Macro WorkFeatures

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Description
Macro WorkFeatures
Tool utility to create Points, Axis, Planes...and other usefull functions. Macro version: 2019-05 Last modified: 2019-05-01 FreeCAD version: All Download: ToolBar Icon Author: rentlau_64
Author
rentlau_64
Download
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Links
Macros recipes How to install macros How to customize toolbars
Macro Version
2019-05
Date last modified
2019-05-01
FreeCAD Version(s)
All
Default shortcut
None
See also
None

Description

Tool utility to create:

Points (mid points, center of circle, center of object(s)...),
Axes (from 2 points, Normal of a plane...),
Planes (from 3 points, from one axis and a point...)
And many other useful features to facilitate the creation of your project. This utility is up next in the combo view with "Work Features" label.

WorkFeatures

Uses

Work Features

After activating Work Features, the tool moves to the left in the window Combo view.
Each use and each Tag that corresponds to a function group is a group created in the name of Tag used. The Axis, Point and Planes origin are directly keyed to hidden.
You can ENTERING AND USING common commands to make visible the created function.
Example key Space or select your object and click right of mouse and click "Hide selection" or "Show selection".

Origin Tab

Origin Tab
Origin : Create at origin: a point and X,Y and Z axis and XZ,XY and YZ planes. The Axis, Point and Planes origin are directly keyed to hidden.

Points Tab

Points Tab
Object(s) Center : Create a Point at center location of all selected Object(s).
Lines(s) Center : Create a Point at mid point location of each selected Line(s).
Line(s) Extrema : Create Points at start and end location of each selected Line(s).
Circle(s) Center : Create a Point at center location of each selected Circle(s) or Arc(s).
Point along Line : Create a Point on a line at some distance of the extremity point selected.
SpinBox : enter the displacement value
Face(s) Center : Create a Point at center location of each selected Face(s).
Point (Line,Face) : Create a point at the intersection of the Line and Plane selected.
Point (Line,Point) : Create a projection Point of a Point onto a Line and symetric point.
Point (Point,Face) : Create a projection Point of a Point onto a Face.
Object(s) Base Point : Create Base Point of all selected Object(s).

Axis Tab

Axis Tab
Object(s) X, Y, Z Axes : Create 3 Axes at center location of all selected Object(s).
Two Points Axis : Create an Axis crossing 2 Points.
SpinBox : enter the displacement value
Cylinder(s) Axis : Create the Axis of a Cylinder.
Axis (Line,Line) : Create an Axis between 2 Axes.
Plane(s) Axes : Create 2 Perpendicular Axes at center location of a Plane.
Axis (Point,Axis) : Create an Axis parallel to an Axis and crossing a Point.
Axis (Axis,Point) : Create an Axis perpendicular to an Axis and crossing a Point.
SpinBox : enter the displacement value
Axis (Plane,Axis) : Create an Axis on a Plane by projection from another Axis.
Axis (Plane,Plane) : Create an Axis by intersect of 2 Planes.
Object(s) Base Axis : Create 3 Axes at Base location of all selected Object(s).

Plane Tab

Plane Tab
Three Points Plane : Create a Plane crossing 3 Points.
Plane (Point, Axis) : Create a plane crossing a Line and a Point. The point MUST not belongs to the Line !
Plane (Point, _Axis) : Create a plane perpendicular to a Line and crossing a Point.
Plane (Point, Plane) : Create a plane crossing a Point and parallel to a Plane.
SpinBox : enter the displacement value
Plane (Plane, Axis) : Create a Plane crossing a Line and perpendicular to a Plane.
SpinBox : enter the displacement value
Object(s) Center Planes : Create 3 Planes (XY, XZ and YZ) at center location of all selected Object(s).

Objects Tab

Objects Tab
Bounding Box(es) : Create bounding boxes around each of selected object(s).
Bounding Box : Create one bounding box around all of selected object(s).
Cylinder : First select an Axis and a Point. Define Diameter and Length if needed. Then Click the button... It will create a Cylinder aligned on the selected axis. with one of the extremities at point selected.
Cube : First select an Axis and a Point. Define Dimensions if needed. Then Click the button... It will create a Cube aligned on the selected axis. with one of the extremities at point selected.

Views Tab

Views Tab
Align to ... : Set the current view perpendicular to the selected Face, or aligned to the selected Axis, or aligned on 2 Points. ReClick with same selection, will reverse the direction.

Modif. Tab

Modif. Cutting Tab
Select Object : After selected your object and, First, one Object to cut and click 'Select Object' button,
- The name of the object selected are displayed
Select Cut Line : Second, one cutting Line and click 'Select Cut Line' button,
- The name of the line selected are displayed
Select Ref. Plane : Last, a reference Plane and click 'Select Ref. Plane' button!
- The name of the plane selected are displayed
Angle : Angle for cut (Defaut : 0.0)
Thichness : Thichness the cut (Defaut : 0.0)
Reset : Reset the values
Apply : Apply the values

Check. Tab

Check. Tab
are Parallel ? : Check if two faces or two Edges are Parallel:
- Select the 2 faces/planes or 2 Edges/Lines and Click this button
are Perpendicular ? : Check if two faces or two Edges are Perpendicular:
- Select the 2 faces/planes or 2 Edges/Lines and Click this button
are Coplanar ? : Check if two faces or two Edges are Coplanar:
- Select the 2 faces/planes or 2 Edges/Lines and Click this button
Distance Clearance ? : Check for two Objects Clearance distance:
- Quick measurements between parallel faces and similarly placed objects Select the 2 Objects and Click this button
Angle ? : Calculate angle from 2 objects:
- Angle measurement between two Edges or two Planes
- Select the 2 Edges and Click this button
- or : Select the 2 Planes and Click this button
- or : Select one Edge and one Plane and Click this button
Distance ? : Check for two Points distance:
- Distances measurement and Delta values (on main Axes) between two Points
- Select the 2 Points and Click this button
Length ? : Check for Line Length:
- Length measurement and Delta values (on main Axes) for a Line
- Select the Line and Click this button
Area ? : Check for surface Area:
- Area measurement for a Plane or a set of Planes.
- Select One or several Planes and Click this button
View : Detect the position of the camera. The returned value is the value provided by the function getCameraOrientation().

Script

After downloading the file compressed here

ToolBar Icon

Download the latest version on GitHub , you must unzip the zip and copy all the files in your macro directory.

PS: This macro is still in development please visit this page for commonly be sure to have the latest version.

Use Addons installer, Menu → Tools → Addon installer for easy installation of WorkFeatures and other interesting macros

Here for How to install macros detailed

Examples

Cutting tools

Setting of the Cutting tools: Select an object to cut, a cutting line and a reference Plane. Angle is an angle between the cutting Plane and the Ref. Plane. Thickness is the wide of the of the cutting Plane.

Here we have selected a cylinder.
The result will be : the cylinder is then cut in two parts!

Example the practice

Select the Tab Plane
and click the Plane button
(you can change the dimensions of the plane (Default: 10 x 10)).

click you work object. The plane is created tangent of the object (here a cylinder)
click the Tab Modif, and
1 : click your object for cutting
2 : click the Select object button (here the cylinder and then name is displayed)

3 : click your line for cutting your cylinder
4 : click the Select Cut Line (then name is displayed)
5 : click the work plane
6 : click the Select Ref. Plane button (then name is displayed)

click the Apply button
The operation is completed and all operations are preserved.

you can also give Angle and Thickness for your cut.

Concentric constraint between two non cylindrical parts

How to Constraint Between two non cylindrical parts.
1 : The original object to modify.
2 : Objective center two square tubes.
3 : Select the first object and in the menu Axis 1/2 click "Object(s)" X, Y, Z Axes.
4 : Same procedure for the second object.
5 : Click on button Draw style and onto "Wireframe",
6 : for clarify the view.
7 : Select the object to center and his axis created.
8 : Click the button Draft Move
9 : and select the first axis to move on the second axis.
10 : Restore normal view with on button Draw style and onto As is.
11 : Click the first object moved and correct the position with "Combo view > Data > Placement".
12 : Select the object created by WorkFeature (contener axis) and delete it.
13 : The object vanished.
14 : The result.

Rotation Object

Click the image for see the animation.

Plane on face tangent

Click the image for see the animation.
Click the object, click the Face tangent button, click the point on face for create the plane.

Links

The forum discussion MACRO:Work Feature 2014_12

External workbenches

FreeCAD workbenches are easy to program in Python, there are therefore many people developing additional workbenches outside of the FreeCAD main developers.

The external workbenches page has some information and tutorials on some of them, and the FreeCAD Addons project aims at gathering them and making them easily installable from within FreeCAD.

New workbenches are in development, stay tuned!