Draft CircularArray
Draft CircularArray |
Menu location |
---|
Draft → Circular array |
Workbenches |
Draft |
Default shortcut |
None |
Introduced in version |
0.19 |
See also |
OrthoArray, PolarArray, PathArray, PathLinkArray, PointArray, Clone |
Description
The Draft CircularArray tool creates an array from a selected object placing the copies along concentric circumferences. This is similar to using PolarArray with a polar angle of 360 degrees, and creating several concentric arrays.
This tool can be used on any object that has a Part TopoShape, meaning 2D shapes created with the Draft Workbench, but also 3D solids created with other workbenches, for example, Part, PartDesign, or Arch. It can also create App Links instead of simple copies.
- To create orthogonal or polar arrays, use the corresponding OrthoArray and PolarArray tools.
- To position copies along a path use PathArray or PathLinkArray.
- To position copies at specified points use PointArray.
- To create copies and manually place them use Move or Rotate.
- To create exact copies and manually place or scale them, use Clone or Std LinkMake.
A circular array of an object.
Usage
- Select the object from which you wish to array.
- Press the Circular array button. If no object is selected, you will be invited to select one before proceeding.
- The task panel is launched where you can select the radial distance, the tangential distance, the number of circular layers, the symmetry parameter, and the center of the axis of rotation.
- You can click on the 3D view to simultaneously set the position of the center of rotation, and complete the command. Otherwise, just press Enter or the OK button to complete the operation.
Notes
- By default, the axis of rotation is the positive Z axis
(0, 0, 1)
. This can be changed in the property editor after the object is created. - Each element in the array is an exact clone of the original object, but the entire array is considered a single unit in terms of properties and appearance.
- This command creates the same parametric "Array" object as the one created with the OrthoArray and PolarArray tools. Therefore, the array can be converted to orthogonal, polar, or circular by changing its DataArray Type property.
Options
- Press Reset point to set the center of the circular patterns to the origin
(0, 0, 0)
. - If the Fuse checkbox is ticked, the resulting objects in the array will be fused into a single shape, if they touch or intersect each other.
- If the Use Links checkbox is ticked, the resulting objects in the array will be App Links instead of simple copies. This improves the memory usage of the array, as the App Link re-uses the shape of the original object, and does not create new shapes. If this option is used, the Fuse checkbox has no effect.
- Press Esc or the Cancel button to abort the current command.
Properties
An Array object is based on Part Feature (Part::Feature
class), and thus shares all properties of the latter. In addition to the properties listed in Part Feature, the Array object has additional properties.
See the OrthoArray tool for the complete information.
Scripting
See also: Draft API and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.
The Array tool can be used in macros and from the Python console by using the following function.
array_list = make_circular_array(obj, r_distance, tan_distance,
axis, center, number, symmetry,
use_link)
- Creates an array from the objects contained in
obj
, which can be a single object or a list of objects. - The values of
r_distance
andtan_distance
correspond to the radial and tangential distances of the elements in the array. - The values of
axis
andcenter
are vectors that describe the direction of the axis of rotation, and a point through which that axis goes. - The value of
number
is the number of circular layers in the circular pattern; the original object counts as the first layer. - The value of
symmetry
is an integer that participates in some calculations that affect the way the copies are distributed around the circumferences. Try different values, from 1 to 10, to get different placements of the copies. - If
use_link
istrue
the created copies will be App Links and not regular copies. array_list
is returned with the new copies.array_list
is either a single object or a list of objects, depending on the inputobj
.
Example:
import FreeCAD as App
import Draft
import draftobjects.circulararray as ca
doc = App.newDocument()
tri = Draft.makePolygon(3, 600)
axis = App.Vector(0, 0, 1)
center = App.Vector(0, 0, 0)
arr = ca.make_circular_array(tri, 1800, 1200, axis, center, 4, 1)
App.ActiveDocument.recompute()
- 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, Material, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework
- Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub