Draft tutorial

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Tutorial
Topic
Drafting
Level
Beginner
Time to complete
30 minutes
Authors
Drei
FreeCAD version
0.16 or above
Example files
None
See also
None

Introduction

This tutorial is meant to introduce the reader to the basic workflow of the Draft Workbench.

The reader will practice:

  • creation of profiles
  • the use of working planes
  • the creation of dimensions, text and annotations

This tutorial uses the notation (x, y, z) to denote the coordinates required to define points in an object.

Setup

1. Open FreeCAD, create a new empty document with File → New.

1.1. Switch to the Draft Workbench from the workbench selector, or the menu View → Workbench → Draft.
1.2. Make sure you understand how to use the property editor, particularly the Data and View tabs to change the properties.
1.3. Since the draft objects are planar shapes, they are better viewed from the top. Use View top to set the 3D view.

Snap toolbar

2. The Draft Snap toolbar is normally activated when you switch to the Draft Workbench.

2.1. To make sure it is always there, got to the Draft Preferences, Edit → Preferences → Draft → Grid and snapping tab.
2.2. Verify that the Show Draft Snap toolbar is active.

You can also change the visibility and property of the grid in this same menu.

Working planes

Most Draft objects are planar shapes so they are naturally based on a working plane. A working plane can be one of the main XY, XZ, and YZ global coordinate planes, or it can be a plane that is parallel to them with a positive or negative offset, or it can be a plane defined by the face of a solid object.

3. Press Select plane, or go to the menu Utilities → Select plane, to open the working plane task panel.

3.1. Press Top (XY).

Before pressing the button, you can also change the value of the offset in millimeters, as well as the grid spacing, the main lines and snapping radius.

Creating Profiles

The creation of profiles can be done in several ways. Though it is possible to use simple arcs and lines to do most of the work, FreeCAD includes several tools to speed up the process.

Lines and arcs

4. We will create arcs and lines.

4.1. Press Arc.
4.2. Set the Center to (0, 0, 0), and press Enter.
4.3. Set the Radius to 30 mm, and press Enter.
4.4. Set the Start angle to 60.0°, and press Enter.
4.5. Set the Aperture angle to 60.0°, and press Enter.
4.6. Repeat the same procedure for a second arc with a radius of 25 mm, the other properties are the same.

5. We will now create a closed profile by tying the arcs with lines.

5.1. Press Line.
5.2. In the Snap toolbar make sure File:Draft ToggleSnap.svg Snap is active, and only Endpoint as well. As you move the pointer to one endpoint of an arc, the File:Snap Endpoint.svg Endpoint icon should appear. Click to select this point.
5.3. Move the pointer to the closest endpoint of the other arc in the same side to tie the two arcs together.
5.4. Repeat the process for the other side of the arc to close the profile.

Fusing or upgrading

We now have several objects in the tree view that form a closed profile. However, this profile is still composed of disconnected objects; each of them can be edited and moved independently of the others. It is possible to continue working with the elements in this way, but it is also possible to fuse them into a single object.

6. Note that fusing the objects into a single object will create an object that is no longer parametric, so their properties cannot be modified further.

6.1. Select all four objects by holding Ctrl and picking on them in the 3D view or by selecting them in the tree view.
6.2. With these objects selected, click on Upgrade.
6.3. This will upgrade the four objects into a single Wire.

6. If you wish to maintain the parametric nature of the objects you may wish to create a compound instead.

6.1. Switch to the Part Workbench.
6.2. With these objects selected, click on Part Compound.

Rectangles, circles, and polygons

7. We will draw a rectangular frame.

7.1. Press Rectangle.
7.2. Enter the values (-100, -60, 0), and press Enter.
7.3. Make sure the Relative option is unchecked, as we will use absolute units. You may press R in the keyboard to quickly toggle this option on and off.
7.4. Enter the values for the second point (140, 90, 0), and press Enter.

A rectangle is created. Go in the property editor to change its properties. If you don't want the rectangle to create a face, set DataMake Face to false. If you want to make a face, but see only the wires of that object, keep DataMake Face to true but set the ViewDisplay Mode to Wireframe.

8. We will draw a circle.

8.1. Press Circle.
8.2. Enter the values of the center (0, 0, 0), and press Enter.
8.3. Set the radius to 15 mm, and press Enter.

9. We will draw a regular polygon.

9.1. Press Polygon.
9.2. Enter the values of the center (0, 0, 0), and press Enter.
9.3. Set the number of sides to 6, and press Enter.
9.4. Set the radius to 50 mm, and press Enter.

Again, you may change the DataMake Face and ViewDisplay Mode properties in the property editor if you want.

The rectangle, the circle, the polygon, and most other objects created with the Draft Workbench share many data and view properties because they are derived from the same base class, Part Part2DObject.

Arrays

Arrays are used to replicate an object several times in an orthogonal direction (X, Y, Z), around a revolution axis, or along a path.

10. We will create a polar array.

10.1. Select the Wire object that was previously created with the Upgrade tool, or the Compound created with the Part Compound tool.
10.2. Press PolarArray.
10.3. Adjust the polar angle to 360°, and press OK.

Old workflow

10.2. Press Array.
10.3. Go to the tree view, select the Array object, and then go to the property editor, and change the DataArray type from ortho to polar.
10.4. Change DataNumber Polar to 4, and DataAngle to 360°.

An array object should be created replicating the object around the origin.

Dimensions

Dimensions require a constant use of Snapping Constraints to properly select the points that one wishes to dimension. The Snapping toolbar is used to change the possible points that can be selected.

  1. Select Dimension
  2. Select the first point. This can be either an existing element or specified by coordinates. For this tutorial, the first point will always be (0, 0, 0)
  3. Select the second point. Approach the midpoint of the top line of the polygon. A white point should appear alongside this icon File:Snap Midpoint.svg
  4. Move the cursor to the desired location of the dimension and click on it.
  5. Change the font size on the View tab to 6 mm

Repeat the process for the arcs and circles.

Annotations and Text

There is a slight difference between the two: it is only possible to use the second one as a profile to perform 3D operations.

Annotations

  1. Select the Text button.
  2. Select the reference point in the 3D View. In this case, the midpoint of the top arc.
  3. Enter your text and press Enter
  4. Repeat for as many lines of text as you wish to input.
  5. Press Enter

Text

  1. Select the ShapeString button.
  2. Select the reference point in the 3D View. This can be an existing point or the current cursor location.
  3. Enter your text and press Enter
  4. Set the desired font size
  5. Leave tracking at 0 mm
  6. Select the path to the font file that you wish to use

Creating Blueprints

To create blueprints, it is necessary to create a Technical Drawing with the elements that you wish to use. Please read the Drawing tutorial for a detailed description.

Important Note: Drawing WB was deprecated in FreeCAD v0.16 and replaced by the TechDraw Workbench. Although the author of this tutorial also created the Drawing Tutorial, it would be better for the reader to familiarize themselves with Basic tutorials of TechDraw, such as Basic_TechDraw_Tutorial.

End

We are now finished with the basic workflow for the Draft Workbench.

Recommended Lectures

  • For a detailed description of the workbench, please see Draft Workbench
  • To know more about the Snapping controls, see Draft Snap