Drawing

Introduction

In FreeCAD the word "Drawing" is normally used to refer to a 2D projection of a 3D model. This is usually created with the TechDraw Workbench.

Usage

1. Start with an already built 3D model, created with, for example, the PartDesign Workbench. In fact, any object that has a Shape, including 2D objects, will work.
2. Switch to the TechDraw Workbench.
3. Press TechDraw New Default or TechDraw New Pick to create a Page.
4. Select the existing model, and then press TechDraw NewView or TechDraw NewProjGroup.
5. A 2D projection on the page will be created. You may now adjust its properties, like DataScale, DataRotation, and DataDirection.
6. When the drawing is ready, you can press TechDraw SaveSVG, TechDraw SaveDXF, or use Std Export, to export the page to SVG, DXF, or PDF formats for further use in another software, or for printing.

Notes

In informal usage, a "Drawing" may be any geometrical figure that is visible in the 3D view, and thus its concept may be confused with that of "Body", "Part", or "model".

However, when more precision is required, the distinction must be made.

• A "Body" (PartDesign Body) is an object derived from a Part Feature (Part::Feature class), created with the PartDesign Workbench.
• A "Part" (App Part) is used to group several "Bodies" to form an assembly.
• A "Drawing" is a 2D projection of a "Body" or a "Part".
• A "Drawing" may also be created with the Drawing Workbench. However, since this workbench became obsolete in 0.17, you should prefer TechDraw Workbench instead.

TechDraw

• Pages: Insert Default Page, Insert Page using Template, Redraw Page
• Views: Insert View, Insert Active View, Insert Projection Group, Insert Section View, Insert Detail View, Insert Draft Workbench Object, Insert Arch Workbench Object, Insert Spreadsheet View
• Clips: Insert Clip Group, Add View to Clip Group, Remove View from Clip Group
• Dimensions: New Length, New Horizontal, New Vertical, New Radius, New Diameter, New Angle, New Angle3Pt, New Links, New Balloon
• Decorations: Hatch Face using Image File, Apply Geometric Hatch to Face, Insert SVG Symbol, Insert Bitmap Image, Turn View Frames On/Off
• Annotations: Insert Annotation, Add Leaderline to View, Insert Rich Text Annotation, Add Cosmetic Vertex, Add Midpoint Vertices, Add Quadrant Vertices, Add Centerline to Face(s), Add Centerline between 2 Lines, Add Centerline between 2 Points, Remove Cosmetic Object, Change Appearance of Line(s), Show/Hide Invisible Edges, Add Welding Information to Leader

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• Import/Export: Export Page as SVG, Export Page as DXF
• Additional: Preferences; Hatching, LineGroup, Templates; TechDraw API, TechDrawGui API

Document objects

• Core: App DocumentObject
• Basic: App FeaturePython, App GeoFeature, Part Feature, Mesh Feature, Fem FemMeshObject
• Internal shapes: Part TopoShape, Mesh MeshObject, Fem FemMesh

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• Structure: App DocumentObjectGroup (Std Group), App Part (Std Part), App Link
• Derived: Part Part2DObject, Sketcher SketchObject, PartDesign Body, PartDesign Feature

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• Explanation: Model, Shape, Body, Feature, Part, Assembly, Mesh, Sketch, Drawing, Datum

User documentation

• Getting started
• Installation: Download, Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, AppImage
• Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Workbenches, Preferences, Document structure, Properties, Mouse Model; Help FreeCAD, Donate

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• Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
• Workbenches: Std Base; Arch, Draft, FEM, Image, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Path, Points, Raytracing, Reverse Engineering, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Start, Surface workbench, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web
• Unmaintained workbenches: Plot, Robot, Ship
• Deprecated workbenches: Complete, Drawing

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• Code: Addon Manager, Addons, Macros, External workbenches

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• Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub