Manual:Introduction: Difference between revisions

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[http://www.freecadweb.org FreeCAD] is a free, open-source parametric 3D modeling application. It is made primarily to model real-world objects, ranging from the small electronic components up to buildings and civil engineering projects, with a strong focus on 3D-printable objects. FreeCAD is free to download, use, distribute and modify, and its source code is open and published under the very permissive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License LGPL] license. The data you produce with FreeCAD is fully yours, and can be recovered without FreeCAD.
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[http://www.freecad.org FreeCAD] is an open-source, free parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modelling tool used to create objects ranging from simple designs to complex projects consisting of extensive assemblies of numerous parts. Due to its open-source nature, FreeCAD can be freely downloaded, distributed, modified, and used for both personal and commercial purposes. The source code is openly published under the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License LGPL] license. This makes FreeCAD an appealing option not only for relatively inexperienced users, such as hobbyists in the 3D printing world, but also for experienced users looking to experiment with a different parametric tool.


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The software was initially released in its infancy in 2002. Since then, thanks to the continuous contributions from a devoted community of developers and users, FreeCAD has grown slowly but steadily. The passionate efforts of numerous contributors have not only improved FreeCAD's capabilities as a CAD tool but have also led to the development of additional functionalities in separate domains closely tied to the base FreeCAD suite. Some notable examples include the FEM workbench, which enables the execution of simple Finite Element Analysis, as well as the BIM workbench which offers Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities.
FreeCAD is also fundamentally a social project, as it is developed and maintained by a community of developers and users united by their passion for FreeCAD.


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This user manual is being written for version 0.22.0 of FreeCAD, which is currently in development. Its purpose is to serve as a guide for individuals who wish to start using FreeCAD for their projects. No extensive prior knowledge of any CAD software is required, and the contents of this manual are organized in a straightforward and comprehensive manner, divided into various application areas. The guide includes instructions regarding the installation of FreeCAD, the use of its most prominent workbenches, and extends to more complex topics such as Python scripting. Efforts have been made to present the information in an organized, step-by-step fashion, complete with images. This structure ensures that both novice CAD users and more experienced individuals can benefit from studying this manual. The contents of this manual are published under the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons 4.0] license, and can be freely used, downloaded, copied, and modified.
This manual is an experiment at taking the opposite way from the [[Main Page|official FreeCAD documentation wiki]]. The wiki is written collaboratively by dozens of community members and, like most wikis, it contains huge amounts of information, but is very hard to access and navigate by newcomers. This turns it a precious resource for reference, but not a very practical tool to learn FreeCAD. This manual will walk you through the same information available on the wiki. However, we hope that the more step-by-step pace, based on examples, and the more unified tone given by a smaller number of authors, will make it more suitable for a first contact with FreeCAD, and that it will become a perfect companion for the wiki.


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Another valuable resource is the [[Main Page|FreeCAD wiki]], where numerous contributors have added useful information covering every aspect of the software. Due to the wealth of information available, navigating and using the wiki can be somewhat challenging and overwhelming, especially for new users. For this reason, it is advised to first study the user manual, which offers a more streamlined and smooth introduction, before delving into the more extensive details available in the wiki. Finally, the [https://forum.freecad.org/ FreeCAD Forums] are also very helpful and provide additional support and insights.
This manual has been written for the current stable version of FreeCAD which is version '''0.16'''.



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All the contents of this manual are published under the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons 4.0] license, and can be freely used, downloaded, copied, and modified. The source files of this manual are hosted on this [[Main Page|wiki]], and on the original [https://github.com/yorikvanhavre/FreeCAD-manual github] account used to write the first version of this book. Easier to read HTML, PDF, MOBI and EPUB versions are available on [https://www.gitbook.com/book/yorikvanhavre/a-freecad-manual/details GitBook]. A printed version is being prepared.


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This book has been written mostly by [[User:Yorik|Yorik]], but using a lot of information built by FreeCAD users, mostly from the FreeCAD wiki. The real author of this book is actually the whole FreeCAD community!
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Latest revision as of 14:23, 20 May 2024


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FreeCAD is an open-source, free parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modelling tool used to create objects ranging from simple designs to complex projects consisting of extensive assemblies of numerous parts. Due to its open-source nature, FreeCAD can be freely downloaded, distributed, modified, and used for both personal and commercial purposes. The source code is openly published under the LGPL license. This makes FreeCAD an appealing option not only for relatively inexperienced users, such as hobbyists in the 3D printing world, but also for experienced users looking to experiment with a different parametric tool.

The software was initially released in its infancy in 2002. Since then, thanks to the continuous contributions from a devoted community of developers and users, FreeCAD has grown slowly but steadily. The passionate efforts of numerous contributors have not only improved FreeCAD's capabilities as a CAD tool but have also led to the development of additional functionalities in separate domains closely tied to the base FreeCAD suite. Some notable examples include the FEM workbench, which enables the execution of simple Finite Element Analysis, as well as the BIM workbench which offers Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities.

This user manual is being written for version 0.22.0 of FreeCAD, which is currently in development. Its purpose is to serve as a guide for individuals who wish to start using FreeCAD for their projects. No extensive prior knowledge of any CAD software is required, and the contents of this manual are organized in a straightforward and comprehensive manner, divided into various application areas. The guide includes instructions regarding the installation of FreeCAD, the use of its most prominent workbenches, and extends to more complex topics such as Python scripting. Efforts have been made to present the information in an organized, step-by-step fashion, complete with images. This structure ensures that both novice CAD users and more experienced individuals can benefit from studying this manual. The contents of this manual are published under the Creative Commons 4.0 license, and can be freely used, downloaded, copied, and modified.

Another valuable resource is the FreeCAD wiki, where numerous contributors have added useful information covering every aspect of the software. Due to the wealth of information available, navigating and using the wiki can be somewhat challenging and overwhelming, especially for new users. For this reason, it is advised to first study the user manual, which offers a more streamlined and smooth introduction, before delving into the more extensive details available in the wiki. Finally, the FreeCAD Forums are also very helpful and provide additional support and insights.