PR #3794 - pad in any direction

[uwestoehr]

It is one of the things I missed the most with PartDesign: Once can only pad and pocket in z-direction. Im many real-life uses cases one needs however an angle (e.g. drafts for molds, 3D-printed parts).

This PR adds the functionality to define with 2 angles the padding direction.
Here are 2 screencasts to see the feature in action:






For now I only added this to the padding feature. If you find this feature useful, I will add it to pocket as well.

[chrisb]

Something like this was missing in PartDesign. However, it could be sensible to have the same possibilities as in Part workbench.

[uwestoehr]

However, it could be sensible to have the same possibilities as in Part workbench.

Sure, but step by step.
For the prisms however, I already took care of the Part WB: https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/3793

[openBrain]

I find it really cool.
But IMO this would be ideal if direction could be define by an edge (from sketch, solid, datum line,...)

[uwestoehr]

I find it really cool.
But IMO this would be ideal if direction could be define by an edge (from sketch, solid, datum line,...)

How would that work? I mean I start with a new file, create a sketch and want to pad it with 30° incline. There are no edges yet. I would then first have to create a datum line. Then the step is not large to make directly a loft.
I think we have to find a compromise. I choose angles because in my real-life documents drafts/tapers are defined by angles, so I can directly use this info without any further actions.
Being forced to select an edge or axis as direction slows down the workflow for the applications I have while it might speed it up for others.

I propose to stay with the angles for now. If there is demand on using either an edge or by specifying directly the direction vector components, then this can be changed accordingly. I think for now people need to test and use it for real-life documents. I mean I came to this PR _after_ intensively using FC for more than one year because first now I had real-life documents where this feature is necessary. So there is no good than working with this. I hope it can be merged within the next week and then more users could try it out and give feedback.

[wmayer]

How would that work? I mean I start with a new file, create a sketch and want to pad it with 30° incline. There are no edges yet. I would then first have to create a datum line. Then the step is not large to make directly a loft.
I think we have to find a compromise. I choose angles because in my real-life documents drafts/tapers are defined by angles, so I can directly use this info without any further actions.
Being forced to select an edge or axis as direction slows down the workflow for the applications I have while it might speed it up for others.

IMO, the compromise would be to use an expression. I think most of the time people will just enter a fix number and don't need/want to use an edge. Now if someone has an edge he can use an expression by using the direction vector of the underlying geometry:

Code: Select all

DatumLine.Shape.Curve.Direction.y

[DeepSOIC]

what do x and y angles mean when one pads in a strange direction? for example, one defined by face normal, when padding a face?

[DeepSOIC]

However, it could be sensible to have the same possibilities as in Part workbench.

Sure, but step by step.

But Part does not support these angles, it has a completely different way of defining pad direction. This change looks more like a step away. It is different. Likely useful. But Part and PartDesign diverge even further.

[czinehuba]

...

Awesome.

[uwestoehr]

I propose to stay with the angles for now.

That turned out to be a no go, depending on the placement of your sketch. Thanks to Travis' tests I realized this. I mean one can pad from everywhere and then the angle is not yet clear.

So I implemented now this dialog:

FreeCAD_IYPeXVCSLu.png (11.49 KiB) Viewed 892 times

There you can choose between using the normal vector as usual, of a custom vector. Since one has always the global coordinate system visible it shouldn't be too hard to understand the padding direction when using a custom vector.

However, I am open of having the possibility to use an existing edge. But I have the feeling I am doing too many steps at once.