I do not understand why. In the preview it all looks good (first iamage), only having the final extruded part enabled in the view. But File -> Export'ing to step and importing again it looks like in the second picture. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

https://preview.redd.it/ynsgpcr9ppge1.png?width=1622&format=png&auto=webp&s=42ee538353536cc6cb8b2edd34cf7d824e2287e9

https://preview.redd.it/f4yx4ldappge1.png?width=1622&format=png&auto=webp&s=c85182668ca6b5c583865d397d8094e162d22010

i have created a square in a sketch and added width and height to a varset but when i then coping/pase the square then it looses the reference to the varset and instead make them static directly on the square.

Is this a bug or are there a setting that i need to check to make it possible to keep the reference to the varset?

same thing happens when im using the array tool
i'm using freecad dev 1.1 but same thing happes in version 1.0

https://preview.redd.it/rl00t8oe3pge1.png?width=1672&format=png&auto=webp&s=d8ceb712cae1d92fa4810e3ab53ce91e8f34a902

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I'm trying to recreate this to use with a 3d surface cut but when I use taper tool models they mess up my cut, can 3d surface not handle tapered tools or have just not gotten my design right?

FreeCAD Tree View

It seemed a bit off to me to have a list of operations by their default names like Pocket002, Pocket003, etc., so I started renaming them like this. I'm not sure if the names I'm using right now are sensible enough, and wanted to get an idea about how everyone else names sketches, operations, constraints, etc.

I’m watching a crash course on freecad 1.0 but I accidentally deleted the model panel and can’t for the life of me figure out how to get it back! Please help!

Thanks,

-Eliksni

I am wondering if there are any addons that make the navigation cube rotate when you click on drag on it a-la fusion 360. I work on a laptop and find it easier to rotate parts that way with the track pad. If there isn't... I may try and make it somehow.

Any good tutorials for Varsets? Preferably a video. The online FC documentation isn’t very clear to me. There’s an older officineRobotica tutorial, but it’s for the pre v1.0 Ondsel version. I’m guessing Mango Jelly covers it in a video but I can’t find it so far.

I see this was asked 4 months ago with little response. Long story short, I've installed v1.0 and my additional folder (that points to all my project files) is now missing from the start page and I can't see any way to add it. I don't have a "start" tab in preferences so, after an afternoon of google searching with zero success, I started looking at the xml files, also with zero success. Is there any way to get this feature back? TIA.

I used the holiday break to throw myself into learning FreeCAD and I'm now set on using it for all my woodworking and 3D printing projects. No more Sketchup subscriptions, no more Shapr3D subscriptions.

Here is one of my recent successes, a case to hold a dial indicator for use as a bandsaw tension gauge.

Thanks to all those who have made this software what it is.

The concept

https://preview.redd.it/ja2urp7qelge1.jpg?width=2603&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc1614a92180ee90571bfe3bf0e822db7358a9e5

I'm a daily 2D AutoCAD user and find FreeCAD's strict constraints familiar. However, learning and simultaneously teaching FreeCAD v1.0 to my 11-year-old child has been challenging due to program errors and rigid workflows. The main issue isn't the errors themselves, but the lack of intuitive feedback on model failures and how to fix them.

My child is also interested in creating organic shapes for 3D printing, which FreeCAD struggles with. Plasticity seems to offer a more forgiving modeling environment, potentially reducing frustration. However, I'm concerned about its precision for functional prints, especially for modeling gears and screws.

I'm not interested in subscription-based or restricted software, so please, do not bother with such recommendations. Years ago, I found Blender's interface confusing and non-intuitive, based on years of using commercial software such as Adobe or AutoCAD. I hear Plasticity is similar to Blender, which might pose a challenge for me but could be beneficial for my child who has no preconceptions about software interfaces. I'm looking for insights on whether Plasticity is more suitable for youth than FreeCAD, considering frustration levels and learning motivation. We aim to create print-in-place designs and multipart assemblies, which may require virtual assembly or range of motion simulation.

Our older computers have limited CPU, RAM, and graphics capabilities. My child is using an old Surface Pro 4 with a middling speed i5 and only 4GB of RAM. I don't have enough budget for a replacement PC at this time.

Any experiences or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

BEEN TRYING TO LEARN THIS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW. WANTING TO KNOW IF THESE IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE TOOLS FOR EACH TOOLBAR THAT GIVES A DETAILED DESCRIPTION, THE SYNTAX FOR USING THE TOOL, THE KEYBOARD SHORTCUT FOR THAT TOOL AND CROSS REFERENCES TO OTHER EQUIVELENT TOOLS IN OTHER WORKBENCHES IN FREECAD? ALSO IS THERE A MANUAL THAT EXPLAINS THE EXPRESSED USAGE AND THE LIMITS OF EACH WORKBENCH? OR DOES EVERYONE JUST STUMBLE ALONG? I'M ALSO WONDERING WHY WHEN I DOWNLOQAD A DIFFERENT VERSION OF FREECAD I GET A DIFFERENT SET OF TOOLS/TOOLBARS/WORKBENCHES FOR THAT VERSION?

How do I do it? I’m a new user and YouTube isn’t helping!

Hello does freecad have an easy way to make a part simply rotate 360 degrees on its own to display its shape? can the background color in freecad be changed to bright green to simulate a greenscreen color?

Just trying to do some simple videos with the parts rotating over another video and figured this would be the easiest way but not sure if its possible. any help is appreciated thanks.

Hi everyone, I'm a Chemical engeneer student, and I'm having some trouble to make pipes with the plugin of dodoWB, the elbows, don't apear, and I don't know how to fix it, can anyone help me?

This is my first design.. It's still not valid.. So many constraints for 6 arcs, 4 circles and 6 lines 2D shape.. And I'm working on it for more than 6h Wtf am I doing wrong...?

Hello,

I'm a FreeCAD beginner and I am trying to design something that will have writing around the curved edge of a cylinder.

I've been racking my brain and cannot think of a way to do this. I basically want the text (or any design really) to wrap around the curved surface with the same curvature as the cylinder.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Thanks!

I got an email from AUTODESK informing me that it was my "last chance" to get Fusion for 30% off--just $476 per year, instead of $680!

LOL-OMG-WTF!!!

Be still my heart...

Makes one realize the true value of our beloved FC (I've been using it for 10+ years--let's see, 10 x $476 = ???), I've got to send them some $$.

Dev team, keep up the GREAT work!!!

Hi there, Up until now, I have only drawn single parts for 3D printing. How can I make a multiple part project? Should I store each body in a single file?

Is it possible to simulate how a part can move when using assembly workbench to assemble the bodies?

For example, the router on a CNC mill moving along the axis?

Would you recommend using a version control system like git or Tortoise SVN? Is there something like git / github specific for cad drawings?

Is there a good YouTube video explaining all of this?

If I draw a circle on a sketch and then create a hole, it doesn't actually use the diameter of the circle, and instead uses the diameter set in the hole's options. Is this how it is in other CAD software also?

To avoid the redundant circle, I think it would've made more sense if FreeCAD let you create a hole from a point instead. Or, is it actually possible to force the circle and hole diameter to have the same dimensions?

Alternatively, I think the Diameter of the Hole should not be an editable field if the circle's diameter is constrained.

I’m taking a FreeCad course cause I’m going to be working on some 3d printing. I’m excited can’t wait to start!

I deleted the counter-sink sketch, and then also deleted the screw hole in the center of it, great that worked out, the model still looks as it should.

Now I want to add the screw hole back in on the original part body, and it's important that it happens on the original part body because I do a rotational mirror (polar pattern) to make the object 4 times bigger. It's a fan grill, I designed one quarter of it, and then made it full with the polar pattern.

So it's important that I make this screw hole before the polar pattern.

Any tips? Terminology? Even better would be a FreeCAD 1.0 tutorial on how to manage things like this.

I'm trying to import a stp file (a multiboard part) and I get this error:

14:41:32 <Part> ViewProviderExt.cpp(1308): Cannot compute Inventor representation for the shape of Unnamed1#Part__Feature: NCollection_Array1::Value

I'm able to import the stp file in NX without a problem. I can export it as a stp file from NX and import it to FreeCAD. I'd rather just import directly to FreeCAD. Any ideas?

Hey folks! I've been using FreeCAD for a few years now, really liking it despite its odd quirks here and there.

I'm wondering if there is something (either builtin or as a 3rd party workbench) that would approximate the type of drawing one can do in something like AutoCAD. I'd like to create a 2D drawing as a sort of specification of an interface with something. I don't need to do a 3D model for this, in fact I'd prefer not to, so the TechDraw workbench isn't quite what I need. I just want to draw some lines and be able to add a nice title block.

Thanks in advance!