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Zero Experience?
Want to Draw a Simple Part
with FreeCAD?
This Step-by-Step
Tutorial
is for You.
Estimate: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Tutorial
for
FreeCAD
Version 0.21.2
This step-by-step FreeCAD tutorial is designed to run on a mobile phone while FreeCAD runs on a desktop PC.
Many thanks to FreeCAD.org for the wonderful software they have built.
This tutorial is not affiliated with, endorsed by, reviewed by or approved by FreeCAD.org.
Any errors in this tutorial are my responsibility.
I hope you enjoy using FreeCAD to sketch your part.
Contents
Steps 1-3
Installation
Steps 2-23
Setting Up Your Page
Steps 24-35
Drawing a Line for First Time is Easy
Steps 36-39
Fixing Mistakes Fast
Steps 40-45
Making Angles Perfect
Steps 46-51
Making Perfect Connections
Contents
(continued)
Steps 52-71
Making a Box for First Time and Going 3-D
Step 72
Rotating Your Sketch
Steps 73-75
Saving Your Sketch Often
Steps 76-148
Sketching a Part for First Time
Steps 86-93
Making an Arc/Curve
Contents
(continued)
Steps 94-99
Yellow Point is Important
Steps 101-104
Making a Circle
Steps 149-154
Retrieving Saved Sketches
Steps 155-159
You're Ready for What's Next?
1
Do a Google search on freecad download.
For safety, be sure to download ONLY from the freecad.org website.
Click on "FreeCAD Your own 3D parametric modeler".
2
Here's the download screen.
Please be sure the FreeCAD version you choose will run on the version of the operating system you have on your PC.
Download the FreeCAD software by clicking on the version for the personal computer you use.
3
Install FreeCAD on your computer and click on the FreeCAD shortcut icon.
When you start FreeCAD this should be the first screen you see.
4
Click on the down arrow beside Start.
When the drop-down menu appears click on Part Design.
This is where you choose the FreeCAD workbench you want to use.
5
Click on Create new.
6
If the Combo View panel is NOT on your screen, please click on View.
If the Combo View panel is on your screen, please go to Step 9.
7
Click on Panels.
8
Click on Combo View.
9
The Combo View panel should be on your screen.
10
Click on Create Body.
11
Click on Create Sketch.
At the very beginning the Part Design workbench was selected.
The Sketcher workbench could have been selected.
The Part Design workbench was selected first because it allows you to do things with your sketch that would be more difficult to do if you selected the Sketcher workbench at the beginning.
12
Click on XZ-plane (Base plane).
13
Click on OK.
14
Click Model on the Combo View panel.
15
Sketch should be under Origin and under Body.
16
Click Edit at the top of the screen.
Now you can create a grid background for your part.
17
Click Preferences on the drop-down menu.
18
Click Sketcher at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
19
Click Grid at the top of the screen.
20
Click the empty box beside Grid under Grid Settings.
Beside Grid spacing type in 0.25in. This creates a grid with 1/4 inch squares.
This creates a worksheet with a grid background.
21
Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
22
Click Okay at the bottom of the page.
23
This is what your screen should look like.
If you go back to:
click Edit >
click Preferences >
click Sketcher >
click Grid >
Grid spacing
FreeCAD converted your grid spacing from 0.25 in (one quarter inch) to 6.35 mm (0.25 inches = 6.35 mm, millimeters).
24
More on the grid and the cursor you are about to use to create a line.
The photo above shows the grid.
Lets take a closer look at the grid and a FreeCAD cursor that we are about to use.
The red dot is called the origin.
The green line is called the Y axis and it is always vertical.
The red-orange line is called the X axis and it is always horizontal.
We will use the cursor shown in the next step.
The white cross is called the crosshair.
You move the cursor by moving the mouse.
You create a point with a left mouse click and the point will appear at the center of the crosshair.
The coordinates of the center of the crosshair are shown in blue.
The X coordinate is first and the Y coordinate is second (X , Y).
You can change the cursor from the crosshair back to the arrow by right mouse clicking or pressing the escape key on the keyboard.
When the crosshairs are over the intersection of the first grid block over and the first grid block up it should be about what you set the grid size to be (6.3mm = 0.25 inches) and it is.
25
What are the coordinates of the point the arrow cursor is pointing at in the photo above?
The X axis is the red-orange line. The Y axis is the green line. The origin is the red dot.
The answer is on the next page.
The arrow pointer is 2 grid blocks over and 3 grid blocks up. The coordinates are X = 2 and Y = 3 or (2,3).
The coordinates of the origin are X = 0, Y = 0 or (0,0)
The coordinates can also be negative.
X is negative to the left of the origin.Y is negative below the origin.
26
Lets draw a line with FreeCAD.
Left mouse click on Sketch.
27
When the drop down menu appears, left mouse click on Sketcher geometries.
28
Left mouse click on Create line.
29
The cursor will change to a crosshair.
This is the cursor we talked about in Step 24.
Use the mouse to move the crosshair to the point that you want to start your line and left mouse click.
30
Move the crosshair to the point you want to end the line.
Left mouse click.
Extend the line by either holding down the left mouse button or releasing it.
Press the escape key on the keyboard or right mouse click to change the cursor from a crosshair back to an arrow.
31
Move the arrow cursor and left mouse click the line you just made until it turns green.
Moving the arrow cursor onto the line turns it yellow then left mouse clicking turns the line green. When the arrow cursor is moved on and off the line the shade of green changes, no worries.
You are about to straighten the line you drew using constraints.
The green color highlights the line you want to change.
32
Left mouse click Sketch.
33
When the drop down menu appears left mouse click on Sketcher constraints.
34
Left mouse click Constrain horizontally.
This tells FreeCAD to make the line completely straight, horizontal even though you drew it at an angle.
So when you sketch lines in FreeCAD you don't need to worry whether or not they are completely straight because once they are sketched you can easily and quickly straighten them.
The horizontal line icon in red above the line means it is perfectly horizontal.
35
Congratulations!
Your line is completely straight beginning at the starting point.
Vertical lines can also be made perfectly vertical with Constrain vertically, please try it.
To see what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain horizontal, left mouse click on the button below:
36
Oops!
What if you make a mistake, how do you fix it?
37
Left mouse click the line you want to change to highlight it in green.
38
Left mouse click Edit.
39
Two ways to fix mistakes:
Left mouse click Delete and the highlighted green line will be deleted.
Or
Left mouse click Undo and the highlighted green line will be deleted.
To erase points use Undo.
40
Two lines sketched as described in Step 28 form an angle.
You want the angle to be exactly 45 degrees.
FreeCAD has a Constraint to make the angle you sketched exactly the size you want and it's easy.
41
Left mouse click each line until it turns green.
Please note that when the arrow cursor is on the line the line is a different shade of green than when the arrow cursor moves off the line.
42
Left mouse click Sketch.
43
Left mouse click Sketcher constraints.
44
Left mouse click Constrain angle.
44A
A box pops up and displays the angle, 55.74 degrees.
We would like the angle to be 45 degrees.
44B
Beside Angle: type in 45.
Left mouse click OK.
45
The angle changes to 45 degrees.
FreeCAD lets you focus on drawing your sketch.
Constrain angle changes the angle you sketch to exactly the angle you want it to be.
The label on the angle means the angle has been constrained.
To see what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain angle left mouse click on the button below:
46
Another FreeCAD Constraint that lets you sketch faster is Constrain coincident.
This constraint makes 2 points overlap perfectly.
Never worry about whether the points you sketch overlap perfectly because you can fix it fast with Constrain coincident.
You can focus on sketching and FreeCAD Constraints make your sketch exact.
47
Left mouse click both points until they are green.
48
Left mouse click Sketch.
49
Left mouse click Sketcher constraints.
50
Left mouse click Constrain coincident.
51
FreeCAD Constrain coincident puts the two points together perfectly.
To see what the FreeCAD Manual says about Constrain coincident, left mouse click on the button below:
52
Lets make a 3-D box with FreeCAD.
Start with a new FreeCAD worksheet just like you did in Step 4:
Select the Part Design workbench by changing Start to Part Design >
click New >
click Create Body >
click Create Sketch >
click XZ-plane (Base plane) >
click OK
Create the grid background just like you did in Step 16:
click Edit >
click Preferences >
click Sketcher >
click grid >
check the box beside grid >
enter grid spacing 0.25in
Now sketch 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines.
The vertical lines are about 1.75 inches long.
The horizontal lines are about 0.75 inches long.
Sketch the lines just like you did in Step 26. Line placement and line length do not need to be exact.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher geometries >
click Create line.
When you are finished press escape to return the cursor to the arrow pointer.
53
Now make the lines perfectly horizontal and vertical as you did in Step 33:
With the arrow cursor left mouse click on a line until it is green:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain horizontally for horizontal lines or click Constrain vertically for vertical lines
To see what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain vertically, click the button below:
54
Left mouse click Sketch.
55
Left mouse click Sketcher Constraints.
56
Left mouse click Constrain horizontal distance.
or
Left mouse click constrain vertical distance.
57
When the box pops up for each line type in the length, 1.75in for the vertical lines and 0.75in for the horizontal lines.
Left mouse click on OK.
To see what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain vertical distance, click the button below:
58
The lines on your screen should look like the photo above.
The length of each line is shown.
You can set the lines to any length and you can enter the length in inches.
To move the line dimensions you can left mouse click and hold the length number until it turns yellow and move it to either side of the line, any distance away from the line.
Release the left mouse button when you have moved the length measurement to where you want it to be.
59
To connect the lines and make the box you can use Constrain coincident just like you used it in Step 46.
With the arrow cursor left mouse click on the top point on the top vertical line until it turns green. Then left mouse click on the left point on the top horizontal line until it turns green.
Connect the 2 points:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain coincident >
Constrain coincident connects the points perfectly.
60
Now connect the bottom point on the same vertical line to the left point on the lower horizontal line using exactly the same steps.
61
Last, connect the top point on the second vertical line to the right point on the horizontal line.
You can check to see if the bottom point on the second vertical line and the right point on the lower horizontal point are connected on the next page.
62
The goal is 0 DoF = Fully constrained.
At 2 DoF it means there is one more Constrain coincident to do to get to 0 DoF.
This was very straightforward, but sometimes it is very hard to get to 0 DoF = Fully constrained and the FreeCAD manual has a very nice discussion about how to get to 0 DoF systematically, left mouse click on the button below to read it:
63
If you left mouse click on any side of the rectangle and move the mouse the rectangle moves.
This is why DoF = 2.
DoF = 0 when the rectangle does not move when you click on any part of it and try to move it with the mouse.
The solution is easy Constrain coincident the left bottom point on the rectangle to the origin, then the rectangle will not move.
Left mouse click both points until they are green, then:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain coincident
63
Your sketch turns green to show it is fully constrained and DoF = 2 changes to Fully constrained.
When the sketch is 0 DoF it is fully constrained and the sketch color turns to green.
Please left mouse click on ANY point and ANY line on the rectangle and try to move it with the mouse, nothing moves so DoF = 0, Fully constrained.
You did it!
64
The Combo View box changes 0 DoF to Fully constrained.
Congratulations!
This means your sketch is now ready to become 3-D.
65
The Combo View box now changes to a menu.
66
The display changes to an isometric view of your sketch.
67
Now you can turn your sketch 3-D with the Pad function.
Left mouse click Part Design.
Earlier it was mentioned that it was easier to do some things by using Sketcher inside the Part Design workbench rather than going directly to the Sketcher workbench, the Pad function is why.
68
Left mouse click Create an additive feature.
69
Left mouse click Pad.
70
The display changes to a view of a 10mm pad added to your sketch.
FreeCAD Wow !
71
You can change the amount of the pad by going to the Combo View box and left mouse clicking the up or down arrow beside length.
FreeCAD changes your sketch immediately.
See what the FreeCAD manual says about Part Design Pad:
72
You can use the navigation icon to rotate the padded box, please try it.
The manual has a very clear presentation of 3-D navigation in FreeCAD:
73
To save your file left mouse click File.
It is a good idea to save your sketch after EVERY change so you can always go back to the previous version.
74
Left mouse click Save.
75
Type in your file name beside File name:
Left mouse click Save.
Your file is saved!
76
This is the next sketch.
It's a nice sketch to do because it has circles, arcs and angles.
This sketch will also be more challenging to get to 0 DoF = Fully constrained.
You're ready, please continue.
77
Make a new worksheet just like you did in Steps 3-12 above.
change Start to Part Design workbench>
click Create new >
click Create body >
click Create sketch >
click on X-Z Plane >
click OK
78
Put a grid on the new worksheet just like you did in Steps 16-23 above.
click Edit >
click Preferences >
click Sketcher >
click Grid >
click Grid box >
Grid spacing: 0.25in >
click Apply >
click Okay
79
This is the first step in making the part sketch.
Create polyline is used to do this.
The next pages show you how to do it step-by-step.
80
Left mouse click Sketch.
81
Left mouse click Sketcher geometries.
82
Left mouse click Create polyline.
In Steps 26-31 you used Create line.
With Create line you left mouse click to create a start point and left mouse click again to create an end point and the line stops. With Polyline you do the same thing except when you left mouse click to create an end point you can keep drawing a line until you press the escape key or right mouse click.
See what the FreeCAD manual says about polyline:
82
Use Create polyline to sketch the line.
When you draw the lines if they are perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical the red line icon will appear beside the lines.
If the icon does not appear then:
click Sketcher >
click Sketcher constraints >
Constrain horizontally or Constrain vertically
This will make the lines straight.
82
Oops?
Press the escape key to go back to the arrow cursor.
Left mouse click on the line you want to delete to turn it green.
Delete the mistake just like you did in Steps 36-39:
click Edit >
click Undo
or
click Edit >
click Delete
83
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
84
To sketch the line:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher geometries >
click Create line
Left mouse click to start the line and then left mouse click again to end the line. Use the grid lines to help draw the angle.
Oops?
click Edit >
click Undo >
See what the FreeCAD manual says about creating a line:
85
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
86
This step to Step 93 goes over how to sketch arcs/curves.
This is just to read, we will do it beginning on Step 100.
Left mouse click on Sketch.
87
Left mouse click on Sketcher geometries.
88
Left mouse click on Create arc by center.
89
Now you are ready to sketch an arc/curve.
The crosshair is a little hard to see because it is on the Y axis line, but it is there.
When the crossshair cursor appears move the crosshair cursor so that it is the same distance away from the point you want to begin the arc/curve and the point you want to end the arc/curve (the center of the circle).
Move the mouse to the left or right to expand the circle that is centered on the crosshairs.
90
When the outer edge of the circle is on top of both the beginning and end point of your arc/circle hold the circle size steady while moving the crosshair around the circle until it turns the beginning point of your arc/circle yellow.
Left mouse click then sketch the arc/curve by moving the crosshairs toward the end point of the arc/curve.
This is tricky, but it is easy once you do it a few times.
91
Left mouse click and sketch the arc/curve by moving the crosshairs toward the end point of the arc/curve.
92
Left mouse click again when the crosshairs turn the end point of the arc/curve yellow.
93
Congratulations!
You just sketched the arc/curve you will be using in the next step.
Holding the diameter of the circle while tracing the arc/curve can be awkward so please practice by drawing a few more arcs.
See what the FreeCAD manual says about Creating an arc:
94
Why is the yellow dot important?
The yellow dot is important because it means you have connected the new line to the existing line.
The photo above shows the crosshair cursor making a successful connection to an existing line.
Moving the crosshair cursor away from the yellow point draws the line.
95
Here is the completed line drawn from the yellow point in the previous photo.
Lets see what happens when we connect two lines with and without the yellow dot.
96
This is the crosshair cursor NOT making a connection to the red point shown.
97
Here is the new line.
You can see the two red points overlapping at the beginning of the new line.
98
What happens when you left mouse click on the new line and try to move it?
The line drawn starting from the yellow point moves with the pre-existing line that it is connnected to.
Both lines move together when you start the new line with a yellow point.
The yellow point shows that a connection was made.
99
The line drawn starting from a red point moves away from the existing line when you click on it to try to move it.
The new line and the pre-existing line do not move together.
This means the existing line and the new line are NOT connected.
100
Now add the three arc/curves to your sketch.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher geometries >
click Create arc by center
Please do not worry about whether lines are perfectly straight or angles exact, all of this will be fixed with a powerful FreeCAD feature called Constraints.
Oops!
click Edit >
click Undo >
101
When you have completed the 3 arc/curves, next are the 2 circles.
Left mouse click Sketch.
102
Left mouse click Sketcher geometries.
103
Left mouse click Create circle.
104
Left mouse click when the crosshair cursor is where you want the center of the circle to be.
Move the mouse in any direction to expand the circle.
When the circle perimeter is where you want it to be left mouse click.
Please repeat this process to sketch the second circle.
See what the FreeCAD manual says about Creating a circle:
105
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
106
The DoF of your sketch is 20.
The goal is DoF = 0.
This means the sketch is fully constrained, nothing moves.
Left mouse click on any part of your sketch, then move the mouse. If any part of the sketch moves DoF is not zero.
FreeCAD has several ways to help you figure out what to constrain, what is moving, but it isn't easy.
The approach that worked well on this drawing was:
1. Constrain all the circle centers to the origin
2. Constrain the angles and distances
3. Constrain the radii and diameters
4. Constrain several distances to the origin.
This may not be the best way, but it worked.
Why do this?
Because the sketch has to be fully constrained to get a 3-D view, no DoF = 0, no 3-D.
107
Left mouse click the point at the center of the larger circle and left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
108
Left mouse click Sketch.
109
Left mouse click Sketcher constraints.
111
When the box pops up beside length: type in 11mm.
Left mouse click OK.
112
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
113
Now Constrain distance on the smaller circle.
Left mouse click the point at the center of the smaller circle and left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 4mm.
Left mouse click OK.
114
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
115
Now Constrain distance on the arcs/curves starting with the top.
Left mouse click the point at the center of the large arc/curve and left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 25mm.
Left mouse click OK.
116
Now Constrain distance on the arcs/curves on the left side.
Left mouse click the point at the center of the left side arc/curve and left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 23mm.
Left mouse click OK.
117
Now Constrain distance on arcs/curves on the right side.
Left mouse click the point at the center of the right side arc/curve and left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 23mm.
Left mouse click OK.
118
As each length is constrained the dimensions are shown on the sketch.
Your sketch should look very similar to the sketch shown above in the photo.
119
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
120
The dimensions can get in the way.
FreeCAD makes it easy to move them.
Just click on the length.
121
After you click on the length use the mouse to drag the dimension to where you want it.
You can also move the dimension closer to the left or right.
122
Now Constrain distance on other dimensions.
Left mouse click the point at the top left of the arc/curve, then left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis (green line) and the X-axis (red-orange line) cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 20mm.
Left mouse click OK.
123
Now Constrain distance on the other side.
Left mouse click the point at the top right of the arc/curve, then left mouse click the point at the origin until both turn green.
The origin is where the Y-axis, green line, and the X-axis, red-orange line, cross or intersect.
Then left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance
When the box pops up beside length: type in 20mm.
Left mouse click OK.
124
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
125
Lets check our progress towards DoF = 0, Fully constrained.
We started at DoF = 20, now we are at DoF=14.
Congratulations!
126
Constrain the angles next. This makes the angle exact.
Left mouse click on the angle until it turns green then
Left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain angle >
When the box pops up beside Angle: type in 45
Left mouse click OK
See what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain angle:
127
Now constrain the other angle. Constrain angle takes a rough sketch and makes the angle perfect so you don't need to worry about getting the angle exactly right when you're sketching.
Left mouse click on the angle until it turns green then
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain angle >
When the box pops up beside Angle: type in 45
Left mouse click OK
128
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
129
Now constrain the distance between the lower point on the left small arc/curve and the origin.
Left mouse click on both points until they turn green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance >
When the box pops up beside Length: type in 27
Left mouse click OK.
130
Now constrain the distance between the lower point on the right small arc/curve and the origin.
Left mouse click on both points until they turn green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance >
When the box pops up beside Length: type in 27
Left mouse click OK.
131
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
132
Now constrain the diameter of the large circle.
Left mouse click on the circle until it turns green.
Left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain diameter >
When the box pops up beside Diameter: type in 8
Left mouse click OK.
133
Now constrain the diameter of the small circle.
Left mouse click on the circle until it turns green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain diameter >
When the box pops up beside Diameter: type in 8
Left mouse click OK.
134
Now constrain the radius of the left small arc/curve.
Left mouse click on the arc/curve until it turns green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain radius or weight >
When the box pops up beside Radius: type in 5
Left mouse click OK. See what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain radius:
135
Now constrain the radius of the right small arc/curve.
Left mouse click on the arc/curve until it turns green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain radius or weight >
When the box pops up beside Radius: type in 5
Left mouse click OK.
136
Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
137
Now constrain the length of the top line in the slot. Left mouse click on the line until it turns green.
Left mouse click:
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain horizontal distance >
When the box pops up beside Length: type in 5
Left mouse click OK.See what the FreeCAD manual says about Constrain horizontal distance:
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Now constrain the distance from the bottom of the slot to the top of the large arc/curve. Left mouse click on both points until they turn green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance >
When the box pops up beside Length: type in 27.16
Left mouse click OK.
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Now do the same for the other side.
Constrain the distance from the bottom of the slot to top of the large arc/curve. Left mouse click on both points until they turn green.
click Sketch >
click Sketcher constraints >
click Constrain distance >
When the box pops up beside Length: type in 27.16
Left mouse click OK.
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Save your file before starting the next step.
You did it in Steps 73-75:
click File >
click Save As >
type in a file name >
click Save
Why?
Because saving the file gives you the choice of always being able to go back to what you had no matter what mistakes you might make on the next step.
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The lines on the sketch have turned green.
That's a really great color because it means
YOUR SKETCH IS FULLY CONSTRAINED !!
Look over at the Combo View box, instead of DoF it says Fully constrained.
Congratulations!
I have tried to fully constrain this sketch using fewer constraints and I have failed 3 times. Maybe you can find a faster way to fully constrain this sketch?
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Left mouse click Close.
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Left mouse click on the box in the top right corner of the screen.
This is to be sure that the view is isometric before going to the next step.
See what the FreeCAD manual says about Isometric view:
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Left mouse click on Isometric.
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Now you are going to make your drawing 3-D.
FreeCAD calls this padding.
Left mouse click on Part Design on the menu at the top of the screen.
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Left mouse click on Create an additive feature.
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Isn't FreeCAD great?
The default padding is 10mm, you can adjust it up or down by left mouse clicking on the up or down arrow.
Try it now and see what happens to the sketch.
The tutorial promised to show you step-by-step how to sketch a simple part and there it is.
I'm sorry about the 143 steps. I don't know how to do step-by-step with fewer steps. If you know how could you please write a tutorial?
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Retrieving Files
This shows how to retrieve a saved file in FreeCAD.
Left mouse click on File.
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Left mouse click on Open.
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Left mouse click on the filename you want to retrieve.
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Left mouse click on Open.
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When the file displays it might not look the way you expect it to look.
Easy to fix, in the Combo View box double left mouse click on Sketch.
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Now you should see what you were expecting to see when you retrieved the file.
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Review
The hardest part of this is DoF, getting the part fully constrained.
FreeCAD helps you 3 ways to get to fully constrained:
1. Left mouse click on DoF in the Combo View box. The lines in the sketch that are not fully constrained will turn green but FreeCAD does not tell you how to constrain them.
2. Left mouse click Sketch, left mouse click Sketcher tools, left mouse click Select unconstrained DoF. Unconstrained lines will change color to green.
3. Left mouse click and hold on the green lines and move the mouse, the green line will move and how it moves gives you a clue on how to constrain it.
For example, when the circles in the previous part were unconstrained they were green and when I clicked on them and moved the mouse the circles got bigger or smaller. That is a clue that tells you that the circle diameter is not constrained because if it were the circles would not have gotten any bigger or smaller.
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Redundant Constraints
When the sketch turns orange and it is overconstrained you have 3 ways to get back to where you were before the sketch was over constrained.
1. FreeCAD tells you the sketch will be over constrained before you complete the operation, so you can cancel it.
2. Click Edit Undo to get back to where you were before you overconstrained.
3. Discard the file and go back to a previous version that you saved.
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What's Next?
What about going back to Sketcher geometries and Sketcher constraints and exploring the geometries and constraints that you did not use and see what they do?
You know it will be fun.