FreeCAD 101: Difference between revisions

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=Overview=
=Overview=


Revision as of 07:12, 21 June 2017

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Overview

FreeCAD is a free and opensource program for designing structures, parts, and machines. It is mostly used in architectural and mechanical engineering contexts. OSE uses FreeCAD both for its mechanical design work for the machines in the Global Village Construction Set, and for helping create educational documents for teaching people to build those designs.

As OSE grows, this page will be our junk-drawer & repository of all FreeCAD materials organized under the following scheme: General Resources (manuals, YouTube series, forums); and Task-Specific Tutorials for current projects we have (creating a cube, converting STLs, exploded parts diagrams, etc.). This wiki is a sort of live and grow user generated OSE FreeCAD manual. As the list of tasks grow, we can further organize this material.

  • General FreeCAD Resources
  • Task 1: Create Cube (For Developer Test)
  • Task 2: Extract dimensional Drawings
  • Task 3: Simplify Files (for Parts)
  • Task 4: Combine Parts into Final Assemblies
  • Task 5: Extract Isometric Views from Final Assemblies for Exploded Parts Diagrams

General FreeCAD Resources

Here are some general resources for familiarizing yourself with FreeCAD.

Note: the following tutorials are dense. Please pause the videos as needed in order to practice the demonstrated lesson.
Tutorial 1.1 Introduces the sketcher workbench in FreeCAD, so you can then create any 3D objects imaginable

Tutorial 1.2 Introduces part libraries. Importing parts from libraries and assembling them is a powerful way to do design work. This can get the casual user to powerful design capacity using real geometries.

Task 1: Create Corner Cube (For Developer Test)

For the Developer Test complete the following instructions. You will create a corner cube: use the sketcher, part, part design, bolt, and assembly workbenches; and import, rotate, and align parts; make features on faces; and install bolts. After this, you should be ready to begin to work on basic User Contributed Designs. (Note: You will later submit a screen-cast video of this process. If you are comfortable with FreeCAD and screen-capturing video, you may video your first attempt. Otherwise, use this as a practice round, and once you learn to make the corner cube, come back to document it.)

  1. Review OSE's Introductory FreeCAD Tutorials 1 & 2 above in the General resources. (Refer to other sources as needed.) Also, review the self-verifying exams videos & comments on the Developer Test page.
  2. Download 8-hole square tubing (without rounded corners) from the OSE Part Library.
  3. Use the tubing to create an x-y-z bolted corner cube.
  4. Record a video of you building the cube, from the beginning, using Vokoscreen. Please refer to Vokoscreen 101.
  5. When you are done building the cube, create a 1" bolt and nut using the Fastener Workbench in FreeCAD.
  6. Insert one bolt through any of the corners, as if you were actually building the cube - using the Assembly Workbench in FreeCAD.
  7. Tighten the bolt with the nut (just insert the nut onto the bolt).
  8. Now take any face on the tubing of the resulting cube - and using Sketcher on that particular face - write your initials on that face. Pocket those initials so that they are cut into the face.
  9. End video capture.


Example Test by Roberto Jaramillo - 3/30/2017

When you are finished with Part 2: Design a Cube in FreeCAD go back to the Developer Test and complete Part 3: Document Your Work.

Task 2: Extract Dimensional Drawings

To be completed...

Task 3: Simplify Files (for Parts)

Goals: Redraw certain parts to reduce file size. Among other things OSE is currently working on the Lyman Filament Extruder for making filament for our 3D printers. We have rich files for each part that is ready to be purchased or printed. However, many of the files are too large to combined with other rich files into an assembly. OSE needs to combine all the parts into an assembly to 1) interact and modify a whole machine or module more easily; and 2) use for visual instructional materials.

Task 4: Create Final Assemblies

Now to see the forrest for the trees, we sometimes have to put all of our individual part files together and see how they fit, etc. Once all the parts (stl files) are together in an assembly, we can now use it for modifying the existing design, or for creating educational materials based on the design.

Marcin explains the Work Flow for creating final Assemblies.

Task 5: Extract Isometric Views for VBOM, Exploded Parts Diagrams, and LAIs

...to be updated...

Please Comment on Your FreeCAD 101 Test Experience

How long did it take you? Were you able to do it? What could have helped you to learn the skills more effectively? Please upvote most useful responses here.


Will van Twuijver completed OSE FreeCAD test 6/7/2017

At first I had some trouble with installing the OSE-linux: I was working from a macbook and the that did not recognize the USB stick containing the linux. I tried a lot to make it work, but it did not help. Eventually I installed the OSE-linux on a Lenovo T520 and that worked fine. Freecad felt a bit counter-intuitive and seems to have some bugs in it. This caused some frustration, but after spending some hours doing tutorials it became easier. It was really helpful to watch other Freecad tests online.


Test took me 30 minutes to complete. A lot of that time was spent clicking around and learning how the software worked. Overall, FreeCAD worked fine and only had a few glitches for me. I would say pretty good for a free software. This was my first time working with the assembly workbench. There was a few places where I thought the software could be improved but I'll wait until I use it more before I complain too much. I would rate myself a 75 out 100.


The FreeCAD took me awhile due to software and also a new interface, features, and multiple unknowns. It took me about 6+hrs figuring out certain issues with sketching my initials on to the metal. Definitely will have to study up on all of the different components of the software.


Jean-Baptiste Vervaeck - Completed OSE FreeCAD Test 06/03/2017

After 12+ hours of practicing in FreeCAD, downloads & installations, watching tutorials and reading through freeCAD documentation, I was able to work through steps 3 through 8 in 37 minutes. I was running FreeCAD in ubuntu 16.04 running inside VirtualBox 5.1.14 on a Win7 PC which slowed down the process considerably. It took me quite a while just to find the "just right" configuration in order for kdenlive to properly render the edited video (it was only when my CPU usage maxed out that there were interruptions in the quality of the rendered video). 80/100 -- 10 point deduction for not tightening the nut/washer on the bolt and another 10 point deduction for not adding in the inner parts on the letter "B" in my initials pocket. Also, I started out working with the wrong parts file, not having been able to find the 8 hole tube with square corner file on the wiki till it was pointed out to me.


Michael Beyer Jr : 2017-03-29 : 15 hours

probably more like a total of 45 hours as i am still actively learning linux after making it my main operating system a few months ago, so time spent learning freecad was interspersed through also learning linux at the same time. i believe i completed all tasks in a satisfactory manner. i can't grade myself exactly but i know i would like to just generally keep improving learning all functions of creating and manipulating 3d objects as well as improving creating objects with the most efficient constraint set as possible, and to become quicker at all these processes.

ways to improve my learning will be continued practice, continued vigilant documentation.. having better documentation would have made it easier for me to learn more quickly and effectively, so i seek to add to the documentation. this way, others will have an easier time getting up to speed with the current developments, as the ultimate goal is to decrease barriers to entry and increase motivation to contribute to the project.


Chas Murillo : 08 April 2017 : 15+ hours

I had some trouble with FreeCAD 0.15 freezing while doing part design so I upgraded to 0.16 on my own ubuntu 16.04 OS. I struggled with manipulating the objects and what sides to click on when moving or revolving an object but eventually figured it out after watching some of the tutorials. I also struggled with writing my initials on the edge of the xyzCube. I figured out that by clicking the face part in sketcher view then clicking "create new sketch" the reference sketch would align with the part. My order of operations for creating the pocket was off and I just had to play around with it for a while and watch some tutorials.

With Vokoscreen I had trouble with it not saving my recordings after I stopped or paused the recording multiple times while taking breaks. All in all I give myself a 90/100 cuz I think I could've done a nicer job and I didn't follow directions by upgrading to the newer FreeCAD to finish my part.



Frank McCormick: April 10 2017: 4 hours

I would say for me i spent a couple of hours just messing around in freecad to get a feel for it. Once I spent a couple of hours in the program I was able to get the hang of it and was able to complete the build fairly quickly(20minutes or so). The longer portion was learning Vdenlive and getting the video rendered. I also had a couple of issues with my files saving. So there was a little rework for me when I lost some files. Overall I would give myself an 85/100. I struggled at first with the bolt and getting it placed and also had a little trouble with Kdenlive at first. I think my initial use of Kdenlive was sloppy and poorly edited. I definitely think I could improve my use there.


Ayodele Arigbabu: April 29 2017: 18 hours

I spent roughly 18 hours installing the OSE iso to USB, getting acquainted with FreeCAD, Kdenlive and Vokoscreen, running the test and putting the recording together. The greater portion of that time was spent learning how FreeCAD works, the actual build took 45 minutes, though I did a dry run before recording and that helped. Installing OSE Linux was largely pain free thanks to the helpful tutorial posted on how to go about it for Windows installations, I'm however wondering if it would work fine setting up a virtual machine on Windows to run OSE Linux instead of the USB route. Would like to know if anyone has done that. Score? 90% Would have aimed for more, but I'm likely to have missed out something.


Israel Reyes : May 13, 2017: 20+ hours

The FreeCAD exam only took about 20 min. A lot of time was spent figuring out why I was unable to boot the OSELinux distro on the laptop I'm using, it turns out HP's Pavilion dv7 BIOS doesn't support booting from USB and HP doesn't seem to provide any updates for the particular model I have. OSELinux booted fine and I was able to use it briefly on my desktop, however, my desktop has video card issues and crashes periodically so was not an option for the exam which would have required use of the card for FreeCAD, Kdenlive and Vokoscreen. I ended up using Ubuntu Studio 16.04, installed on the Pavilion DV7, which has some unusual discrepancies with the available FreeCAD packages. For some reason, different packages are installed depending on whether you use the Software installer (0.17) or apt-get install (0.15). FreeCAD 0.17 installed from the Software installer doesn't seem to install in a way you can add mods to ~/.FreeCAD/Mod, however, FreeCAD 0.15 installed via apt-get install does. FreeCAD 0.17 comes with the Assemble 2 workbench pre-installed, FreeCAD 0.15 does not, but you can add it with some unusual issues I only found while playing around with constraints in the Assemble 2 workbench. After running into the constraint issues I added a different ppa repo for FreeCAD and upgraded to 0.16 and just did the exam, I believe the constraint issues are still present. I will attempt using OSELinux on a new computer I have, I just haven't had time to get that one running, other issues there.

Kdenlive (15.12.3) comes pre-installed on Ubuntu Studio and Vokoscreen (2.4.0) can be installed via the Software installer. Both are pretty straightforward to use.



Oliver Schlueter : May 16, 2017: 12+ hours

I did the test with a FreeCAD 0.17 version that i compiled from the masterbranch sources. Spend about two thirds of the time to explore some freecad-features like the assembly-workbench and made testruns for each part before doing the exam. I struggled a bit with finding the right screw in the fastener-lib, because i only found M24/220mm. Kdenlive editing worked so far, but i needed some time to find out how the compression works. I would score myself at about 70%. The whole test was a nice challenge for me, but fun. I learned some new things and look forward to doing more practical exercises within the development work.


--DixonNahrwold (talk) 06:47, 19 May 2017 (CEST)


Abraham Rodriguez : May 20, 2017: 20+

Every day,during 10 days, after work, I did tutorials until feel confident enough with the workbenchs. Mount the cube took me 20 minutes (after 1 hour or more testing which workbench would do the job better,it was Assembly workbench). At the time of produce the video. I found it would make me lose frames if I speed it up,then I cut some parts and mounted the final cut. I lost time finding a way of do it better.It seems, there are not another way if you use the speed effect. I haven't need help of these responses above, but I have read some of them. I would rate them all with 100.


Ahmed Saadaldin Qosaeri: April 29, 2017

this was the first time i use FreeCAD so i spent almost ten hours playing around with the software and watching tutorials on youtube to get introduced to the software. It took me around 45 minutes to assemble the cube and another few minutes to speed up the recorded video to 30 seconds and adding the music, i did that using camtasia. I faced too many technical issues as I'm a mac user and we are required to do everything using Linux OS so after two weeks of struggling, i gave up and i did it using MAC OS and I'm currently solving those technical issues. Finally, It was a great experience and I would give myself 90. -

Commentary

  • Gregory - 7 hours to create OSE Linux

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