Workbenches: Difference between revisions

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FreeCAD, like many modern design applications such as [[wikipedia:Revit|Revit]], is based on the concept of [[wikipedia:Workbench|Workbench]]. A workbench can be considered as a set of tools specially grouped for a certain task. In a traditional furniture workshop, you would have a work table for the person who works with wood, another one for the one who works with metal pieces, and maybe a third one for the guy who mounts all the pieces together.
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{{docnav|[[Property editor|Property editor]]|[[Arch Module|Arch Module]]|IconL=|IconR=Workbench_Arch.svg}}


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FreeCAD, like many modern design applications such as [[wikipedia:Revit|Revit]] or [[wikipedia:CATIA|CATIA]], is based on the concept of [[wikipedia:Workbench|Workbench]]. A workbench can be considered as a set of tools specially grouped for a certain task. In a traditional furniture workshop, you would have a work table for the person who works with wood, another one for the one who works with metal pieces, and maybe a third one for the guy who mounts all the pieces together.

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In FreeCAD, the same concept applies. Tools are grouped into workbenches according to the tasks they are related to.
In FreeCAD, the same concept applies. Tools are grouped into workbenches according to the tasks they are related to.


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Currently we have the following workbenches available:
When you switch from one workbench to another, the tools available on the interface change. Toolbars, command bars and possibly other parts of the interface switch to the new workbench, but the contents of your scene doesn't change. You could, for example, start drawing 2D shapes with the Draft Workbench, then work further on them with the Part Workbench.


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'''Built-in workbenches'''
Note that sometimes a Workbench is referred to as a ''Module''. However, Workbenches and Modules are different entities. A Module is any extension of FreeCAD, while a Workbench is a special GUI configuration that groups some toolbars and menus. Usually every Module contains its own Workbench, hence the cross-use of the name.
* The [[Mesh Workbench]] for working with triangulated meshes.
* The [[Part Workbench]] for working with CAD parts.
* The [[Image Workbench]] for working with bitmap images.
* The [[Raytracing Workbench]] for working with ray-tracing (rendering).
* The [[Draft Module|Draft Workbench]] for doing basic 2D CAD drafting.
* The [[Drawing Module|Drawing workbench]] for displaying your 3D work on a 2D sheet.
* Several testing workbenches. You'll find in the workbenches list several workbenches for testing different areas and functionalities since FreeCAD is still in an early phase of development.


== Built-in workbenches == <!--T:10-->
New workbenches are in development, stay tuned!


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When you switch from one workbench to another, the tools available on the interface change. Toolbars, command bars and eventually other parts of the interface switch to the new workbench, but the contents of your scene doesn't change. You could, for example, start drawing 2D shapes with the Draft Workbench, then work further on them with the Part Workbench.
The following workbenches are available on every FreeCAD installation:


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* [[Image:Workbench_Arch.svg|24px]] The [[Arch Module|Arch Workbench]] for working with architectural elements.
* <s>[[Image:Workbench_Complete.svg|24px]] The [[Complete_Workbench|Complete Workbench]] hold all commands and features from all the modules and workbenches which met certain quality criteria.</s> '''<small>Deprecated in v0.17</small>'''
* [[Image:Workbench_Draft.svg|24px]] The [[Draft Module|Draft Workbench]] contains 2D tools and basic 2D and 3D CAD operations.
* [[Image:Workbench_Drawing.svg|24px]] The [[Drawing Module|Drawing Workbench]] was used for displaying your 3D work on a 2D sheet but has now been deprecated, it is still needed to read old FreeCAD files that contain a Drawing object originally made with this workbench. See [[TechDraw Module|TechDraw Workbench]], which is a more advanced replacement.
* [[Image:Workbench_FEM.svg|24px]] The [[FEM Module|FEM Workbench]] provides Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workflow.

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* [[Image:Workbench_Image.svg|24px]] The [[Image Module|Image Workbench]] for working with bitmap images.
* [[Image:Workbench_Inspection.svg|24px]] The [[Inspection Workbench|Inspection Workbench]] is made to give you specific tools for examination of shapes. It is still in development.
* [[Image:Workbench_Mesh.svg|24px]] The [[Mesh Module|Mesh Workbench]] for working with triangulated meshes.
* [[Image:Workbench_OpenSCAD.svg|24px]] The [[OpenSCAD Module|OpenSCAD Workbench]] for interoperability with OpenSCAD and repairing Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) model history.
* [[Image:Workbench_Part.svg|24px]] The [[Part Module|Part Workbench]] for working with CAD parts.

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* [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|24px]] The [[PartDesign Workbench|Part Design Workbench]] for building Part shapes from sketches.
* [[Image:Workbench_Path.svg|24px]] The [[Path_Workbench|Path Workbench]] is used to produce G-Code instructions. It is still in a stage of development.
* [[Image:Workbench_Plot.svg|24px]] The [[Plot Module|Plot Workbench]] is used to edit and save output plots created from other modules and tools.
* [[Image:Workbench_Points.svg|24px]] The [[Points_Module|Points Workbench]] for working with point clouds.
* [[Image:Workbench_Raytracing.svg|24px]] The [[Raytracing Module|Raytracing Workbench]] for working with ray-tracing (rendering)

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* [[Image:Workbench_Reverse_Engineering.svg|24px]] The [[Reverse Engineering Workbench|Reverse Engineering Workbench]] is intended to provide specific tools to convert shapes/solids/meshes into parametric FreeCAD-compatible features. (under development)
* [[Image:Workbench_Robot.svg|24px]] The [[Robot_Workbench|Robot Workbench]] for studying robot movements.
* [[Image:Workbench_Ship.svg|24px]] The [[Ship Workbench|Ship Workbench]] FreeCAD-Ship works over Ship entities, that must be created on top of provided geometry.
* [[Image:Workbench_Sketcher.svg|24px]] The [[Sketcher Module|Sketcher Workbench]] for working with geometry-constrained sketches.
* [[Image:Workbench_Spreadsheet.svg|24px]] The [[Spreadsheet Module|Spreadsheet Workbench]] for creating and manipulating spreadsheet data.

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* [[Image:Workbench_Start.svg|24px]] The [[Start_Workbench|Start Center Workbench]] allows you to quickly jump to one of the most common workbenches.
* [[Image:Workbench_Surface.svg|24px]] The [[Surface_Module|Surface workbench]] provides tools to create and modify surfaces. It is similar as the Part Shape builder Face from edges.
* [[Image:Workbench_TechDraw.svg|24px]] The [[TechDraw Module|TechDraw Workbench]] is the more advanced and feature-rich successor of [[Drawing Module|Drawing]]
* [[Image:Workbench_Test.svg|24px]] The [[Debugging|Test Framework Workbench]] is for debugging FreeCAD.
* [[Image:Workbench_Web.svg|24px]] The [[Web Workbench|Web Workbench]] provides you with a browser window instead of the 3D-View within FreeCAD.

== External workbenches == <!--T:11-->

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FreeCAD workbenches are easy to program in [[Python|Python]], there are therefore many people developing additional workbenches outside of the FreeCAD main development area.

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The [[external workbenches|external workbenches]] page lists all that are known to this community. Most are easily installable from within FreeCAD, using the [[Addon Manager|Addon Manager]], found under menu {{MenuCommand|Tools → [[Image:AddonManager.svg|24px]] Addon manager}}.

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New workbenches are always in development, stay tuned!

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{{docnav|[[Property editor|Property editor]]|[[Arch Module|Arch Module]]|IconL=|IconR=Workbench_Arch.svg}}

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[[Category:User Documentation|!]]
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Revision as of 22:09, 14 May 2019

FreeCAD, like many modern design applications such as Revit or CATIA, is based on the concept of Workbench. A workbench can be considered as a set of tools specially grouped for a certain task. In a traditional furniture workshop, you would have a work table for the person who works with wood, another one for the one who works with metal pieces, and maybe a third one for the guy who mounts all the pieces together.

In FreeCAD, the same concept applies. Tools are grouped into workbenches according to the tasks they are related to.

When you switch from one workbench to another, the tools available on the interface change. Toolbars, command bars and possibly other parts of the interface switch to the new workbench, but the contents of your scene doesn't change. You could, for example, start drawing 2D shapes with the Draft Workbench, then work further on them with the Part Workbench.

Note that sometimes a Workbench is referred to as a Module. However, Workbenches and Modules are different entities. A Module is any extension of FreeCAD, while a Workbench is a special GUI configuration that groups some toolbars and menus. Usually every Module contains its own Workbench, hence the cross-use of the name.

Built-in workbenches

The following workbenches are available on every FreeCAD installation:

  • The Arch Workbench for working with architectural elements.
  • The Complete Workbench hold all commands and features from all the modules and workbenches which met certain quality criteria. Deprecated in v0.17
  • The Draft Workbench contains 2D tools and basic 2D and 3D CAD operations.
  • The Drawing Workbench was used for displaying your 3D work on a 2D sheet but has now been deprecated, it is still needed to read old FreeCAD files that contain a Drawing object originally made with this workbench. See TechDraw Workbench, which is a more advanced replacement.
  • The FEM Workbench provides Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workflow.

External workbenches

FreeCAD workbenches are easy to program in Python, there are therefore many people developing additional workbenches outside of the FreeCAD main development area.

The external workbenches page lists all that are known to this community. Most are easily installable from within FreeCAD, using the Addon Manager, found under menu Tools → Addon manager.

New workbenches are always in development, stay tuned!