I made a pen-holder to attach to the SCARA robot Z-axis shaft and used it to draw some hilbert curves. The python script to generate the gcode is pretty easy and I’ve put it in a github repository
Author: Sliptonic
Digging Deep into TechDraw
FreeCAD’s excellent TechDraw workbench is for producing Technical drawings – 2D representations of 3D parts. I’ve used some of its features but recently started learning it better. I’m putting what I learned into a series of tutorial videos and part one is finished.
Another End-To-End Series
I’ve started a short series making a very simple four-part acrylic box. This is a good beginner project that touches on several different parts of FreeCAD including an add-on workbench for assembly.
New Book is Finished!
For the last few months I’ve been working on a new FreeCAD book. It’s finally finished available for sale on Amazon ($21) and Kobo ($17.99).
Video Series Part 7 (Preferences) is out
Diving into Preferences, Job Templates, and Setup Sheets. Learn how to fine tune your Path workflow for maximum awesome.
Progress Update
FreeCAD Path can now visualize 4th axis gcode. That is gcode that has A and B axis moves in it. Very cool. Also, this blog has now been live for 10 years. Happy Cake Day to me!
Lenny the big dumb bot.
A couple years ago I bought an old IBM 7575 scara robot at a surplus auction. The mechanicals are really nice but the control was completely absent. I started a conversion using a Mesa card and Machinekit. I have no serious plans for this but wanted to learn ROS and maybe more about the FreeCAD…
FreeCAD version 0.17 Released!
It’s been just over two years since version 0.16 released and work on 0.17 started. This new release has many great new features. For me, of course, the most important is the completely overhauled Path (CAM) workbench. I’ve had the privilege of working on this with some outstanding developers (who also happen to be really…
New video tutorial series for FreeCAD Path workbench
FreeCAD version 17 is almost ready to be released. It will have a thoroughly overhauled CAM workbench called ‘Path’. I’ve done some videos and posts about this workbench over the last year or so and it has come a long way. I’m starting a new video tutorial series which will be more thorough and give…
Using FreeCAD to engrave on a rotary axis.
FreeCAD Path doesn’t have a 4th Axis operation (yet) but certain kinds of things should still be possible. For example, engraving or pocketing on a cylindrical surface. I’ve seen other software, both open-source and commercial, that allow the user to map a linear axis to a rotary axis. I decided to try writing a ‘Dressup’…