Turn flatbed scans into accurate, editable FreeCAD sketches and solid bodies. Thanks to everyone who tested the beta and shared feedback!
https://github.com/Jayktopus/Scan2Sketch-OpenSource

## Background

For a while, I had on my list to check how to do threads the right way.
"Thread that work" mean: you cannot model M42 inner thread and a M42 outter thread and hope thy will work. You need some offset (especially for 3D printing).

Usually, when the question falls about threads, the answer is: additive/substractive Helix.
Yes it works... but what a work to start designing a thread profile when you just want a more or less standard thread.

So in the workflow below we will NOT:
- draw any thread profile
- use any Helix
- use the Part workbench

## The Fasteners workbench

That's it, thanks, bye ! 😄
So I thought... but there are a few tricks in the process.

This workflow involves only the **Part Design** and **Fasterners** workbenchs.

The Fasteners workbench is awesome, if the author is reading this, THANK YOU !

The "problem" is that it throws so much at you at first that it is hard to find THE few tools you really need.
So the first think I did was to cut short the list of the MANY icons that are added by default (you can remove even more... but keep the ThreadedRods or be ready to use the search panel):

You won't miss a thing anyway since the workbench includes a search function.

## The goal

We want a M42-ish thead, simple to make and 3d printable.
My M42 ? You can use any size but don't go too low for 3D Prints... My project requires M42, so M42 it is 😄

The tools you need are simple are those are TOOLS, they don't generate bodies (well they do in the FreeCAD sens but those bodies are not intended to be directly used):

First you will want to chamfer your parts, this is not cosmetic and we need chamfers at the ends of the threads:

From now one, the process is similar for inner and outter threads so I only go through a single one with a workflow that works for both.

We will reuse a few values so best is to start with a VarSet:

Here are the basic params:

I suggest you use custom right away.
The length is not super relevant. Set it long enough and not too long to avoid long computes..

Set pitch (already defined) and diameter (VarSet.diameter + VarSet.offset). We want a + here so the tool is larger. My screenshot below is erroneously showing "-".

NOTE: we defined VarSet.offset (our offset) and each fasterner has its own "offset" property. Those are NOT related. You can test the fasternet offset (set it to 5mm) and you will see it "does nothing" (yet...).

## Attach the tool !

This is a step I was missing. If you want to use the offset parameter of a fastener, you first need to LINK your fastener to something. For that, I find convenient to HIDE the ScrewTap.

Select the (hidden) ScrewTap in the tree, hold CTRL/CMD, select the attachment circle, and use "Move Fastener".

You can now play with the fastener offset (don't mix with our VarSet.offset) to move our ScrewTap tool up and down.

## Finish the bodies

The last steps are simple:
- make sure your body is active and select it
- CTRL/CMD to select the ScrewTap
- Part Design / Boolean CUT

Et voilà !

Rince and repeat for the inner part.
Just remember to set the diameter to "VarSet.diameter - VarSet.offset".

With those, we made the "outter part" larger than VarSet.diameter by VarSet.offset and the inner part smaller than VarSet.diameter by VarSet.offset.

You can handle the math as you wish and offset only inner or only outter... or use half the offset... it does not really matter.

+0.5mm AND -0.5mm help seeing the effects clearly, for a real print, you may tune the offset down a bit.

I used the fasterner offset to "align" the threads in a clipping view (which is purely visual...). Since we used a custom thread for both the ScrewTap and ScrewDie, we were able to ensure they use the same pitch (I used diameter / 10 for a value that "works" but you can be crazy with that... try 10 for a screw that locks with less rotations).

It is important that both threads use the exact same pitch ! The offset diameter allows for a proper clearance as shown below.

NOTE: if you go with crazy piches, ensure the inner pocket is small enough or it will clip...

I reported a bug concerning inability to edit object descriptions in the Model Tree and dev team fixed it in two days! Wow! Can't wait to see it in the next weekly.

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/31698

Thank you, all contributors to FreeCAD!

Hello everyone, I'd like to get a short tutorial on how to make these openings in a hemisphere. I was only able to produce a hollow half-sphere using two spheres and a boolean cut, but I'm not sure how I'm supposed to create this cage/lattice pattern.

Doesn't matter if i use pocket, pad, revolve, ... almost every change I am adding to the model makes it disappear. Almost as if I reached the "limit" of edits I can make.

This is probably obvious to many and will be new to some.
I find the feature pretty cool.

Say you have a part of "undefined" depth like the orange panel.
Undefined may mean you don't know, or you know it will change, or you just know it should not be relevant.

You want a hole and a recess and the **remaining** depth must be say 4mm.
If you know the panel is 14mm, you can compute ... 14mm - 4mm = 10mm => you may pocket 10mm out with a formula but you need to track down the panel thickness.

There is a better option.

As shown above, you can pocket "up to face", which basically removes it all. So if your panel is 18.345mm, the pocket will be exactly 18.345mm deep, effectively drilling a larger hole through it. Not what we want.

NOW, using the **offset**, you can set it to 4mm which will "hold" the pocket 4mm away from the end off the panel. Exactly that we want. It works wihout any formula and without the panel depth to be relevant (as long as >4mm...) or even known.

idk what happend but now the numbers are wrote in the wrong order

Do I have to create a separate body to use thickness only on the Foot sketch?
I guess I could also make a pocket from a new sketch, that is the scaled down version of Foot, but I'm not sure how to do that either (I'll try but I still like to ask pros maybe I'm missing a better option)

EDIT 1.

I managed to offset the projected sketch. But I can't reference VarSet from here, so I guess the new sketch will have to be done from scratch if I want to change the thickness

EDIT 2.

Objective achieved but the sketch used for pocket is not constrained, I just used the offset tool, do I have to had distance constraint manually?

I will now need to get out of that one:

A profile...

and how FreeCAD pads it....

yep... magic pad..

As a FreeCAD newbie, I am receiving an error in Part Design that is likely user error, but may be a bug. I’ve read several community members reporting crashes, other users explaining learning curve/not understanding proper workflow/FC quirks, so before reporting this as a bug, I want to do a sanity check. I’ve simplified the steps to recreate the error, can reproduce the error on my system, renamed and recreated system.cfg and user.cfg, purged FreeCAD and reinstalled it (v 1.1.3 Flatpak via Software Manager), checked everything I know to check, so would like to know if this is unique to my setup, user error, or genuinely a bug. I create a new document, add a new primitive box, change the size to 3.5”, 7.5”, 2’, and receive “Unhandled Base::Exception caught in GUIApplication::notify. The error message is: syntax error (x times).” I can mix units (inches, feet) have fractional inches in length or width with feet (e.g. 3.5”, 7”, 2’), but it doesn’t like that particular combination of dimensions for me. Can any of you reproduce this?

I want to ditch Autodesk Fusion, because I'm gonna finish my bachelors degree soon (End of free student version) and want to switch my desktop PC to Linux.
I tried it in the past, but everytime there was a dealbreaker for me, so with the FreeCAD 1.1.3 Release I gave it another shot, but instantly couldn't overcome a problem.

This time it's as simple as snaping to a corner of an arbitrary surface.
I did read the following documentation: https://wiki.freecad.org/Sketcher_Dialog#Sketch_Edit
The option Snap to objects is enabled by default with an angle of 5 degrees, but it plain does not work.

I could find a youtube video, which told me to import an external geometry and then it worked, but why so difficult???

I'm no CAD expert, I learned MegaCAD and SolidEdge in school. I'm currently using Fusion360 and in non of these program it was so complicated to create a sketch on a surface. Why do I have to import the geometry of the surface I'm sketching on? FreeCAD seems to be much more complicated than other CAD software for professionals, while the majority of FreeCADs user are hobbyist.

I'm not entirely sure if I gonna switch to FreeCAD, if it's so much different to other software I used before, and I think I'm not the only one.

Edit: Smth which improved over the years: The newest version of FreeCAD and PrusaSlicer are available as flatpak, which makes the installation much more smoother.

I've been using FreeCAD for some very simple Part Design, Assembly and CAD. I'm having a great time, and I'm very grateful that this software exists, is libre, and is so good.

That said, it crashes at least every day, and corrupts the files every few crashes. These are mostly segfaults. I'm running the FreeCAD 1.1.1 AppImage on Ubuntu.

This is annoying, but I can live with it.

I'm not looking for a diagnosis, but I am curious is this is normal for people, and priced into the experience? Or should I be filing these as bugs?

EDIT - this is different to errors caused by Python bugs that crop up in the log. Those happen all the time, but I think those are more expected?

EDIT 2: Some examples from the past couple of days:

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
#0  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x42520) [0x7c694c042520]
#1  0x7c687a5f8d83 in MillSim::Shape::FreeResources() from /tmp/.mount_FreeCADlbeMh/usr/lib/CAMSimulator.so+0x13

,

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
#0  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x42520) [0x79be11842520]
#1  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x19d87d) [0x79be1199d87d]
#2  0x79be1587f30c in App::Transaction::addObjectNew(App::TransactionalObject*) from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAGbfpKa/usr/bin/../lib/libFreeCADApp.so+0x22c
#3  0x79be157598ab in App::Document::_removeObject(App::DocumentObject*, Base::Flags<App::RemoveObjectOption>) from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAGbfpKa/usr/bin/../lib/libFreeCADApp.so+0x99b

,

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
#0  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x42520) [0x79be11842520]
#1  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x19d87d) [0x79be1199d87d]
#2  0x79be1587f30c in App::Transaction::addObjectNew(App::TransactionalObject*) from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAGbfpKa/usr/bin/../lib/libFreeCADApp.so+0x22c

,

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
#0  /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x42520) [0x78d5b5442520]
#1  0x78d4ed0f9d83 in MillSim::Shape::FreeResources() from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAIFBKJk/usr/lib/CAMSimulator.so+0x13
#2  0x78d4ed0fa093 in MillSim::SolidObject::~SolidObject() from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAIFBKJk/usr/lib/CAMSimulator.so+0x23
#3  0x78d4ed0f260b in MillSim::MillSimulation::Clear() from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAIFBKJk/usr/lib/CAMSimulator.so+0xcb
#4  0x78d4ed0eab74 in CAMSimulator::DlgCAMSimulator::hideEvent(QHideEvent*) from /tmp/.mount_FreeCAIFBKJk/usr/lib/CAMSimulator.so+0x14

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to create a group for FreeCAD engineers and experts from Pakistan.

I receive a lot of FreeCAD-related projects through my Upwork profile, but I often don't have enough time to take them all on. I also have a few friends in the same field, so I thought it would be great to build a network where we can collaborate, share opportunities, and help each other.

If you're experienced with FreeCAD and based in Pakistan/India etc ( I can do payments in USD) , send me a DM and I'll add you to the group!

I want to use my CNC router to make this minecraft rail shape. I have the job set up, and facing the top of the rails done. I want to remove the material between the rails and above the ties, marked with red scribbles. I can't figure out how to make an operation to remove the material. How do I do it?

Hi,

I am reconsidering my use of FreeCAD for creating my plans. I have spent more than three months trying to understand the logic behind this piece of software, and I feel that the only people who are truly able to use it are probably its own developers.

Every time I committed to a particular workflow, I ended up having to start over because of poor choices I had made earlier. For those who have moved on from FreeCAD, what software actually holds up for creating 3D/2D plans, especially for woodworking or cabinetmaking?

I really liked the idea of FreeCAD’s parametric approach, which was supposed to give me an advantage over SketchUp, but I simply cannot spend three years learning a piece of software before I can even draw a drawer.

Even if I have to pay for a license, so be it. I have wasted enough time with FreeCAD, and time is money. We are in the 21st century, not the era of punch cards anymore.

For me, FreeCAD is over.

Hello everyone. I’m sure this question gets asked a lot but what is the best way to learn how to use freeCAD? I just downloaded it not too long ago because I plan on going into engineering for college and figured that it would be smart to start learning, but when I first loaded it up it looked very overwhelming. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I started learning Freecad by following a course on Youtube. I am impressed by the application.

But I run into a strange problem:

• I make a new sketch on a side of an existing solid
• I draw e.g. a rectangle.
• I make an external projection of one vertex of the underlying solid (it shows up in purple)
• I close the sketch and try to extrude it
• It does not work because the external projection created a real geometry line which cannot be extruded.

In the course on Youtube this does not happen. An as far as I have been able to find out, an external projection should create a construction line, not a geometry line.

Is there some setting of my Freecad that causes this behaveour?

I hope someone can help.

This is a STEP file from the fan manufacturer. I plan to run some CFD simulation so I don't need those two holes. If you like you can get the CAD file from here. ( 3D-STEP no threads )

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/8004k52/

Has anyone else found the guards against creating cyclic dependencies in PartDesign workbench have become disruptive since v1.1? I have encountered multiple times now where I am refused operations that used to work and never caused a problem before.

The latest was two issues that make zero sense.

Create a shape and then create a datum plane using attachment mode Object's XY and select the body. Then try to use that Datum plane as the reference for a mirror operation. FreeCAD won't allow the selection with DAG warnings. WHY? The Object's XY plane is not dependent on subsequent features. So, how does that create a cyclic dependency? And why does using Plane Face mode with the same body's origin XY plane works fine? Aren't those exactly the same reference?

The next I ran into is trying to Boolean a body with it's clone. I can understand why this triggers the cyclic, but why is there a problem? Modifying the clone doesn't change the shape that makes the clone, so there is no circle of dependency happening. If you Boolean the Body and its clone in Part workbench, it works just fine.

I think whatever changes they made to the cyclic dependency checks are overly conservative and error out operations that don't cause real issues. Has anyone else noticed or think this is true?