How to Rotate Objects Around an Axis in FreeCAD

Rotating an object around a specific axis in FreeCAD's Draft workbench requires setting the working plane to control the axis of rotation, followed by using the Draft Rotate tool. Because the Draft Rotate command automatically rotates objects perpendicular to the active working plane, defining that plane or adjusting the object's placement properties allows you to achieve precise rotations around any standard or custom 3D axis.

Method 1: Using the Draft Rotate Tool and Working Plane

In the Draft workbench, the axis of rotation is always normal (perpendicular) to the current Working Plane.

  1. Set the Working Plane to Define the Axis:
    • Look at the Draft tray at the bottom or top of the interface and click the Working Plane button (defaults to "Auto").
    • Choose a standard plane perpendicular to your desired axis:
      • To rotate around the Z-axis, set the plane to Top (XY).
      • To rotate around the Y-axis, set the plane to Front (XZ).
      • To rotate around the X-axis, set the plane to Side (YZ).
    • For an arbitrary or angled axis, select a planar face or three vertices on your model, then click the Draft Select Plane tool to align the working plane directly to that geometry.
  2. Select the Object:
    • Click on the object you want to rotate in the 3D view or in the Tree view.
  3. Activate the Rotate Tool:
    • Click the Draft Rotate icon on the toolbar, or press the keyboard shortcut R then O.
  4. Pick the Center of Rotation:
    • Click a point in the 3D view to serve as the pivot point. You can use Draft Snapping tools (such as End, Midpoint, or Center) to lock onto specific geometry, or enter X, Y, and Z coordinates manually in the task panel.
  5. Set the Base Angle:
    • Click a second point in the 3D viewport to establish the reference line (starting angle), or enter 0 degrees in the task panel.
  6. Set the Rotation Angle:
    • Move the cursor to rotate the object interactively and click to confirm, or type the exact degree value (e.g., 45 or 90) into the Rotation field in the task panel and press Enter.

Method 2: Using the Placement Properties Panel

If you prefer to define custom axes numerically without changing the interactive working plane, you can modify the object's properties directly:

  1. Select the object in the Tree view.
  2. Go to the Data tab in the Property panel.
  3. Expand the Placement property, then expand the Rotation property.
  4. Set the Rotation Mode to Axis with angle.
  5. Define the rotation vector in the Axis fields:
    • X = 1, Y = 0, Z = 0 for the X-axis.
    • X = 0, Y = 1, Z = 0 for the Y-axis.
    • X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 1 for the Z-axis.
    • Enter custom vector coordinates (e.g., X = 1, Y = 1, Z = 0) to define an arbitrary vector.
  6. Enter the desired value in the Angle field to execute the rotation around the defined axis.