Draft tutorial
Tutorial |
Topic |
---|
Drafting |
Level |
Beginner |
Time to complete |
20 minutes |
Authors |
Drei |
FreeCAD version |
0.16 or above |
Example files |
See also |
None |
Introduction
This tutorial is meant to introduce the reader to the basic workflow of the Draft Workbench, which includes the creation of profiles, the use of working planes, and the creation of dimensions, text and annotations. This tutorial uses the notation (X, Y, Z) to denote the coordinates required to define points in an object.
Requirements
- FreeCAD version 0.16 or above
- The reader know how to use the Data and View tabs to change an element's properties if desired
Procedure
It is compulsory to make sure the Draft Snap toolbar will be available to use in this tutorial.
- Start FreeCAD
- If you haven't opened a new FreeCAD document (most of the FreeCAD window looks greyed-out), from the pull-down menu click File > New or click the Create A New Document tool .
- Activate the Draft Workbench
- Select the Edit menu
- Click on Preferences
- Go to Draft and select the Grid and snapping tab
- Verify that the Show Draft Snap toolbar is active
Note that you can change the visibility of the Grid in this menu, in case you wish to disable it.
Using Planes
Planes are used to restrict the behaviour of the Draft tools to a specific plane, avoiding problems with the location of points and curves in complex workpieces. Planes can reference the axes of the coordinate system (XY, YZ, ...) or they can use a planar surface in the document as its reference.
- Select Set working plane. It can be located within the Draft workbench toolbar or inside the Draft menu in the Utilities division.
- Selec the XY plane
Creating Profiles
The creation of profiles can be done in several ways. Though it is possible to use simple arcs and lines to do most of the work, FreeCAD includes several tools to speed up the process.
Lines and Arcs
- Select Arc.
- Set the center at (0, 0, 0)
- Set the radius to 30 mm
- The starting angle is 60.0°
- The aperture is 60.0°
Repeat the same procedure for a second arc with a radius of 25 mm, the other properties remain unchanged.
We will now close the profile with a couple of lines.
- Select Line.
- Approach the Endpoint of either arc. A white point should appear, alongside this icon File:Snap Endpoint.png when your cursor approaches the endpoint.
- Select the endpoint of the other arc.
- Repeat for the other side of the arcs.
We now have several curves that detail a profile, however it is still not recognized as a single entity. It is possible to continue working with the elements intact, though in this case we will fuse them into a single object.
The following actions will alter the way the objects behave, making it hard to edit their properties, so it is best to do any necessary modifications before proceding.
- Select an arc and a line while pressing the CTRL key
- Click on Upgrade
This will fuse both objects into a Wire. Repeat until the four elements are fused into a single Wire.
Planes, Rectangles and Circles
- Click Rectangle
- Set the first point on (-100, -60, 0). (If Relative appears checked after setting this point un-check it before setting the second point).
- Set the second point on (140, 90, 0)
The result is a Plane. Its properties can be modified to remove the filling, by changing its Display Mode to Wireframe.
Polygons
- Select Polygon
- The center point is located at (0, 0, 0)
- Set the number of sides to 6
- Set the radius to 50 mm
Arrays
Arrays are used to replicate an object several times in a direction, a revolution axis or along a path.
- Select the Wire that was previously created
- Click Array
- In the Data tab of the object, change the Array type from ortho to polar
- Change Number Polar from 1 to 3
Adding Dimensions
Dimensions require a constant use of Snapping Constraints to properly select the points that one wishes to dimension. The Snapping toolbar is used to change the possible points that can be selected.
- Select Dimension
- Select the first point. This can be either an existing element or specified by coordinates. For this tutorial, the first point will always be (0, 0, 0)
- Select the second point. Approach the midpoint of the top line of the polygon. A white point should appear alongside this icon File:Snap Midpoint.png
- Move the cursor to the desired location of the dimension and click on it.
- Change the font size on the View tab to 6 mm
Repeat the process for the arcs and circles.
Annotations and Text
There is a slight difference between the two: it is only possible to use the second one as a profile to perform 3D operations.
Annotations
- Select Text
- Select the reference point in the 3D View. In this case, the midoint of the top arc.
- Enter your text and press Enter. Repeat for as many lines of text as you wish to input.
- Press Enter
Text
- Select ShapeString
- Select the reference point in the 3D View. This can be an existing point or the current cursor location.
- Enter your text and press Enter
- Set the desired font size
- Leave tracking at 0 mm
- Select the path to the font file that you wish to use
Creating Blueprints
To create blueprints, it is necessary to create a Drawing with the elements that you wish to use. Please read the Drawing tutorial for a detailed description.
We are now finished with the basic workflow for the Draft Module.
Recommended Lectures
- For a detailed description of the workbench, please see Draft Module
- To know more about the Snapping controls, see Draft Snap
- Drafting: Line, Polyline, Fillet, Arc, Arc by 3 points, Circle, Ellipse, Rectangle, Polygon, B-spline, Cubic Bézier curve, Bézier curve, Point, Facebinder, ShapeString, Hatch
- Annotation: Text, Dimension, Label, Annotation styles, Annotation scale
- Modification: Move, Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Offset, Trimex, Stretch, Clone, Array, Polar array, Circular array, Path array, Path link array, Point array, Point link array, Edit, Subelement highlight, Join, Split, Upgrade, Downgrade, Wire to B-spline, Draft to sketch, Set slope, Flip dimension, Shape 2D view
- Draft Tray: Select plane, Set style, Toggle construction mode, AutoGroup
- Snapping: Snap lock, Snap endpoint, Snap midpoint, Snap center, Snap angle, Snap intersection, Snap perpendicular, Snap extension, Snap parallel, Snap special, Snap near, Snap ortho, Snap grid, Snap working plane, Snap dimensions, Toggle grid
- Miscellaneous: Apply current style, Layer, Manage layers, Add a new named group, Move to group, Select group, Add to construction group, Toggle normal/wireframe display, Create working plane proxy, Heal, Show snap toolbar
- Additional: Constraining, Pattern, Preferences, Import Export Preferences, DXF/DWG, SVG, OCA, DAT
- Context menu:
- Layer container: Merge layer duplicates, Add new layer
- Layer: Activate this layer, Select layer contents
- Text: Open hyperlinks
- Wire: Flatten
- Working plane proxy: Write camera position, Write objects state
- Getting started
- Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
- Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate
- Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
- Workbenches: Std Base, Assembly, BIM, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework
- Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub