Draft Array: Difference between revisions

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{{Caption|An orthogonal array and a polar array from a solid object}}
{{Caption|Orthogonal array (left) and polar array (right) from a solid object.}}

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Circular Array has been added to FreeCAD 0.19


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{{Caption|An circular array from a solid object, the object in the center}}
{{Caption|Circular array from a solid object}}


==How to use== <!--T:4-->
==How to use== <!--T:4-->

Revision as of 04:58, 17 January 2020

Draft Array

Menu location
Draft → Array
Workbenches
Draft, Arch
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
circular array added in v0.19
See also
PathArray, Draft PointArray, Draft Clone

Description

The Array tool creates an orthogonal (3-axes) or polar array from a selected object.

This tool can be used on 2D shapes created with the Draft Workbench but can also be used on many types of 3D objects such as those created with the Part Workbench or PartDesign Workbench.

To position copies along a path use Draft PathArray; to position copies at specified points use Draft PointArray; to create copies or clones, and manually place them use Draft Move, Draft Rotate, and Draft Clone.

Orthogonal array (left) and polar array (right) from a solid object.

Circular array from a solid object

How to use

  1. Select an object with which you wish to make an array.
  2. Press the Draft Array button. If no object is selected, you will be invited to select one.
  3. The Array object is immediately created. You must change the properties of the array to change the number and direction of copies created.

Each element in the array is an exact clone of the original object, but the entire array is considered a single unit in terms of properties and appearance.

Options

There are no options for this tool. Either it works with the selected object or not.

Properties

  • DataBase: specifies the object to duplicate in the array.
  • DataArray Type: specifies the type of array to create, either "ortho" or "polar".
  • DataFuse: if it is true, and the copies intersect with each other, they will be fused together into a single shape.

For orthogonal arrays:

  • DataInterval X: specifies the interval between each copy on the X axis.
  • DataInterval Y: specifies the interval between each copy on the Y axis.
  • DataInterval Z: specifies the interval between each copy on the Z axis.
  • DataNumber X: specifies the number of copies on the X axis.
  • DataNumber Y: specifies the number of copies on the Y axis.
  • DataNumber Z: specifies the number of copies on the Z axis.

For polar arrays:

  • DataAxis: specifies the normal direction of the array circle.
  • DataCenter: specifies the center point of the array circle.
  • DataAngle: specifies the aperture of the circular arc to cover with copies; use 360 to cover an entire circle.
  • DataNumber Polar: specifies the number of copies to place in the circular arrangement.
  • DataInterval Axis: specifies the interval between each copy on the DataAxis direction.

For circular arrays:

  • DataNumber Circles:
  • DataRadial distance:
  • DataSymmetry:
  • DataTangential Distance:

The number property, either X, Y, Z, or Polar, also includes the original object, so this number will be at least one.

An interval is not a simple distance, but a vector (x, y, z). If more than one value is non-zero, the copy will be created in the main direction, but will also be displaced in the other non-zero directions.

For example, if DataInterval X is (2 m, 1 m, 1 m), and DataNumber X is 3, it will create 3 copies in the X direction; the first copy will be at the original position, the second will be displaced 2 m on X, 1 m on Y, and 1 m on Z; the third copy will be displaced 4 m on X, 2 m on Y, and 2 m on Z. Each array element will be moved slightly to one side (Y direction) and up (Z direction) beside the main X direction.

The DataInterval Axis property works in the same way. If the original shape lies on the XY plane, creating a polar array with DataInterval Axis (0, 0, z) allows you to make spiral arrangements.

Scripting

See also: Draft API and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

The Array tool can be used in macros and from the Python console by using two different functions, depending on if you wish to obtain standalone copies of your base object, or a parametric array object that stays linked to the original object.

Simple array

The basic signature is as follows:

array_list = array(objectslist, arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4=None, arg5=None, arg6=None)

To create a rectangular array, use it like this:

array_list = array(objectslist, xvector, yvector, xnum, ynum)
array_list = array(objectslist, xvector, yvector, zvector, xnum, ynum, znum)

To create a polar array, use it like this:

array_list = array(objectslist, center, totalangle, totalnum)
  • Creates an array from the objects contained in objectslist, which can be a single object or a list of objects.
  • In case of a rectangular array, xvector, yvector, and zvector determine the distance between the base points of each copy, in the X, Y, and Z directions; and xnum, ynum, and znum are the number of copies in the respective direction.
  • In case of a polar array, center defines the center of the array circle, totalangle is the angle of the arc in degrees to cover with copies, and totalnum is the number of copies to arrange around the circle, including the original object.
  • array_list is returned with the new copies.
    • array_list is either a single object or a list of objects, depending on the input objectslist.

This function internally uses Draft.move() and Draft.rotate() with copy=True.

Example:

import FreeCAD, Draft

Rect = Draft.makeRectangle(1500, 500)

array_list = Draft.array(Rect, FreeCAD.Vector(1600, 0, 0), FreeCAD.Vector(0, 600, 0), 3, 4)

Parametric array

The basic signature is as follows:

Array = makeArray(baseobject, arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4=None, arg5=None, arg6=None, name="Array")

To create a rectangular array, use it like this:

Array = makeArray(baseobject, xvector, yvector, xnum, ynum, name="Array")
Array = makeArray(baseobject, xvector, yvector, zvector, xnum, ynum, znum, name="Array")

To create a polar array, use it like this:

Array = makeArray(baseobject, center, totalangle, totalnum, name="Array")
  • Creates an Array object from the given baseobject.
  • In case of a rectangular array, xvector, yvector, and zvector determine the distance between the base points of each copy, in the X, Y, and Z directions; and xnum, ynum, and znum are the number of copies in the respective direction.
  • In case of a polar array, center defines the center of the array circle, totalangle is the angle of the arc in degrees to cover with copies, and totalnum is the number of copies to arrange around the circle, including the original object.

Example:

import FreeCAD, Draft

Rect = Draft.makeRectangle(1500, 500)
xvector = FreeCAD.Vector(1600, 0, 0)
yvector = FreeCAD.Vector(0, 600, 0)
Array = Draft.makeArray(Rect, xvector, yvector, 3, 4)

Tri = Draft.makePolygon(3, 600)
center = FreeCAD.Vector(-1600, 0, 0)
Array2 = Draft.makeArray(Tri, center, 360, 6)