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 PageDefault or TechDraw PageTemplate to create a Page.
4. Select the existing model, and then press TechDraw View or TechDraw ProjectionGroup.
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 ExportPageSVG, TechDraw ExportPageDXF, 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, Move View, Share View
• Clips: Insert Clip Group, Add View to Clip Group, Remove View from Clip Group

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• Decorations: Hatch Face using Image File, Apply Geometric Hatch to Face, Insert SVG Symbol, Insert Bitmap Image, Turn View Frames On/Off
• Dimensions: Insert Length Dimension, Insert Horizontal Dimension, Insert Vertical Dimension, Insert Radius Dimension, Insert Diameter Dimension, Insert Angle Dimension, Insert 3-Point Angle Dimension, Insert Horizontal Extent Dimension, Insert Vertical Extent Dimension, Link Dimension to 3D Geometry, Insert Balloon Annotation, Insert Landmark Dimension
• Annotations: Insert Annotation, Add Leaderline to View, Insert Rich Text Annotation, Add Cosmetic Vertex, Add Midpoint Vertices, Add Quadrant Vertices, Add Centerline to Faces, Add Centerline between 2 Lines, Add Centerline between 2 Points, Add Cosmetic Line Through 2 points, Remove Cosmetic Object, Change Appearance of Lines, Show/Hide Invisible Edges, Add Welding Information to Leader

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• Extensions:
  • Attributes and modifications: Select Line Attributes, Cascade Spacing and Delta Distance, Change Line Attributes, Extend Line, Shorten Line, Lock/Unlock View, Position Section View, Position Horizontal Chain Dimensions, Position Vertical Chain Dimensions, Position Oblique Chain Dimensions, Cascade Horizontal Dimensions, Cascade Vertical Dimensions, Cascade Oblique Dimensions, Calculate the area of selected faces, Customize format label
  • Centerlines and threading: Add Circle Centerlines, Add Bolt Circle Centerlines, Add Cosmetic Thread Hole Side View, Add Cosmetic Thread Hole Bottom View, Add Cosmetic Thread Bolt Side View, Add Cosmetic Thread Bolt Bottom View, Add Cosmetic Intersection Vertex(es), Add Cosmetic Circle, Add Cosmetic Arc, Add Cosmetic Circle 3 Points, Add Cosmetic Parallel Line, Add Cosmetic Perpendicular Line
  • Dimensions: Create Horizontal Chain Dimensions, Create Vertical Chain Dimensions, Create Oblique Chain Dimensions, Create Horizontal Coordinate Dimensions, Create Vertical Coordinate Dimensions, Create Oblique Coordinate Dimensions, Create Horizontal Chamfer Dimension, Create Vertical Chamfer Dimension, Create Arc Length Dimension, Insert '⌀' Prefix, Insert '〼' Prefix, Remove Prefix, Increase Decimal Places, Decrease Decimal Places

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• Export: Export Page as SVG, Export Page as DXF
• Additional: Line Groups, Templates, Hatching, Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, Preferences

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 (Std LinkMake)
• 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, 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

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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, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web
• Deprecated or unmaintained workbenches: Complete, Drawing, Robot

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• Addons: Addon Manager, External workbenches, Scripting and macros

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