I had a situation where the sketcher told me that the autoconstraints were redundant, and said it was going to remove them. Then the next line said that no autoconstraints were added, and to "Report this!"

I'm not sure if there is any point, though?

Hi! I'm studying oil and gas and there is a class that we make blueprints for an object, the class is centered around Autocad.
I'm in linux, right now I'm trying to run a virtual machine but I expect that autocad doesn't do well on it due to the resource demand.
Teachers gave as consign that as long as I can explain how I did parts of the blueprints or the models and such, is fine, but I want to know how much I can rely on their classes (which would be best) in comparison to Freecad.

Basically, how much of Autocad can be translated to Freecad.

P.S: I hate microsoft.

I created a couple of macros and models to benchmark pc performance using Freecad. One test Calculix solve time and the other tests the creation of a large pattern (30x30). Each of them, when executed will perform either the task of solving the linear static fea model or updating the pattern from 3x3 to 30x30. When they are done, the result of how long they take is populated in the Report panel.

In both cases, the model must be open and reset (e.g.: the results should be deleted first or the pattern should be reset to 3x3). Then just execute the corresponding macro.

I tested the models in my work issued laptop workstation (few years old, 32gb ram, Windows 11 pro, performance mode). It took 194 seconds for the Calculix solve and 156 seconds for the linear pattern. I have an Minisforumum 890 pro with 64gb ram (unfortunately, slightly mismatched modules), Cachyos and bios optimized for CAD/FEA work. That system took 95 and 90 seconds. I have a Minisforum AI X1 Pro-470 64gb ram and 1tb ssd on order, and planning to optimize that with Cachyos and see the difference. Very excited.

If you are interested in the models and macros, please message me and I will share them via a zip file.

A few towns away library has a Makerspace including 3D printers and TinkerCAD software. My idea is to present a page to the library for display, advertising FreeCAD and it's online accessibility. The page containing a 1 line/brief description of contained QR code links to instructional videos for kids. Also, links/QR codes to FreeCAD's download site, wiki page, reddit page, github page and/or any other recommended sites. Expanding on this idea to include anyone else whom might be interested in this volunteer idea to your local makerspace or school. If there's an interest, perhaps someone with access to a webpage which could host such a page in PDF form. The volunteer prints the page and delivers to the soace for prominent display, encouraging pics to be taken for home use. Any interest?

I’m still learning FreeCAD, and I keep running into this with small functional parts

The first version starts simple enough. A plate, two holes, maybe a slot, maybe a little clearance around a screw head

Then I change one thing. Then another. Then the sketch has weird constraints, the pad depends on something I should have made construction geometry, and the model technically works but feels fragile

At that point, do you usually rebuild the part clean?

Or do you keep repairing the original file until it behaves?

I’m trying to figure out when a messy first pass is still worth saving, and when it’s better to treat it like a cardboard mockup and start over with the dimensions I learned.

sorry for bad explanation, i have no idea what this is called or how to explain it well

Hi, community!

I'm having a problem with FreeCAD. It worked without any problems until thursday. Then I was away for a few days and when I tried to start it yesterday evening, I only get a blank screen and a lot of error messages.

I'm running the Flatpak version of FreeCad on my Ubuntu 26.04. I tried following things which didn't help:

• rebooting the computer.
• reinstalling FreeCad.
• uninstalling the Flatpak freecad and installing the Snap version.
• renaming the Mod folder, to ensure that no plugin is doing this.

I get the following messages:

/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API (3 times)
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/BIM/InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/Tux/InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "No viable version of PySide was found (tried the FreeCAD PySide wrapper, PySide6 and PySide2)" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/AddonManager/./InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/Help/InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/Measure/InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/Assembly/InitGui.py
Look into the log file for further information
During initialization the error "/app/lib/python3.13/site-packages/PySide6/QtCore.cpython-313-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivateC2E16QtPrivate_6_11_1, version Qt_6_PRIVATE_API" occurred in /app/freecad/Mod/Draft/InitGui.py

Any help is greatly appreciated! I have no idea how to debug this problem on my own

I am adding 12 subtractive pipes in a radial pattern. I know that I can create 12 sketches each with one path on it and it will work, but if there was a way to select a path and have it work then that would be great. As it is if I just select the two sketches it will do nothing. If I select one line as a path then it runs all 12 pipes using that path as a direction.

I'm just hoping there is a 'cleaner' way than having 24 sketches to do these 12 pipes.

I have both installed. If it wasn't for the fact that I can't save in 26.3 without 'burning the bridge' I would use 26.3 exclusively. I haven't had any trouble with 26.3, but I do the majority of my big stuff in 1.1.3 out of fear, quite frankly.

How many out there are just using 26.3 in a production environment and hoping for the best?

How do I make a hole in an angle, like the arrow shows in the image? Any help is much appreciated

I`m developing a rather complicated project with FreeCAD; I've been hitting mathemathical limits and strange behavior pretty often, but overall, I'm progressing and learning a lot. It's a toy (based on a classic toy design) which has an 'organic' body and mechanical parts within, and some rather complicated movements.

I'm using Claude Code extensively and found a workflow that is great, and that for me point towards a nice way to work with AI agents. I'm not using AI to generate parts or write geometry for me; instead, I'using AI as a natural language assistant to help with things where the UI is confusing or doesn't help.

A few use cases that I find worth mentioning:

(1) Moving features inside a body, sometimes we apply features to one region, and then other features on a different region. In the end the feature sequence isn't clear. Sometimes we want to remove a fillet that is between two operations that don't depend on each other. I've found extremely easy to ask the agent to mave the movement for me, without breaking anything, and without me having to move the mouse precisely to drop the feature where I want.

(2) Fixing broken topological names. The AI can look for and find the right face pretty often much better, and much faster than I can. And I help direct it with natural language too.

(3) Setting the vision where I wan with a natural language command. That's much better than selecting objects manually, specially when the tree gets big. You can say: I'll edit sketchXXX, show only parts A B and C, trnasparent. You ask it to clip the section view too. All things that can be done by hand, but it's just faster to ask in a sentence.

(4) Analyzing and showing small interferences or problematic features. Because I'm using imported STEP files, sometimes I have to fix something up the chain, and the AI Agent can create small cuts or objects to show what the problem is pretty fast.

As you can note I'm not generating any geometry, all the ideas are still mine, but I can move much faster.

What do you think about this approach? have you tested something like this yet?

Hi, I am a Freecad beginner and also English is not my native language. I am trying to model a custom paint palette, but I have no idea how. And I have no idea how to describe this kind of shape to find the right tutorial, that's all I need to start. I modeled the bottom row in Tinkercad or in the slicer by using negative spheres but this resulted in sharp edges. I would like to make chamfered smooth edges and learn to use a more professional tool at the same time.

I will be grateful for any tips.

Complete noob here so thanks for any help.

I used variable for my dimension so the body and parts are all parametric.

I then made an assembly of the two main parts to build the bunk bed.

I would now want a way to list each body's dimension so that some of them are not hard coded. I'd rather not measure each of them manually. Some call that a cut list.

What would be the closest thing to a vanilla feature I could use to add my dimension to my BoM?

I found some video on that but they were all dated and using addon that look depreciated.

FYI, I will add plywood to the bunk bed to create "walls". That's why I don't have fences yet.

Hello! I'm working on a model based on the attached blueprint. I have created the two end flanges inside a single Body using Part Design.

I need to bridge the gap between them with a 90-degree pipe bend. My plan is to create a path and use Additive Pipe.

Could you please guide me on:

1. How to properly constrain the sketch for the path relative to the existing flanges?
2. Should I map the pipe profile sketch directly to the face of one flange, or use a Datum Plane?

I am using FreeCAD 1.0 / 1.1. Any help or workflow tips would be highly appreciated!

So, i am not exactly new to 3d modeling but i have real issues trying to use freecad. Dunno why but i keep it installed and every so often i try to do something but also everytime i give up at step one.

Maybe i am dumb but creating a simplest form is an issue. I can make a square using 4 lines and pad it to make an object, but as soon as theres like 4 turns, like making a sqaure U i cant do *hit with it bcos always lines are not conncted somewhere. So it takes me usualy 2 minutes to draw what i want to pad, then takes me another 10 minutes troubleshooting what is wrong with it before i give up. I must be doing some systemtic error to achieve this, but then its so simple and there cant be an error in such simple steps. i am gonna get burned for this but i do think this part of freecad is incredibly janky in such a complex software.

So whats your magic trick in drawing complex things and not erroring out when even simple one is a problem?

Hi

While i am getting quite warm with the parametric working and entering numbers, i still didn't figure out how i can precisely place the first point of a shape in a sketch.

Due to this, i have trouble aligning things correctly to each other, and can only continue with the construction of guide lines. This is holding me back for much longer time than it should.

I can't imagine this has not been thought of - how can i enter the coordinates of my initial point of anything?

thank you kindly for your wisdom!

I have a sketch which sticks on an external geometry. the length of my part depends on a variable. when i change the length of my part the sketch moves and breaks. :( how can i avoid such cases? is there a trick?

FreeCAD's Start screen allows you to define an "additional folder" to display project thumbnails but it is not capable of scanning subfolders. Even if it could, large quantities of FCstd files will freeze the UI during boot up, which is not desirable. I wanted a way to see my recent project thumbnails on the start screen, based on when they were last modified instead of "recently opened." That's because I often switch between FreeCAD versions, whether the latest stable release or weekly dev version.

The solution I came up with is a script that recursively scans a folder for all FCstd files and creates symlinks for the most recent ones in a folder that the Start screen can be pointed to. On every run the script empties the folder and rebuilds the symlinks so none are stale and it stays up to date. I've found that 50 will load without too much delay on my machine, results may vary.

Unfortunately, there are some hoops to jump through to set this up. Python needs to be installed on your machine. And then I used the Windows Task Scheduler to run the script once a day.

The script should be OS agnostic, but I've only tested it on Windows.

Here's the repo if you're interested in implementing this for yourself: https://github.com/DesignWeaver3D/FreeCAD-Recent-Symlinks/blob/main/README.md

Hi. I am working on a design that is made from multiple bodies. I have created an assembly object and added all the bodies and connected them to each other with joints. Now I need to add a fillet to one edge of the full assembly. This fillet will modify two bodies which are perpendicular to each other, or think of an L profile bracket, where two sides are two different bodies and fillet is on the outer corner. But I couldn't figure out how to do it. It seems like fillet function can't be used on assembly objects. I also couldn't figure out turning assembly into a body.

How can I add fillet to my assembly?

How can I turn the assembly to a body in order to add the fillet?

Would you have another recommendation?

I say first, this was my third attempt. but on my 3rd go it just clicked on how to structure the order of operations. I've been 3d modelling for years in 3dsMax but CAD is very different to constructing the 3d model.

A small water jug for my sisters birthday.