How To Do Parametric Modeling In FreeCAD | The Realthunder Branch | P. 5

[@Keep-Making]

Yes this video is a reupload as there was a little editing mistake that I was not happy with at such a crucial step of learning CAD.

[@AvinashPudale]

You are awesome buddy 🌱 .efforts you put here .

[@Keep-Making]

Thank you

[@CollinBaillie]

Where? No actual content change, just an edit change? I couldn't notice anything different in the content, ie the instructional part on using FreeCAD.

[@TheMadMagician87]

I'm sure you are keeping busy and have a lot of requests for other tutorials, but I really hope you find time to continue this series. It was concise, yet detailed, and generally the best introductory FreeCAD tutorial series that I have seen - by far.

[@philbarnett6045]

Great series of videos. I have followed the whole series and have gone from knowing nothing to having a solid base to build on. Thank you!

[@Keep-Making]

Glad you like them!

[@andrewtyldesley9077]

Hi Jonathan, your FreeCAD tutorials are the best I've found on the net. Please keep them coming. Also thanks for covering the Topo Naming Problem and directing us to the realthunder branch. These types of issues really impede the progress of newbies and came make them write-off great software too early. Looking forward to the day everything gets rolled into the main tree but until then…

[@Elephantine999]

Hey, that wasn't as scary as I thought! Great walkthrough! Thank you!

[@narancs5]

Thanks for the explanation. It all makes sense now. This is enough knowledge to start exploring possibilities.

[@wimwiddershins]

This really demonstrates the power of parametric modelling for modular or scaled designs. Fun time!

[@Tonna73]

Your FreeCAD tutorials are the best! Please keep them coming.

[@anandprab]

Big thanks to you Jonathan. This series makes learning Freecad so easy. Please do some extensive videos on assembly and TechDraw modules

[@Keep-Making]

I'm so glad i've been able to help you Anand. Unfortunately, assembly is a little bit of a mess at the moment so I'm hoping once freeCAD 0.20 is out it will be a little more assessable. As for TechDraw it seems a little more put together as you can't really screw that up I'll see once I have a little more time if I can get around to it. If not for sure for 0.20 IF they fix the TNP.

[@TheFlacker99]

I love how these workbenches work with each other, looking forward to more tutorials!!!!!

[@michaelfuchs1467]

When setting up the spreadsheet initially, shift-click to select the whole column (or as many cells you're realistically expect to use), then right-click a cell for properties -> units, set it to millimeters or whatever floats your boat... Voila! All selected cells are now set to your preferred units of measurement and now you only have to copy-paste the aliases... I usually have a good idea of what I need, like L, W, H, shell thickness, extrusion height %, pocket depth %, fillet radiuses, screw hole radiuses, etc, etc. Helps you parameterize most aspects of your work and keeps you from being lazy if you already have the aliases for most parameters set up in your spreadsheet, not falling for the temptation to punch in direct dimensions... This multi-cell select 'trick' saves a lot of clicking to set units if you're setting up for a complicated model. 😉

[@Just_An_Idea_For_Consideration]

Great tutorial. thx

[@paulreader1777]

Hi Jonathan, Thanks again for this and hope I spelt your name correctly. There is a built in Macro called Easy Alias for creating alias names for one column in the corresponding column with the numerical value. We can just install it from the Macro list then highlight the named cells and run the macro.

[@virtualsid]

Nice tip! Now I'm down the rabbit hole of seeing what other potentially useful macros are out there :D

[@paulreader1777]

@@virtualsid Welcome. I'm still exploring (other areas of) FreeCAD. Three things to keep in mind. 1) As a still developing Open Source software, things that come built-in or native to the big guns like SolidWorks may not be available or will require a work-around; 2) Consult the Wiki next; and 3) Search the forums and ask if necessary.

[@guategeek.]

Thanks for this series, would love it if you made more videos going into complex topics like how to make a multi-part project with an assembly (always using the realthunder branch)

[@JonathanDFielding]

Fantastic!

[@arkoprovo1996]

This is amazing!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@VorpalForceField]

Nice concise and to the point series .. Thank You for sharing.

[@danielosborn8916]

Thank you

[@chilljlt]

When is the next part of the series coming out? Also, I hope your videos get a lot more views. I recently found your channel and am incredibly impressed by the all-round quality of your tutorials. Everything is top-notch!

[@Sembazuru]

I've recently been teaching myself parametric design so I watched your video to see what I missed with my own fumbling around. I picked up a couple things, thanx for the education. Now I have developed a slightly different style with regards to naming derived values. This is mainly because I didn't think of naming my dimensional constraints. Although I've named and referenced reference constraints (the blue ones) when I wanted to reference something that was was out of my math skills, like a dimension from center to center of arcs that are constrained by tangents. What I would do is have two column pairs in my spreadsheet, one of constant values and one of derived values. So, for example, in your base pocket sketch, instead of naming the vertical constraint and then using that name elsewhere, I would put that constraint name in my derived columns with the formula in the spreadsheet. Then I would use the spreadsheet alias. This keeps all (most) of my named constraints in the spreadsheet so they are all in one place. But I do have to ask, am I potentially creating a bad habit that might cause problems later when I do more complicated models and start combining models into assemblies?

[@Keep-Making]

I'll be honest... As long as it works for YOU then it does not matter what anyone says. With that said if you are working in a "pro" environment I would check if there are any industry standards while sharing files but your solution sounds good to me 😊

[@knowledgeninja1]

I had the same thought. I am 100% beginner with CAD, but have some average coding skills (so that's where my mindset is on this). I was also thinking that trying to find the expression for a calculation using a constraint hidden within a sketch would be much more difficult than just using standard spreadsheet style calculations and referencing those. I don't know about industry standards, but I'd personally prefer all my calculations in a primary location.

[@TheMadMagician87]

For aliasing the spreadsheet, check out a macro called 'EasyAlias' (it's avaliable within the macro library from the FreeCAD's Addon Manager). You must have the spreadsheet selected as the current editing object within the object tree/history, then just highlight the column with the names in it, and it will automatically alias each related cell within the adjacent column using the content from the respective cell of your selection. The only downside is that it just takes care of the names, it doesn't do the units for you.

[@andreiderteev]

Thank you man!

[@GiacomoPerin]

Nice video

[@cirrus820]

Hi, I've used the spreadsheet for this as well, most video's about parametric modeling use the spreadsheet. But this is pretty cumbersome. I got the tip of using the DynamicData workbench. This is so much better to use, maybe you'll find it nice as well, and use it in a video to teach people not to use the cumbersome spreadsheet.

[@hedwigleemans6249]

Thank you for the $Tales Mr $Maker - very well done... i would like to suggest to add some more clarity on the object/application structures box/lid/lid-hole etc...

[@PushpamPankajPatel]

how can parametize polar array in draft workbench

[@CollinBaillie]

Jonathon, I don't know if this is something you already plan to cover, or if it's worth covering, but I'm having problems getting a fillet on a line where 2 pad intersect (ie pad 2 uses a surface on pad 1 as the origin) It's complaining about being an impossible shape. The fillet looks ok at the line, but in the window it seems to also be trying to make the fillet "inside" the joint also. So it looks like an S shaped fillet, folded back on itself.

[@paulreader1777]

Collin Baillie You have probably asked the Forum but, if not, try uploading the file to the forum, explaining it's FreeCAD Link branch file and somebody is likely to respond. My forum name is Ubiquity but I don't guarantee to have an answer as my experience is limited.

[@indigo0086]

As a noob I find the interface for references and formulas a bit too many steps. There are things about freeCad I wish they spent more time on user experience because it's very clunky. Though I like it so far and once you get over the clinkiness it's a good learning tool for noobies.