FreeCAD Beginner #15 - Managing Multi-Part Models Pt 1.

We demonstrate how to build a multi-part model using a simple engine. In this video we create the basic building blocks. In later videos we will assemble those parts and discuss how to manage the components in a way that makes it easy to keep track of everything.

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## Links:
FreeCAD macros

## Songs:
Raw Space by Spazz Cardigan (intro)

00:00 Introduction
01:34 Creating a part
02:41 The piston
13:11 The conrod
29:15 Small end bearing
33:20 Crank shaft
47:30 Outro

[danaschoen]

This style with all the warts and hairs is really helpful. We get to see what to do about all the little problems that crop up with a real drawing. Leaving that stuff in is a real help.

[Breeegz]

I like the "real world" examples more than the arbitrary collection of simple parts. I understand why the arbitrary collection of simple parts are useful for your tutorials, but the "real world" examples helps me understand how to break down the steps needed to get me a solution for whatever I am trying to solve.

[nine]

I have watched all your videos to this point. This one is my favorite so far. I love that you were thinking it through with us, as opposed to having it all tidy and pre-configured before you began, searching for the remaining degrees of freedom with your audience is realistic and appreciated. I am looking forward to watching and learning with ALL the rest of your videos. Your time, patience and dedication to instructing others is remarkable, thank you.

[ByronicGamer]

This video is amazing! I've been working through your videos, and I'm amazed that we're already at the point where I can create something of this complexity. Your explanations are really clear and easy to follow. Thank you!

[lewiscobb]

Yes ! I just came across this and I’m stuck in town with only a phone and it’s tiny screen and I’m no teenager - LOL. I’ll have to suffer and wait until I’m back at the house to watch it. Thanks for this video - I’m sure it’s going to be awesome based on your previous ones🙂

[stephenbokor]

Shout out from Down Under. Love you tutorials.

Your issue with having to reselect the part to make it visible whenever you created a new sketch was bugging me as I had somehow managed to fix that. Anyway, I've located the source of the problem. This behaviour is the default setting in FreeCAD. To change this:
- Ensure you have the Part Design workbench selected then,
- Goto Edit >> Preferences
- Select Sketcher >> then Display tab.
- In the Visibility Automation box deselect "Hide all objects that depend on the sketch"

Note the text: "The behaviour is remembered for each sketch individually", so best to click "Apply to existing sketches", then OK.

I've tested this and it fixes this issue. (If you turn that preference back on, you can reproduce the initial problem).

Best regards.

[detectivecochese]

Willow! Need more Willow! : ) Dogs help make the best videos.

[bravofoxtrot]

awesome info. can't wait to see the next part!!!!

[markharrington]

These are brilliant tutorials , thank you so much

[raptor]

Hi. The two big end journals and one small end means, it's a single cylinder engine. Loving your videos. Just one critic on your video editing, sometimes you edit out a step on the menus. I'm saying this as your videos are a great learning tool. It's funny who there's a lot of content video out there that don't get what a beginner explanation has to be. Thanks for your efforts and the work you put into dumbing it down. I know it's a lot of work.

[NIGHTSTALKER]

Watching your videos procrastinating. I have some 4.75 inch wrist pins to install in 11.75 inch pistons.

[wcbessinger]

Thanks again for a great tutorial mate!

I experimented a bit with the sketching of the crankshaft counterbalance in terms of getting those 2 angled lines connected tangentially between the smaller and bigger circle. I found that drawing those two lines in space and then connecting them tangentially as per your video seems to produce better and more accurate results right out of the gate instead of initially trying to eyeball it and then trying to fix the tangents afterwards; the tangential constraints actually jump into horizontal alignment automatically when following this approach. Figured I'd share so that other folks could try that route as well.

Also, you can set whether or not to keep the model visible when going into Sketcher by going into Edit -> Preferences -> Sketcher -> Display -> Show objects that the sketch is attached to and Show objects used for external geometry. Not entirely sure which one does which, but yeah, the model is kept in the viewport when going into Sketcher when those two are checked.

Thanks!

[kevingpearce]

Thank you. The timemark is 43:45, towards the end. Why do you select just that particular feature for mirroring, when surely you are wanting to mirror the entire part ?
A very informative set of videos which I constantly look back to for reference. Well done in explaining your very methodical approach.

[AmazingRando]

A bit late to the game, but if you create a new sketch using a flat face of an existing pad as the reference plane (click on the surface before new sketch) I think it leaves the part visible. Of course that only applies when you don't want your part centered on the original axes (such as when extending the crankshaft out around 45:00). Great videos!

[ggburleigh]

Enjoyed this Tutorial, although I did have a few problems with the mirror function and repeated error messages saying that there were multiple parts generated on the mirror command. Freecad then dropped off additional parts?? and says it only keeps the first part, but it does not show up on the model. Managed a work around without using mirror. Found it difficult to research anything on mirror command error messages. But cheers for your videos, Graham

[ludovanginderen]

you can also make a video on how to assemble an imported part with other already existing components. Thank you very much for your excellent explanation

[Craigs_Adventures]

great video. waiting for the next videos putting it all together. I am at this point in my learning of FreeCad. I can make the parts but just dont know how to get them all aligned and moving to make sure of clearances....Thanks

[zahrab]

Hi
It was great.thank u 🌸🌸🙏
I don't know why some errors pop up for me but not for u! Did I change my program setting before? I can't understand why 🍃🌸

[sherrilblackmon]

I do appreciate your use of reiteration to help those of us (me) who tend to be a little slow. Though I am using the Startup macro, it helps that you go through the steps in that macro so those steps can be drilled in.

I have some difficulty with spatial orientation in using Freecad. Have you done anything that might help me get that straight?

Thank you.

[flyingboatman]

Your partially over constraint problem stems from too many instances of the symmetry constraint. I was getting the same error on a similar drawing concept. (Two arcs connected to a line by tangent, centered around a line of symmetry.) The best solution I found was to only use the symmetrical when it was absolutely necessary. In your instance, I think you could use one instance of symmetry and then make tangent lines “equal” and you will have the same solution without the constraining errors.

I appreciate your videos and am looking forward to the next video in this series.