Creating Geometric Primitives in FreeCAD Part

This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on generating and customizing basic 3D geometric shapes, such as cylinders and spheres, using the Part Workbench in FreeCAD. You will learn how to access the proper workbench, insert primitives into your 3D view, and adjust their dimensional parameters directly through the property editor.

1. Switch to the Part Workbench

Before creating primitives, ensure you are in the correct workspace:

  1. Open FreeCAD and start a new document (Ctrl + N).
  2. Locate the Workbench selector dropdown in the top toolbar (usually defaulted to "Start" or "Part Design").
  3. Select Part from the dropdown menu.

2. Creating a Cylinder

You can generate a cylinder instantly using default settings or custom parameters:

  • Quick Insert: Click the Cylinder icon on the Part toolbar. A solid cylinder will appear at the origin point (0, 0, 0).
  • Modifying Parameters:
    1. Select the cylinder in the Tree View (left panel).
    2. In the Data tab of the Property View below, adjust the values:
      • Radius: Defines the thickness of the cylinder.
      • Height: Defines the length along the Z-axis.
      • Angle: Defaults to 360°. Reducing this value creates partial cylinder wedges.

3. Creating a Sphere

Generating a sphere follows a similar process:

  • Quick Insert: Click the Sphere icon on the Part toolbar. A sphere will appear at the origin point.
  • Modifying Parameters:
    1. Select the sphere in the Tree View.
    2. In the Data tab, configure the following:
      • Radius: Sets the overall size of the sphere.
      • Angle1 & Angle2: Adjusts the vertical coverage (latitude), allowing you to create hemispheres or sliced segments.
      • Angle3: Adjusts the horizontal rotation (longitude) up to 360°.

4. Using the "Create Primitives" Dialog

For more control before the object is placed in the scene:

  1. Go to the top menu and select Part > Create primitives...
  2. In the task panel, choose the primitive type (e.g., Cylinder, Sphere, Cone, Torus).
  3. Enter your desired dimensions (Radius, Height, Angles) directly in the dialog.
  4. Specify the initial position or orientation if needed.
  5. Click Create to generate the shape, then click Close when finished.

5. Adjusting Object Position (Placement)

All primitives are initially centered or anchored at coordinate (0, 0, 0). To reposition or rotate an object:

  1. Select the primitive in the Tree View.
  2. Locate the Placement property under the Data tab.
  3. Click the ellipsis button (...) next to Placement to open the task dialog.
  4. Enter translation values (X, Y, Z) or set rotation angles along any primary axis, then click OK.