Thank you! I've been struggling with making curves for certain components on FreeCAD, but this image tracing technique that you used with the stepper motor is just what I was looking for.
Thanks, that was very helpful as a new freeCAD user. Love the project, your video and pace were excellent. The freeCAD gui is challenging to get to know so it is extremely helpful and your project here is a very practical real world case(pardon the pun).
Might I make a suggestion which could be a bit quicker. The zoom feature changes the the perspective of the screen and the X Y dimensions displayed on the bottom of your screen. So, let's measure the actual size of the workspace. My laptop Y axis Freecad workspace dimension is, say 700 mm. When I zoom to the Y dimension to 700 mm, the screen is set to scale 1:1 . Therefore, I can hold the part to the screen and draw it/ check it. Also, with multicurved shapes, I can trace the object to a piece of paper and temp attach it to the screen and trace. The zoom settings dictate the amount of change per click to adjust the virtual screen size. Knowing the actual screen size is very helpful. I suggest noting it somewhere near the screen display of XY size.
my completely constrained sketch (all green and no DOF's) after closing disappears and I cannot pad it - it comes with an error - my luck. Do you have any suggestions?
Very nice video, thank you so much. FreeCAD has come a long way from its first version to the current Version 0.21.1. Things have become so easy - or they appear to have become easy because you explained them very nicely. Thanks. One thing though, did you creat the top part (lid) of the box simply by creating a new "Body" in the existing file or did you creat the "lid" separately in another file and then imported it in the bottom part file of the box? A short comment would be very helpful. Thanks again.
Hello @user001sg9...Thank you for the positive comment. It means a lot...yes, I created the top by making a new body in the existing project. No need to import anything. I used the bottom part as a reference to make the lid.
I guess this is a long route. Just a question is it easier to measure the components in real world and allocate the screw holes and usb port entries . For tutorial purpose this was great though i doubt image tracing is entierly different thing.
I'm using a very simple example in this video, but clearly it's possible to use image tracing to do much more complex things. There are videos on UA-cam that will show you much more complex applications. My purpose here is to illustrate what this technique can do and not get lost in the intricacies of complex model building. This is a simple example to get people started using the technique. For me even doing simple things like this is easier than using photos than getting all the measurements and modelling without a visual reference. I'm not sure what you mean by "i doubt image tracing is entirely different thing." Please explain. Thanks for commenting. RG
1:44 How about telling *how* to minimize perspective distortion? Perspective is depth. You want to get the camera as far away as possible from the parts you're picturing, to compress the depth. Use your greatest focal length for the best result. (FreeCAD's orthogonal projection is like having the camera at an infinite distance, and as a result there's no perspective at all.)
Not sure this is a trace feature. You've manually traced your features using the standard tools. Nice to see how FreeCad is improving over the years though. Thx
Hi There karlosss1868....it's colloquially called the tracing feature. Basically the idea is to use an image as a template for creating a part. Typically you'd use the Sketcher or Draft workbench to do this...so yes, you're right...you use the standard tools in sketch mode to "trace" the image and then extrude it as a part. Here's a link from the official FreeCAD documentation. Just be aware that this is old documentation. In the latest version they removed the Image Workbench and it's possible to just import and calibrate an image without needing to go to the Image Workbench. wiki.freecad.org/Image_Workbench Thanks for the comment. RG
Next time please don't skip steps. It would make the tutorial much more clear to understand. If you do skip steps feel free to go back and add them even if it's a rough cut. I'm here for complete information. I'm not here to have you show me how something could be done. If I just put the practice in. I hope this comment helps 😊
Hi, it's a very useful video for some one to calibrate and locate the pictures within the enclosure box. However your technic to sketch is very poor, sorry to tell you about it... B-Splines are absolutely avoidable in this "squared" design. Anyhow, thanks for sharing your ideas.
@@CreatewithTech Hi, as per your sketch @ 13:38 the aiming point is to raise 2 stands off from the inner bottom wall of the enclosure box in order to to attach the stepper motor. Of course there are many ways to achieve our goals when using FreeCAD but the simpler the sketches are and less clicks we use the better. That's why I told you B-Splines should be avoided. How many clicks to draw the spline have you done? Comparing to 2 arcs + 1 circles + 2 lines it's easy to figure out the best solution ( per side), don't you agree? And B-splines have a very dodgy behaviour ... Only for organic shaped objects must be used. You own a calipers to get the real mesures of the parts so the OD (outer diameter) of the motor is needed and also the distance between the outer points of the lugs. The screw dimension to be used you already know. I think an elongated kinda "D" shaped pillars are the "squared or machine forms" proper design . I'll construct that part of the model and will give you access to it just to kill your curiosity. Rgds
Might I make a suggestion which could be a bit quicker. The zoom feature changes the the perspective of the screen and the X Y dimensions displayed on the bottom of your screen. So, let's measure the actual size of the workspace. My laptop Y axis Freecad workspace dimension is, say 700 mm. When I zoom to the Y dimension to 700 mm, the screen is set to scale 1:1 . Therefore, I can hold the part to the screen and draw it/ check it. Also, with multicurved shapes, I can trace the object to a piece of paper and temp attach it to the screen and trace. The zoom settings dictate the amount of change per click to adjust the virtual screen size. Knowing the actual screen size is very helpful. I suggest noting it somewhere near the screen display of XY size.
Good video with a realistic example. I am using Freecad for 2 years and didn't know this technique.
Thanks a lot.
I'm glad the video was helpful. It's a really useful feature in FreeCAD for creating parts. Thanks for the comment. RG
Thank you! Very informative.
Excellent video... this has help me out enormously with my project thank you.
Very much exploring into PCB mounting using FreeCAD!! with pricision.
Thank you!
I've been struggling with making curves for certain components on FreeCAD, but this image tracing technique that you used with the stepper motor is just what I was looking for.
Great video, great teacher, thank you for sharing
great video Im going to try this , great organized workflow from start to finish which will help.
Hi...thanks for the positive comment. I'm glad this video was helpful. RG
This was very well done and instructive.
I'm glad this was helpful. Thanks! RG
Wow, this is helpful. Thanks, Sir.
as a beginner in freeCAD I learnt some tricks in between your story and definitely will check your channel for more.😉
Thanks, that was very helpful as a new freeCAD user. Love the project, your video and pace were excellent. The freeCAD gui is challenging to get to know so it is extremely helpful and your project here is a very practical real world case(pardon the pun).
An alternative to posts and screw mounts is to model close fitting cavities for the components.
This is ideal if the enclosure will be printed
Might I make a suggestion which could be a bit quicker. The zoom feature changes the the perspective of the screen and the X Y dimensions displayed on the bottom of your screen. So, let's measure the actual size of the workspace. My laptop Y axis Freecad workspace dimension is, say 700 mm. When I zoom to the Y dimension to 700 mm, the screen is set to scale 1:1 . Therefore, I can hold the part to the screen and draw it/ check it. Also, with multicurved shapes, I can trace the object to a piece of paper and temp attach it to the screen and trace. The zoom settings dictate the amount of change per click to adjust the virtual screen size. Knowing the actual screen size is very helpful. I suggest noting it somewhere near the screen display of XY size.
my completely constrained sketch (all green and no DOF's) after closing disappears and I cannot pad it - it comes with an error - my luck. Do you have any suggestions?
Very nice video, thank you so much. FreeCAD has come a long way from its first version to the current Version 0.21.1. Things have become so easy - or they appear to have become easy because you explained them very nicely. Thanks.
One thing though, did you creat the top part (lid) of the box simply by creating a new "Body" in the existing file or did you creat the "lid" separately in another file and then imported it in the bottom part file of the box?
A short comment would be very helpful. Thanks again.
Hello @user001sg9...Thank you for the positive comment. It means a lot...yes, I created the top by making a new body in the existing project. No need to import anything. I used the bottom part as a reference to make the lid.
I guess this is a long route. Just a question is it easier to measure the components in real world and allocate the screw holes and usb port entries . For tutorial purpose this was great though i doubt image tracing is entierly different thing.
I'm using a very simple example in this video, but clearly it's possible to use image tracing to do much more complex things. There are videos on UA-cam that will show you much more complex applications. My purpose here is to illustrate what this technique can do and not get lost in the intricacies of complex model building. This is a simple example to get people started using the technique. For me even doing simple things like this is easier than using photos than getting all the measurements and modelling without a visual reference. I'm not sure what you mean by "i doubt image tracing is entirely different thing." Please explain. Thanks for commenting. RG
1:44 How about telling *how* to minimize perspective distortion? Perspective is depth. You want to get the camera as far away as possible from the parts you're picturing, to compress the depth. Use your greatest focal length for the best result.
(FreeCAD's orthogonal projection is like having the camera at an infinite distance, and as a result there's no perspective at all.)
Not sure this is a trace feature. You've manually traced your features using the standard tools. Nice to see how FreeCad is improving over the years though. Thx
Hi There karlosss1868....it's colloquially called the tracing feature. Basically the idea is to use an image as a template for creating a part. Typically you'd use the Sketcher or Draft workbench to do this...so yes, you're right...you use the standard tools in sketch mode to "trace" the image and then extrude it as a part. Here's a link from the official FreeCAD documentation. Just be aware that this is old documentation. In the latest version they removed the Image Workbench and it's possible to just import and calibrate an image without needing to go to the Image Workbench.
wiki.freecad.org/Image_Workbench
Thanks for the comment. RG
Next time please don't skip steps.
It would make the tutorial much more clear to understand.
If you do skip steps feel free to go back and add them even if it's a rough cut.
I'm here for complete information.
I'm not here to have you show me how something could be done. If I just put the practice in.
I hope this comment helps 😊
Sorry, what did I skip? Please explain...
Hi, it's a very useful video for some one to calibrate and locate the pictures within the enclosure box. However your technic to sketch is very poor, sorry to tell you about it... B-Splines are absolutely avoidable in this "squared" design.
Anyhow, thanks for sharing your ideas.
Please explain why B Splines should be avoided in a "squared" design. Not sure I understand the reasoning. Thanks. RG
@@CreatewithTech Hi, as per your sketch @ 13:38 the aiming point is to raise 2 stands off from the inner bottom wall of the enclosure box in order to to attach the stepper motor.
Of course there are many ways to achieve our goals when using FreeCAD but the simpler the sketches are and less clicks we use the better.
That's why I told you B-Splines should be avoided. How many clicks to draw the spline have you done?
Comparing to 2 arcs + 1 circles + 2 lines it's easy to figure out the best solution ( per side), don't you agree?
And B-splines have a very dodgy behaviour ...
Only for organic shaped objects must be used.
You own a calipers to get the real mesures of the parts so the OD (outer diameter) of the motor is needed and also the distance between the outer points of the lugs.
The screw dimension to be used you already know.
I think an elongated kinda "D" shaped pillars are the "squared or machine forms" proper design .
I'll construct that part of the model and will give you access to it just to kill your curiosity.
Rgds
@@LFANS2001 Good answer. I understand your logic. Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do. RG
Might I make a suggestion which could be a bit quicker. The zoom feature changes the the perspective of the screen and the X Y dimensions displayed on the bottom of your screen. So, let's measure the actual size of the workspace. My laptop Y axis Freecad workspace dimension is, say 700 mm. When I zoom to the Y dimension to 700 mm, the screen is set to scale 1:1 . Therefore, I can hold the part to the screen and draw it/ check it. Also, with multicurved shapes, I can trace the object to a piece of paper and temp attach it to the screen and trace. The zoom settings dictate the amount of change per click to adjust the virtual screen size. Knowing the actual screen size is very helpful. I suggest noting it somewhere near the screen display of XY size.
Ive been doing everything wayyyyyyyyy less efficient than that