CAM ToolShape: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:14, 28 November 2020

This documentation is a work in progress. Please don't mark it as translatable since it will change in the next hours and days.

Index

Description

ToolShapes are a core part of the Path Tools system. ToolShapes are the templates from which ToolBits are created. They represent the physical shape of a tool. A ToolShape does not completely describe the bit - for that some additional parameters are needed which will be added when an actual bit is parameterized from the template.

ToolShapes are just FreeCAD documents with a single Body created from the Part Design workbench.

Creating new ToolShapes is an advanced topic. The most commonly needed shapes already exist and are provided with the FreeCAD installation:

ballend.fcstd

bullnose.fcstd

drill.fcstd

endmill.fcstd

v-bit.fcstd

These can be found in the /Mod/Path/Tools/Shape/ subdirectory where FreeCAD was installed.

Usage

Create a new FreeCAD document
Open the Part Design workbench
Create a body and give the body a label you want to show up in the bit selection.
Create a sketch in the XZ plane and draw half the profile of the bit.
- Put the top center of the bit on the origin (0,0)
For any constraint serving as a parameter for the tool (like overall Length) create a named constraint
- The name is the label of the input field
- Names are split at CamelCase boundaries into words in the edit dialog
- Use a ; in the name to add help text which will show up as the entry fields tool tip
- If the tool is used by legacy ops it should at least have one constraint called Diameter
- Use construction lines for constraints that are not directly accessible, like Diameter and Angle
- Any unnamed constraint will not be editable for a specific tool
Once the sketch is fully constrained, close the sketch
Rotate the sketch around the z-axis
Save the document as a new file in the Shape directory

Tool Thumbnail Images

Toolbits will have a small icon image of the tool in the tree if the image is saved with thumbnails active.

Important notes:

Before saving the document make sure you have Save Thumbnail selected, and Add program logo deselected in FreeCAD's preferences.
Also make sure to switch to Front View and Fit content to screen
Whatever you see when saving the document will end up being the visual representation of the template

Options

Index

Template:Path Tools navi

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

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

Addons: Addon Manager, External workbenches, Scripting and macros

Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 }}
+{{TOCright}}
 ==Description==
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 A ToolShape does not completely describe the bit - for that some additional parameters are needed which will be added when an actual bit is parameterized from the template.
-ToolShapes are just FreeCAD documents with a single Body created from the Part Design workbench.
+ToolShapes are just FreeCAD documents with a single Body created from the [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|24px|link=PartDesign_Workbench]] [[PartDesign_Workbench|Part Design]] workbench.
 Creating new ToolShapes is an advanced topic.  The most commonly needed shapes already exist and are provided with the FreeCAD installation:
-* ballend.fcstd
+: {{FileName|ballend.fcstd}}
-* bullnose.fcstd
+: {{FileName|bullnose.fcstd}}
-* drill.fcstd
+: {{FileName|drill.fcstd}}
-* endmill.fcstd
+: {{FileName|endmill.fcstd}}
-* v-bit.fcstd
+: {{FileName|v-bit.fcstd}}
-These can be found in the /Mod/Path/Tools/Shape/ subdirectory where FreeCAD was installed.
+These can be found in the {{FileName|/Mod/Path/Tools/Shape/}} subdirectory where FreeCAD was installed.
 ==Usage==
-- Create a new FreeCAD document
+# Create a new FreeCAD document
-- Open the PartDesign workbench, create a body and give the body a label you want to show up in the bit selection.
+# Open the [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|24px|link=PartDesign_Workbench]] [[PartDesign_Workbench|Part Design]] workbench
-- Create a sketch in the XZ plane and draw half the profile of the bit.
-    - Put the top center of the bit on the origin (0,0)
+# Create a body and give the body a label you want to show up in the bit selection.
+# Create a sketch in the XZ plane and draw half the profile of the bit.
-- For any constraint serving as a parameter for the tool (like overall Length) create a named constraint
-    - The name is the label of the input field
+#* Put the top center of the bit on the origin {{incode|(0,0)}}
+# For any constraint serving as a parameter for the tool (like overall Length) create a named constraint
-    - Names are split at CamelCase boundaries into words in the edit dialog
+#*  The name is the label of the input field
-    - Use a ; in the name to add help text which will show up as the entry fields tool tip
+#*  Names are split at CamelCase boundaries into words in the edit dialog
-    - If the tool is used by legacy ops it should at least have one constraint called Diameter
+#*  Use a {{incode|;}} in the name to add help text which will show up as the entry fields tool tip
-    - Use construction lines for constraints that are not directly accessible, like Diameter and Angle
+#*  If the tool is used by legacy ops it should at least have one constraint called Diameter
-- Any unnamed constraint will not be editable for a specific tool
+#*  Use construction lines for constraints that are not directly accessible, like Diameter and Angle
-- Once the sketch is fully constrained, close the sketch
+#*  Any unnamed constraint will not be editable for a specific tool
-- Rotate the sketch around the z-axis
-- Save the document as a new file in the Shape directory
+# Once the sketch is fully constrained, close the sketch
+# Rotate the sketch around the z-axis
+# Save the document as a new file in the Shape directory
 ==Tool Thumbnail Images==
 Toolbits will have a small icon image of the tool in the tree if the image is saved with thumbnails active.
+Important notes:
-    - Before saving the document make sure you have Save Thumbnail selected, and Add program logo deselected in FreeCAD's preferences.
+* Before saving the document make sure you have Save Thumbnail selected, and Add program logo deselected in FreeCAD's preferences.
-    - Also make sure to switch to Front View and Fit content to screen
+* Also make sure to switch to Front View and Fit content to screen
-    - Whatever you see when saving the document will end up being the visual representation of the template
+* Whatever you see when saving the document will end up being the visual representation of the template
 ==Options==
 {{Docnav