FreeCAD Automation

Automate FreeCAD through its Python scripting interface.

Environment Setup

FreeCAD scripts run inside FreeCAD's Python environment:

import FreeCAD
import Part
import Draft

# Create new document
doc = FreeCAD.newDocument("MyProject")

Creating Geometry

import Part

# Create box
box = Part.makeBox(10, 10, 5)

# Create cylinder
cylinder = Part.makeCylinder(5, 20)

# Create sphere
sphere = Part.makeSphere(10)

# Add to document
Part.show(box)

Boolean Operations

import Part

box = Part.makeBox(20, 20, 20)
cyl = Part.makeCylinder(5, 30)

# Subtract
result = box.cut(cyl)

# Union
result = box.fuse(cyl)

# Intersect
result = box.common(cyl)

Part.show(result)

Transformations

import FreeCAD

# Translation
shape.translate(FreeCAD.Vector(10, 0, 0))

# Rotation
shape.rotate(FreeCAD.Vector(0,0,0), FreeCAD.Vector(0,0,1), 45)

# Create placement
placement = FreeCAD.Placement(
    FreeCAD.Vector(10, 20, 0),
    FreeCAD.Rotation(FreeCAD.Vector(0,0,1), 45)
)
obj.Placement = placement

Export

import Part
import Mesh

# Export to STEP
shape.exportStep("output.step")

# Export to STL
mesh = doc.addObject("Mesh::Feature", "Mesh")
mesh.Mesh = Mesh.Mesh(shape.tessellate(0.1))
mesh.Mesh.write("output.stl")

Running Macros

# Command line execution
freecad -c script.py

# Or from Python console in FreeCAD
exec(open("script.py").read())