How to Use the Draft Clone Tool in FreeCAD

This guide explains how to duplicate objects using the Draft Clone tool in FreeCAD, a powerful feature that creates linked, parametric copies of existing geometry. Unlike standard copy-and-paste commands, the Draft Clone tool creates a duplicate that automatically updates whenever the original geometry is modified, while still allowing for independent placement, rotation, and scaling. The following steps cover how to activate the tool, position your clones, and adjust their unique properties.

What Is a Draft Clone?

A Draft Clone creates a linked copy of a 2D or 3D object. The clone retains a live connection to the base object's shape: modify the original object's dimensions, and the clone adjusts immediately. However, the clone maintains its own spatial coordinates and scale factors, making it ideal for creating patterns, mirrored components, or scaled variations of existing parts.

Steps to Create a Clone

  1. Switch to the Draft Workbench: Open FreeCAD and use the workbench drop-down menu in the top toolbar to switch to the Draft workbench.
  2. Select the Object: In the tree view or the 3D viewport, select the object you want to duplicate. This can be a Part Design Body, a Part primitive, a 2D shape, or a mesh.
  3. Activate the Clone Tool: Click the Clone icon on the Draft toolbar (represented by a blue sheep icon), or navigate to the top menu and select Draft → Clone.
  4. Locate the Duplicate: FreeCAD will generate a new object named Clone in the tree view. By default, the clone is created directly on top of the original object in the 3D space.

Moving and Rotating the Clone

Because the clone shares the exact position of the original upon creation, you must reposition it:

  1. Select the Clone object in the tree view.
  2. In the Property View panel (usually on the lower-left side), locate the Data tab.
  3. Expand the Placement property.
  4. Modify the Position values (X, Y, Z) to move the clone away from the original part.
  5. Adjust the Angle and Axis values under Placement if rotation is required.
  6. Alternatively, use the Draft Move or Draft Rotate tools while the clone is selected to position it interactively in the 3D view.

Scaling the Clone

The Draft Clone allows non-uniform and uniform scaling without altering the source geometry:

  1. Select the clone in the tree view and look at the Data tab.
  2. Locate the Scale property.
  3. Expand Scale to see the X, Y, and Z scale factors.
  4. Enter values to resize the clone (e.g., setting X, Y, and Z to 2.0 doubles the size; setting one axis to -1.0 creates a mirrored copy along that plane).

Managing Clone Dependencies

  • Parametric Updates: If you change the underlying sketch, padding, or parameters of the original object, press F5 or click the Recompute button to ensure the clone reflects the changes.
  • Deleting the Original: If you delete the original source object, the clone will lose its shape reference and produce an error. To prevent this, always retain the base geometry within your document.