Part Module

OpenSCAD Module

PartDesign Workbench

Index

Part workbench icon

Introduction

The solid modelling capabilities of FreeCAD are based on the OpenCASCADE Technology (OCCT) kernel, a professional-grade CAD system that features advanced 3D geometry creation and manipulation. The Part Workbench is a layer sitting on top of the OCCT libraries, that gives the user access to OCCT geometric primitives and functions. Essentially all 2D and 3D drawing functions in every workbench ( Draft, Sketcher, PartDesign, etc.), are based on these functions exposed by the Part Workbench. Therefore, the Part Workbench is considered the core component of the modelling capabilities of FreeCAD.

The objects created with the Part Workbench are relatively simple; they are intended to be used with boolean operations (unions and cuts) in order to build more complex shapes. This modeling paradigm is known as the constructive solid geometry (CSG) workflow, and it was the traditional methodology used in early CAD systems. On the other hand, the PartDesign Workbench provides a more modern workflow to constructing shapes: it uses a parametrically defined sketch, that is extruded to form a basic solid body, which is then modified by parametric transformations (feature editing), until the final object is obtained.

Part objects are more complex than mesh objects created with the Mesh Workbench, as they permit more advanced operations like coherent boolean operations, modifications history, and parametric behaviour.

The Part Workbench is the basic layer that exposes the OCCT drawing functions to all workbenches in FreeCAD.

Tools

The tools are located in the Part menu or the Measure menu.

Primitives

These are tools for creating primitive objects.

• Box: Creates a box.

• Cylinder: Creates a cylinder.

• Sphere: Creates a sphere.

• Cone: Creates a cone.

• Torus: Creates a torus (ring).

• Tube: Creates a tube. introduced in version 0.19

• Primitives: A tool to create one of the following primitives:
  • Plane: Creates a plane.
  • Box: Creates a box. This object can also be created with the Box tool.
  • Cylinder: Creates a cylinder. This object can also be created with the Cylinder tool.
  • Cone: Creates a cone. This object can also be created with the Cone tool.
  • Sphere: Creates a sphere. This object can also be created with the Sphere tool.
  • Ellipsoid: Creates a ellipsoid.
  • Torus: Creates a torus. This object can also be created with the Torus tool.
  • Prism: Creates a prism.
  • Wedge: Creates a wedge.
  • Helix: Creates a helix.
  • Spiral: Creates a spiral.
  • Circle: Creates a circular edge.
  • Ellipse: Creates an elliptical edge.
  • Point: Creates a point (vertex).
  • Line: Creates a line (edge).
  • Regular Polygon: Creates a regular polygon.

• Builder: Creates shapes from various primitives.

Modifying objects

These are tools for modifying existing objects.

• Extrude: Extrudes planar faces.

• Revolve: Creates a solid by revolving an object (not a solid) around an axis.

• Mirror: Mirrors the selected object across a mirror plane.

• Fillet: Fillets (rounds) edges of an object.

• Chamfer: Chamfers edges of an object.

• Ruled Surface: Creates a ruled surface.

• Loft: Lofts from one profile to another.

• Sweep: Sweeps one or more profiles along a path.

• Offset tools:
  • 3D Offset: Constructs a parallel shape at a certain distance from an original.
  • 2D Offset: Constructs a parallel wire at certain distance from an original, or enlarges/shrinks a planar face.

• Thickness: Hollows out a solid.

• Projection on surface: Projects a logo, text or any face, wire or edge onto a surface. introduced in version 0.19

• Compound Tools:
  • Make compound: Creates a compound from the selected objects.
  • Explode Compound: Splits up compounds.
  • Compound Filter: Extracts the individual pieces from compounds.

• Boolean: Performs boolean operations on objects.

• Cut: Cuts (subtracts) one object from another.

• Fuse: Fuses (unions) two objects.

• Common: Extracts the common (intersection) part of two objects.

• Join features:
  • Connect: Connects interiors of walled objects.
  • Embed: Embeds a walled object into another walled object.
  • Cutout: Creates a cutout in a wall of an object for another walled object.

• Splitting tools:
  • Boolean fragments: Creates all pieces obtained from Boolean operations.
  • Slice a part: Slices and splits an object by intersecting it with other objects.
  • Slice: Slices an object by intersecting it with other objects.
  • XOR: Removes space shared by an even number of objects (symmetric version of Cut).

• Defeaturing: Removes features from an object.

• Section: Creates a section by intersecting an object with a section plane.

• Cross sections...: Creates one or more cross-sections through an object.

• Attachment: Attaches an object to another object.

Measure

File:Part Measure Menu.png Measure: Tools for linear and angular measurements.

• Measure Linear: Creates a linear measurements.

• Measure Angular: Creates an angular measurements.

• Measure Refresh: Updates all measurements.

• Clear All: Clears all measurements.

• Toggle All: Shows or hides all measurements.

• File:Part Measure Toggle 3d.svg Toggle 3D: Shows or hides 3D measurements.

• Toggle Delta: Shows or hides delta measurements.

Other tools

• Import: This tool allows you to add a file *.IGES, *.STEP, *.BREP to the current document.

• Export: This tool allows you to export a part object in a *.IGES, *.STEP, *.BREP file.

• BoxSelection: add to the selection the faces of the shapes that are touches by the rectangular selection.

• Shape from Mesh: Creates a shape object from a mesh object.

• Points from mesh: creates a shape object made of points from the mesh. introduced in version 0.19

• Convert to solid: Converts a shape object to a solid object.

• File:Part ReverseShapes.svg Reverse shapes: Flips the normals of all faces of the selected object.

• Create a copy:
  • Create simple copy: Creates a simple copy of the selected object.
  • Create transformed copy: creates a transformed copy of the selected object. introduced in version 0.19
  • Create shape element copy: creates a copy from an element (vertex, edge, face) of the selected object. introduced in version 0.19
  • Refine shape: Cleans faces by removing unnecessary lines.

• Check geometry: Checks the geometry of selected objects for errors.

• Make face from wires: Makes a face from a set of wires. introduced in version 0.19

Context menu items

• Appearance: determines appearance of the whole part (color transparency etc.).

• Set colors: assigns colors to part faces.

Preferences

• Preferences: preferences available for Part Tools (the Part workbench also uses the PartDesign Preferences).
• Import Export Preferences: preferences available for importing from and exporting to different file formats.
• Fine-tuning: some extra parameters to fine-tune Part behavior.

Scripting

See Part scripting.

Tutorials

• Import from STL or OBJ : How to import STL/OBJ files in FreeCAD
• Export to STL or OBJ : How to export STL/OBJ files from FreeCAD
• Whiffle Ball tutorial : How to use the Part Module

OpenSCAD Module

PartDesign Workbench

Index

Part

• Primitives: Box, Cylinder, Sphere, Cone, Torus, Tube, Create primitives, Shape builder

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• Creation and modification: Extrude, Revolve, Mirror, Fillet, Chamfer, Make face from wires, Ruled Surface, Loft, Sweep, Section, Cross sections, 3D Offset, 2D Offset, Thickness, Projection on surface, Attachment

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• Boolean: Make compound, Explode Compound, Compound Filter, Boolean, Cut, Fuse, Common, Connect, Embed, Cutout, Boolean fragments, Slice apart, Slice, XOR

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• Measure: Measure Linear, Measure Angular, Measure Refresh, Clear All, Toggle All, Toggle 3D, Toggle Delta

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• Other tools: Import, Export, Box selection, Shape from Mesh, Points from mesh, Convert to solid, Reverse shapes, Create simple copy, Create transformed copy, Create shape element copy, Refine shape, Check geometry, Defeaturing, Appearance, Color per face

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, Assembly, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Start, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web

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

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