Usage of Shape binder

[Dekonstruierer]

Hello you all!

I am quite new to FreeCad and 3D modelling. I want to build small machines with several parts and therefore, I find the new approach of FC17 with parts and bodys quit well.

My workflow is like this:
I create a sketch and loft it. To create another part, that matches the surface of this part, I saw the possiblity of shape binders. Is this the best way to create parts, that match together, so that I can put them together in assembly workbench later?

My problem now is, that when I create an shape binder, it seems to become part of the new create part. And when I want to create a shape binder of the second created part, even the shape binder of the first part is in the shape binder, as you can see in "ShapeBinder001" in the file "Solarnachläufer3".

Is this normal? Or a bug?

OS: Windows 10
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.11508 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: 087a1c1056d56e7bef0ce3bc6e367441fa0e3a9f
Python version: 2.7.8
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.1.0

[NormandC]

Hello,

Without the file which you forgot to attach, I'm having trouble following you.

My problem now is, that when I create an shape binder, it seems to become part of the new create part.

At this time, shapebinders are included as datum (reference) geometry, they are not considered solid even if a whole body was used to create them. Not long ago we've discussing with the main PartDesign developer (ickby) about adding a property to turn a shapebinder into a base solid.

[Dekonstruierer]

Strange, I added the files as attachment, do not know why they are not there.

Ok, thank you NormandC. But the Problem for me is, that if for example I create a bearing holder, then

1. first I create the bearing holder, create a shape binder of the bearing holder.
2. Create a new body, (that represents the bearing) that uses the edges of the shape binder as external reference in sketcher.
3. Then I want to create a shape binder that only represents the bearing, not additionally the bearing holder to create the shaft that will be in the bearing.

But I get both the bearing holder and the bearing.

[NormandC]

I see what you mean now: the shapebinder is being fused with your first feature and becomes solid. IMHO this is a bug.

ping

(ickby is the main developer of the new PartDesign features)

[NormandC]

In the process of attempting to find a workaround (mainly: only select relevant faces of the original Body to be copied by the Shapebinder so it's not copied as an enclosed volume) I found what I believe are two other separate bugs; one of them makes FreeCAD crash. I'll need further testing to make sense of it all then will report the issues on the bug tracker.

[NormandC]

I went back to an earlier build (details below). When creating a Shapebinder from an external Body, it was possible to select faces with the "Add geometry" button, and remove faces with "Remove geometry".

This way, it's possible to select only the relevant faces for reference:

FC017_Datum_shape_parameters.png (37.16 KiB) Viewed 6678 times

Which means, since it's no longer a closed shell, it cannot turn into a solid when the Pad is created.

It is no longer working in the latest builds.

Works in
OS: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.9747 (Git)
Build type: None
Branch: master
Hash: f5c0f579cbd7ce668727f8835946e4e9abc0eec6
Python version: 2.7.6
Qt version: 4.8.6
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 6.8.0.oce-0.17

Broken in
OS: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.11509 (Git)
Build type: None
Branch: master
Hash: fdedf8fb4d36043145e8498244177aae16c806a5
Python version: 2.7.12
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.1.0

[ickby]

Hello. This definitely sounds like a bug. Unfortunately I can't test it, as I'm a few more days without access to my computer. Please report it on mantis so that it will not be forgotten and provide.a link to this thread in the report.

[freecad-heini-1]

I tried it without problems in this version:
OS: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.11528 (Git)
Build type: None
Branch: master
Hash: d31be3117de386b4f6cd3444e0b330db56dc6ba2
Python version: 2.7.12
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.1.0

[Dekonstruierer]

With 11528 in Windows it does not seem to work for me.

I guess I found antoher bug:
When I create a sketch on the shape binder surface and I want to create a pad from it, it only works if I check the option
"turned around" (I have the German version) or symmetrical to plane (I attached the options the way I see them).

And another problem: It is very difficult for me to get the shape binder created: I first double click the body that shall get the shape binder and then the object I want to create the shape binder from. Then I click on shape binder. Then I get the attached error message (no acitve body....). Am I doing somthing wrong? Only after several trys it works?

Although these bugs, this is great work guys! I like the active community and fast reaction to bugs.

OS: Windows 10
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.11528 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: d31be3117de386b4f6cd3444e0b330db56dc6ba2
Python version: 2.7.8
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.1.0

[Dekonstruierer]

I now tried to add only some edges as shape binder. I got it once working, but in most cases, if I want to add an geometry and select an edge, nothing happens.