This video provides a theoretical overview of the two main available workflows for FreeCAD BIM users to create 2D construction documents from their 3D model.
FreeCAD Tech Draw workbench currently (as of FreeCAD 1.0) does not provide many symbols, which are typical in the AEC world. This video shows how to create a custom elevation height symbol for use in FreeCAD. The software used for the SVG symbol creation is Inkscape.
This video provides an overview of architectural section plane in FreeCAD BIM. This is very powerful tool, which can be used a basis for creation plans, sections and elevations.
My new tutorial shows how to work with IFC Attributes, IFC Properties and IFC Property sets in FreeCAD BIM. Both basic overview and practical example are provided.
This video shows how to use classification systems to classify elements in FreeCAD BIM.
Note: I was not always successful in exporting/converting the classification data to IFC in FreeCAD 1.0. I think there may be bug, but it's not confirmed yet.
I recently watched a great Bonsai tutorial for beginners by @Ace and I thought to myself: How would I model the same structure in FreeCAD BIM? The result where I show how to model the same house in FreeCAD BIM is in this tutorial. Hopefully you can gather a basic comparison of modeling techniques of these two programs. In my opinion there are some things that are easier to model in Bonsai and some in FreeCAD BIM. The important thing is that both of these software packages get the job done.
This is the Bonsai tutorial, thanks for the inpisration @Ace :)
@semhustej said:
I recently watched a great Bonsai tutorial for beginners by @Ace and I thought to myself: How would I model the same structure in FreeCAD BIM? The result where I show how to model the same house in FreeCAD BIM is in this tutorial. Hopefully you can gather a basic comparison of modeling techniques of these two programs. In my opinion there are some things that are easier to model in Bonsai and some in FreeCAD BIM. The important thing is that both of these software packages get the job done.
thanks for the amazing video
are you going to make one where the final output is more IFC-esque?
I noticed that most of elements are meshes, they don't use types, like walls with a thickness or beams from profiles
or is it something that FreeCAD is yet to implement?
please keep it up
are you going to make one where the final output is more IFC-esque?
I noticed that most of elements are meshes, they don't use types, like walls with a thickness or beams from profiles
or is it something that FreeCAD is yet to implement?
please keep it up
Thanks, Stefano,
I plan to do more tutorials including IFC functionality, but at this point IFC support in FreeCAD 1.0 is quite buggy (1.0 was the first release with native IFC functionality).
FreeCAD 1.0 does not have types. FreeCAD 1.1 will introduce IFC Types, but I have not tested yet, how it works, especially with regards to the native FreeCAD elements. In FreeCAD native, there is no global concept of 'Types', each element works in a different way. So you could achieve having wall type using multi-material, beams and profiles have extensive library from which you can choose, doors and windows have pre-sets. I am not sure what the development plans are.
Elements in FreeCAD are usually not meshes, but solids. All of those in the tutorial are solids. When converted to native IFC project (that is just a one click in FreeCAD's interface), IfcOpenShell handles the geometry so on the back-end it is the same as in Bonsai - so from my understanding the geometry can be Boundary Representation, Sweep Volume or Constructive Solid Geometry.
Comments
This video follows the previous one and explains options that the user has of opening or importing an IFC file to FreeCAD.
This is how I search for the correct IFC classes of objects:
Tutorial on placing doors and windows in FreeCAD:
This is a tutorial for FreeCAD BIM beginners. Creating a small garage building is demonstrated. Among the covered topics are:
This video provides a theoretical overview of the two main available workflows for FreeCAD BIM users to create 2D construction documents from their 3D model.
This tutorial provides a basic overview of creating a very simple site plan drawing from a 3D model in FreeCAD using the Tech Draw workbench tools.
FreeCAD Tech Draw workbench currently (as of FreeCAD 1.0) does not provide many symbols, which are typical in the AEC world. This video shows how to create a custom elevation height symbol for use in FreeCAD. The software used for the SVG symbol creation is Inkscape.
This video provides an overview of architectural section plane in FreeCAD BIM. This is very powerful tool, which can be used a basis for creation plans, sections and elevations.
Wall alignment in FreeCAD BIM is explained in this quick tip video.
This tutorial shows how to create a floor plan drawing from a 3D model in FreeCAD BIM.
This video shows basics of editing of Slab object in FreeCAD:
This short video shows how to move and edit doors and windows in FreeCAD BIM.
Another video in the "move and edit" series - this time about editing walls in FreeCAD BIM.
This video shows how to create spaces, such as rooms, in FreeCAD BIM.
My new tutorial shows how to work with IFC Attributes, IFC Properties and IFC Property sets in FreeCAD BIM. Both basic overview and practical example are provided.
This video shows how to use classification systems to classify elements in FreeCAD BIM.
Note: I was not always successful in exporting/converting the classification data to IFC in FreeCAD 1.0. I think there may be bug, but it's not confirmed yet.
I recently watched a great Bonsai tutorial for beginners by @Ace and I thought to myself: How would I model the same structure in FreeCAD BIM? The result where I show how to model the same house in FreeCAD BIM is in this tutorial. Hopefully you can gather a basic comparison of modeling techniques of these two programs. In my opinion there are some things that are easier to model in Bonsai and some in FreeCAD BIM. The important thing is that both of these software packages get the job done.
This is the Bonsai tutorial, thanks for the inpisration @Ace :)
thanks for the amazing video
are you going to make one where the final output is more IFC-esque?
I noticed that most of elements are meshes, they don't use types, like walls with a thickness or beams from profiles
or is it something that FreeCAD is yet to implement?
please keep it up
Great Vid!
Thanks, Stefano,
I plan to do more tutorials including IFC functionality, but at this point IFC support in FreeCAD 1.0 is quite buggy (1.0 was the first release with native IFC functionality).
FreeCAD 1.0 does not have types. FreeCAD 1.1 will introduce IFC Types, but I have not tested yet, how it works, especially with regards to the native FreeCAD elements. In FreeCAD native, there is no global concept of 'Types', each element works in a different way. So you could achieve having wall type using multi-material, beams and profiles have extensive library from which you can choose, doors and windows have pre-sets. I am not sure what the development plans are.
Elements in FreeCAD are usually not meshes, but solids. All of those in the tutorial are solids. When converted to native IFC project (that is just a one click in FreeCAD's interface), IfcOpenShell handles the geometry so on the back-end it is the same as in Bonsai - so from my understanding the geometry can be Boundary Representation, Sweep Volume or Constructive Solid Geometry.
You can read more about native IFC in FreeCAD on Yorik's blog: https://yorik.uncreated.net/?blog/2025/002-nativeifc-tutorial
The goal is to have 1:1 functionality working with IFC as one has with native FreeCAD objects.
This tutorial shows how to create wall material quantity takeoff in FreeCAD BIM. A few other uses of the Schedule tool are also demonstrated.
