How to Scale Objects in FreeCAD Draft Workbench

Scaling geometry in the FreeCAD Draft workbench allows you to resize objects proportionally or distort them along individual axes to fit specific design dimensions. This guide details how to use the Draft Scale tool to execute both uniform and non-uniform scaling operations, set base origin points, create scaled copies, and modify scale factors non-destructively using parametric clones.

Accessing the Draft Scale Tool

  1. Switch to the Draft workbench using the workbench dropdown menu.
  2. Select the object or multiple objects you want to scale from the tree view or the 3D viewport.
  3. Click the Scale icon in the toolbar, or navigate to Draft → Modification → Scale from the top menu.

How to Scale Objects Uniformly

Uniform scaling adjusts the dimensions of an object by equal proportions across all axes simultaneously.

  1. Pick the Base Point: Click a point in the 3D view or type coordinates into the Draft task panel to define the center of the scaling operation. The object will expand or contract relative to this point.
  2. Enable Uniform Scaling: In the Scale task panel on the left, check the Uniform scaling option.
  3. Set the Scale Factor: Enter your desired multiplier in the X factor field. Because uniform scaling is active, the Y and Z values will automatically mirror the X value. For example, entering 2.0 doubles the size, while 0.5 reduces it by half.
  4. Choose Modify or Copy: Leave Create a copy unchecked to alter the original object directly, or check the box to retain the original object and output a new, scaled duplicate.
  5. Finalize: Press Enter or click anywhere in the 3D viewport to apply the transformation.

How to Scale Objects Non-Uniformly

Non-uniform scaling modifies geometry by independent factors along the X, Y, and Z axes, which is useful for stretching, flattening, or distorting elements.

  1. Pick the Base Point: Select the reference origin in the 3D view from which the scaling should originate.
  2. Disable Uniform Scaling: In the task panel, ensure the Uniform scaling box is unchecked.
  3. Input Independent Axis Factors:
    • Enter the multiplier for the X factor (e.g., 1.5 to stretch width by 50%).
    • Enter the multiplier for the Y factor (e.g., 1.0 to leave depth unchanged).
    • Enter the multiplier for the Z factor (e.g., 0.5 to reduce height by half).
  4. Select Output Type: Check Create a copy if you wish to preserve the initial shape.
  5. Apply: Press Enter to confirm the operation.

Parametric Scaling with Draft Clones

For a non-destructive workflow where you can adjust scale values at any time, use a Draft Clone instead of applying a static scale operation:

  1. Select your target object.
  2. Click the Clone button in the Draft workbench (Draft → Clone).
  3. Select the newly generated Clone object in the tree view.
  4. Go to the Data tab in the Property view panel below the tree.
  5. Expand the Scale property vector.
  6. Enter different values for x, y, and z for non-uniform scaling, or enter identical values across all three fields for uniform scaling. The model updates automatically in the viewport without altering the underlying source geometry.