Freecad 18 tutorial pdf how to#
Freecad 18 tutorial pdf manual#

Several tools from other workbenches can be used to add holes or to reshape edges. The Make Forming in Wall command will stamp a shape into a plate (wall).Īfter the creation of a WallForming feature the SheetMetal object is no longer unfoldable!.

Use the Sketch on Sheet metal command to cut holes into the object starting on a chosen wall and then following the adjoined walls and connections.

it will trimm a wall at said line, relocate the cut away side, and rejoin them with a cylindrical connection.

The Fold a Wall command will fold a wall at a chosen line, i.e.Use the Add Corner Relief command to add or reshape corner reliefs.The Make Wall command will add new flanges or hems to the existing object.Use the Extend Face command to enlarge walls.The unfoldable basic sheet metal objects can be extended: It should now be checked if the resulting sheet metal object can be unfolded. Some parameters will be inherited from the parent object(s) but it is better to check the relevant parameters at each stage. The Make Bend command will create cylindrical connections for the remaining walls that need to stay joined.The Make Junction command will create junctions with gaps between adjoining walls that need to be disjoined.The Make Relief command will cut off selected corners.To make it unfoldable it needs some gaps or connections between the walls:.The PartDesign Thickness command will make it an object of constant thickness.Use the PartDesign Pad command to create a prismatic body.Use the Make Base Wall command to create a sheet metal blank.Create a closed polyline (preferably with the sketcher).Use the Make Base Wall command to create a sheet metal profile.Create an open polyline (preferably with the sketcher).More detailed information can be found on each tool's own page (see above) or in the linked tutorials (see below).Ĭreate a sheet metal object Start with a profile

Freecad 18 tutorial pdf how to#

This section is meant to give a rough idea of how to use the supplied tools. This workbench provides tools for the two main tasks: Add base shape: Adds a basic sheet metal object from parameters.Make Forming in Wall: Embosses shapes with or without holes into a sheet metal plate.Sketch On Sheet metal: Cuts a sketch based hole pattern along the folded walls of a sheet metal object.Make Bend: 3rd step to convert a shell object into an unfoldable sheet metal object, replaces sharp edges with round bends.

Make Junction: 2nd step to convert a shell object into an unfoldable sheet metal object, creates an open junction on the edge of two walls.Make Relief: 1st step to convert a shell object into an unfoldable sheet metal object, adds a relief (cutout) to a corner.Add Corner Relief: Adds a corner relief to a corner.Unattended Unfold: Flattens a folded sheet metal object and generates an unfold solid and an outline sketch with bend lines (if parameters have already been set).Unfold: Flattens a folded sheet metal object and generates an unfold solid and an outline sketch with bend lines (provides a dialog to set parameters).Fold a Wall: Folds a face at a chosen line with a specified bend radius.(By adding an outline sketch it can be used to create interlocking geometry.) Extend Face: Extends a sheet metal plate at a selected edge face along its normal.(The flange can be turned into a hem by modifying its angle.) Make Wall: Adds a flange on each selected edge of a base plate.Make Base Wall: Creates a sheet metal base object from a sketch, either a profile or a plate.It's a bit outdated now, since some new tools have been added.

Freecad 18 tutorial pdf manual#

For manual installation see Installing more workbenches.Ī detailed description of the tools can be found on the author's blog. This workbench can be installed from the Addon Manager. If the export in DXF is used to control machines (Lasercut for example), you have to modify the DXF to remove the lines showing the folds, as these lines may be used for cutting by the machine. The sheet metal model built with the Sheet Metal add-on (rear) in front of it, the unfolded solid at the forefront, the unfold sketch with bending lines for export to DXF. The unfolding tool in both of its versions is not restricted to parts made with tools from this workbench, but can handle Part and PartDesign objects as well, as long as they meet above characteristics.

They can be unfolded, if they are made of planar walls and cylindrical connections only.

It has been developed to supply tools to create and unfold sheet metal objects.Ĭharacteristics of sheet metal objects are: Sheet Metal is an external workbench and does not belong to the standard FreeCAD installation.