Best way to start

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keltel
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Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:52 pm

Best way to start

Post by keltel »

Hello.

I am new to FreeCAD and recently posted a question about making automatic holes but I guess my overall question is a bit bigger...

I am wanting to make a plate with various gear attached - think similar to an electrical switchboard: a metal plate with fuses, switches, trunking, etc. I have various individual parts available as step files and would like to position them over a metal plate, and at the end be able to produce some 2D drawings from the front and side view. I am having a hard time getting started.

Would I use A2plus or Assembly4 for something like this? I would like to have a grid available during placement of the parts so I can position them appropriately - I can add constraints later if required but I really do need to have a grid while working - like drawing in 2D. Is this possible? I would like to be able to mark up a diagram of the metal plate for someone to be able to drill the right holes, etc. What is the best place to start with this?

TIA. Kel.
chrisb
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Re: Best way to start

Post by chrisb »

If you have gears, the assembly workbenches may not be sufficient for placing them. I would start with a so called master sketch, which defines the important positions. Then you can use e.g. manipulator addon workbench or Draft ->Move with appropriate snaps to place the imported parts.
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thomas-neemann
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Re: Best way to start

Post by thomas-neemann »

keltel wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:01 am
I do it like this, without assembly wb

they are step files saved as fcstd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUSehs8Cgro

phpBB [video]


you can also work with the grid from draft. with this snap function

1.png
1.png (1.59 KiB) Viewed 959 times

you can catch it while moving parts



this is how i create 2D drawings because techdraw is still too slow for me


https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... ab#p538390
Gruß Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Neemann

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M4x
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Re: Best way to start

Post by M4x »

I think he means gear not gears. You could although say stuff I guess.

Regarding the drawing to make clear which holes go where, you should be totally fine using TechDraw.
keltel
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:52 pm

Re: Best way to start

Post by keltel »

Thank you for the texhdraw info - that is perfect!

@chrisb: You say to start with a master sketch. How do you do this? Ideally I would like to do that - have a master sketch on some grid, on top of which i can build extra parts. It would be great to be able to place on top of that sketch (with snap) as a reference.
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