Page updated: 2002/10/06
'freeCAD6' was created on 2002/03/30.
patch61.zip supersedes all other patch6*.zip.
What is 'freeCAD'?
What are the features of 'freeCAD'?
What is new in this release?
Are there any reviews or articles?
Is 'freeCAD' open source?
How to download, install, patch and quick test 'freeCAD'?
Are there documentation, tutorials or examples?
What are the known problems?
How to uninstall 'freeCAD'?
Where can I get help with 'freeCAD'?
What is a sponsor?
How can I help?
How to use 'freeCAD'?
Disclaimer
'freeCAD' allows users to create and manipulate assemblies of parts. The parts are simple 3D solids, which can be connected by joints, constraints, contacts, motors, actuators, springs, dampers, forces, torques or gravity. The parts and connections define the structure, mechanism or machine of interest. Both open and closed 3D loops are permitted. 'freeCAD' performs full Multibody Dynamics analysis on the assembly to predict the motion according to Newton's Laws. Animation using the simulated data produces realistic dynamic behavior of the system.
Users can study the mechanical dynamics in the form of plots and tabular output. XY plots can be zoomed and set to equal scales. Data series available include linear and angular displacements, velocities, accelerations, forces, torques, momenta and kinetic energies. Acceleration data include transverse, centripetal and Coriollis accelerations. Users can view forces and torques from joints, constraints, actuators, springs, dampers, applied forces and inertia.
Screen Shot 1 Screen Shot 2
Example Assemblies
The Internet Resource for Engineering
Professionals
To try 'freeCAD' in Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP with 64MB or more
RAM:
Create a directory, say, C:\freecad6 for the downloads.
Download freecad6.zip (4.60MB, 4714KB,
4826497 bytes).
Download patch61.zip (3.67KB, 3763 bytes).
For alternative download web sites, go to the reviews section above.
Unzip freecad6.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same directory.
Unzip patch6*.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same directory.
Let it overwrite other files.
Double click on freecad6.exe to launch the application.
If double clicking doesn't work, create a shortcut containing the full
command below:
C:\freecad6\freecad6.exe C:\freecad6\freecad6.im
The working directory should be C:\freecad6
Then double click the shortcut.
Known Problems
To try 'freeCAD' in Macintosh PowerPC:
Create a folder, say, freecad6 for the downloads.
Download freecad6.zip (4.60MB, 4714KB,
4826497 bytes).
Download patch61.zip (3.67KB, 3763 bytes).
Locate and download PowerMac virtual machine at http://www.cincom.com/scripts/smalltalk.dll/downloads/index.ssp?content=visualworks
Open Stuffit Expander 5.5's preferences dialog to Cross Platform options,
and select
"Never" for "Convert Text Files to Macintosh text format".
Then for the Destination options, select
"Same as original" for "Destination"
"Never" for "Create Surrounding Folder".
Decompress freecad6.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same folder.
Decompress patch6*.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same folder.
Let it overwrite other files.
Decompress virtual machine file into the same folder.
From subfolder freecad6:bin:powermac, move the application visual,
StdLibC and Netmanage into folder freecad6
In folder freecad6, drag freecad6.im and drop onto visual
to launch the application.
Alternatively, create a alias containing the full command below:
visual freecad6.im
The working folder should be freecad6
Then double click the alias.
You may delete subfolder freecad6:bin:powermac and its remaining contents.
Known Problems
To try 'freeCAD' in Linux PC:
Create a directory, say, /home/username/freecad6 for the downloads.
Download freecad6.zip (4.60MB, 4714KB,
4826497 bytes).
Download patch61.zip (3.67KB, 3763 bytes).
Locate and download Linux virtual machine at http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com:8080/CincomSmalltalkWiki/vw5i.4a+engines
Decompress freecad6.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same directory.
Decompress patch6*.zip, preserving subdirectories, into the same directory.
Let it overwrite other files.
Decompress virtual machine file into the same directory.
From subdirectory /home/username/freecad6/bin/linux86, move the executable
visual into directory /home/username/freecad6
Repeat for file herald.so.
Change directory to /home/username/freecad6
In a terminal window, execute: ./visual freecad6.im
Alternatively, create a script containing the full command below:
/home/username/freecad6/visual /home/username/freecad6/freecad6.im
The working directory should be /home/username/freecad6
Then double click the script.
You may delete subdirectory /home/username/freecad6/bin/linux86 and its
remaining contents.
Known Problems
To try 'freeCAD' in other Unix's:
Follow instructions for Linux PC.
Locate and download your virtual machine at http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com:8080/CincomSmalltalkWiki/vw5i.4a+engines
Version check:
Since 'freeCAD' can be downloaded from many locations, it is good to check
that you have the latest version.
Inside 'freeCAD', click Explain/About/freeCAD/ to locate the creation
date:
'freeCADx' was created on yyyy/mm/dd.
Verify that you have the latest copy by comparing with the creation date
published at:
http://www.askoh.com
Also check that your have the latest patch for the version.
Quick test 'freeCAD':
Click File/Open/Assembly/ to get a list of example assemblies.
Choose one, say, fourbar.asm
Click View/Tilt Rotate/ to center the model. Drag the handles to
tilt and rotate the 3D assembly.
If necessary, Click Edit/Marker Size/ to set marker sizes suitable for
the drawing.
Click Simulation/Animation/ to get the animation dialog. Click Play to
start animation.
You can click any View menu item and drag the tilt and rotate handles,
even during animation.
Close animation window when done.
Please report problems to
A-S Koh
askoh@askoh.com
Quick start:
Click Explain/Quick Start/ to learn how to build a model from scratch.
Together, the tutorials demonstrate the available features in 'freeCAD'.
The motion simulation theory is in the journal paper:
Koh, A-S., and Park, J-P. "Object Oriented Dynamics Simulator," Computational
Mechanics, Jun 1994, 14(3) 277–287.
All Platforms:
If an error message comes up, click on "Continue" to let Smalltalk recover.
You can usually continue if you avoid the offending steps. Every error is
logged in a file called error.log. Email that file to the author for debugging.
Patches and workarounds will be posted as soon as possible. Thank you in
advance.
'Invalid zip file'.
Check that the download files have the exact number of bytes shown above.
'ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND'.
Unzip did not preserve subdirectories. Reunzip, preserving subdirectories.
Otherwise move all *.sdoc files into a subdirectory
/resource/explain
'ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED'.
'freeCAD' cannot run from CD-ROM or write protected media. Copy the freecad6
directory and its contents to a writable hard disk.
On Windows:
Right clicking on some mice does not bring up the correct menu. Try right
clicking while holding the ctrl key down.
On Windows 98, the help dialog for motion and force-torque dialogs will
not close when the X button is clicked. Close with ESC key.
On machines with low memory, desktop icons may become white when 'freeCAD'
exits. Reboot to recover. Internet Explorer 5.5 seems to be the cause.
Upgrade to Internet Explorer 6.
If resizing the window is very slow to repaint, disable 'Show window contents
while dragging' found in Start/Settings/Control Panel/Display/Effects.
On Macintosh:
On Linux:
'Out of Memory' error at startup. The probable cause is having too many
fonts. Execute with the following command to start freeCAD
./visual -h10M freecad6.im
Please report problems to
A-S Koh
askoh@askoh.com
To pose a question for general viewing, submit it to the newsgroup alt.cad. Prefix the question with [freeCAD] to distinguish it from other questions on different topics.
You can email your questions to:
A-S Koh
askoh@askoh.com
Sponsors can advertise on the 'freeCAD' web site and inside the 'freeCAD' program to promote their products, services, publications and job opportunities. There will be no more than ten advertisers inside the program at any one time. Each advertiser gets equal time to show his/her messages at various points (title bar, menu item, dialog boxes, status bar) in the program as the users use the program. Advertisers can change their messages every quarter when new releases of 'freeCAD' are made. For the price of US$500 per month, sponsors can advertise to over 7500 new users of 'freeCAD' per month. In addition, continuing users of 'freeCAD' will still see their advertisements.
Sponsors can also request for customizations of 'freeCAD' and other consultancy services from the author. A-S Koh's curriculum vitae (resume)
For more information, please contact A-S Koh at askoh@askoh.com
Copyright (C) 2000-2002, A-S Koh, All Rights Reserved.
