FreeCAD Tutorial 1a: Design of a 3D Printed Electronic Box

Link to: CAD Main Page

Introduction

FreeCAD is a free, open-source CAD package that was under development for years; and recently it has produced a "release" version. By attracting developers from all over the design community, FreeCAD has assembled an impressive collection of features and add-ons.

This tutorial is an analog to the SolidWorks series that begins with [SolidWorks_Tutorial_1a:_Design_of_a_3D_Printed_Electronic_Box | SW Tut 1a]. We will design an electronic box (E-Box) following the sequence there as closely as possible. It assumes no previous experience with CAD, though you may want to review another page that discusses the tools for navigating the design space.

To get started, please visit the FreeCAD download site if you haven't already done so.

You may also want to download the PDF user manual and look at it. It gives detailed instructions on how to install the package. You may also want to look at the navigation options on pp. 31-32 if you are used to a particular set of mouse actions to zoom, pan and rotate the view.

The modeling operations used in this tutorial are are described in the manual starting on page 80. Please note: The lesson here is just what is needed to get started designing relatively simple objects. Many more tools are available than these, and you will be left to explore them for yourself.

Load FreeCAD and Open a Sketch

Double-click on the FreeCAD icon (or shortcut) on the desktop.