FreeCAD/C3/Working-with-Imported-STEP-Files/English - Revision history

Madhurig at 07:41, 16 October 2025

2025-10-16T07:41:30Z

Ketkinaina at 06:45, 16 October 2025

2025-10-16T06:45:56Z

Ketkinaina: Created page with "'''Title of the script : Working with Imported STEP Files in FreeCAD''' '''Author: Jakub Michalski and Chitra Balaji''' '''Keywords :''' FreeCAD, 3D drawing, Import, Defeatu..."

2025-10-16T05:57:45Z

Created page with "'''Title of the script : Working with Imported STEP Files in FreeCAD''' '''Author: Jakub Michalski and Chitra Balaji''' '''Keywords :''' FreeCAD, 3D drawing, Import, Defeatu..."

New page

'''Title of the script : Working with Imported STEP Files in FreeCAD'''

'''Author: Jakub Michalski and Chitra Balaji'''

'''Keywords :''' FreeCAD, 3D drawing, Import, Defeaturing, pocket, Video tutorial.

{|border=1
|-
|| '''Visual Cue'''
|| '''Narration'''
|-
|| '''Slide 1 '''

'''Title Slide'''
|| Welcome to the Spoken Tutorial on '''Working with Imported STEP Files''' in '''FreeCAD.'''
|-
|| '''Slide 2 '''

'''Learning Objectives'''
|| In this tutorial, we will learn to:
* Import a''' STEP''' file in '''FreeCAD'''
* Understand why '''File''' '''Import''' is preferred over '''Open''' option.
* Use the '''Defeaturing''' tool to remove unwanted features.
* Create a '''sketch '''and make a''' Pocket '''in the model.
|-
|| '''Slide 3 '''

'''System Requirements'''

To record this tutorial, I am using:
* '''Windows 11'''
* '''FreeCAD version 1.0.0'''
|| To record this tutorial, I am using the following setup.
|-
|| '''Slide 4 '''

'''Prerequisite'''
|| To follow this tutorial, learners should know the basics of '''FreeCAD '''interface.
|-
|| '''Slide 5'''

'''Code Files'''

The following code files are required to practice this tutorial.
# '''Pin.step'''
# '''Hole.step'''
# '''Example.step'''
# '''Sample.step'''

These files are provided in the Code Files link of this tutorial page.
|| The following code files are required to practice this tutorial.

These files are provided in the '''Code Files''' link of this tutorial page.
|-
|| Right click on the Freecad app image, Select '''Run'''.
|| Let’s open the '''FreeCAD''' interface.
|-
|| Click on the New(+) icon.
|| Let us open a new file.
|-
|| Narration

Click on the File menu and select the Open menu option.

Select a step file.

Click open.
|| We can open the '''STEP''' file using either Open or Import options.

Lets open a step file.
|-
|| STEP Import Options dialog box opens.

Tick the''' Enable STEP compound merge '''and '''Import invisible objects.'''

Then click OK in the dialog box.
|| After clicking the Open button, the STEP dialog box opens

Check the check boxes for:

'''Enable STEP compound merge '''and '''Import invisible objects.'''

Let us leave the other check boxes as default.

Click the '''OK''' button in the dialog box to proceed.
|-
|| Click on the File menu and select the Open menu option.

Select a step file.

Click open.

Show the tabs in the bottom.

Switch to first tab.
|| Let's open another step file.

'''Open''' option loads the file in a new tab.
|-
|| Narration

Narration

Click on the File menu and select the Import menu option.

Select a step file.

Click open.

Click the imported part and select the move tool.

Enter the value and click enter.
|| The '''Import '''option''' '''is preferred when you want to combine several files together.

Let’s import a step file.

We can see that the step file is imported in the already existing model.

We can also move the models.
|-
|| Go to '''File''' and click '''New'''.
|| Let us open a new file.
|-
|| Go to''' File''' menu and Select '''Import''' menu option.

Point to the Import file dialog box.

Select the '''Example.step''' file from the Code files folder.

Click on the''' Open '''button at the bottom right corner.
|| Now let’s import a step file and edit the model.

Let’s go to''' File '''and select '''Import.'''

'''Import File '''dialog box opens.

Select the '''Example.step''' file.

Click the '''Open''' button in the dialog box.
|-
|| STEP Import Options dialog box opens.

Then click OK in the dialog box.
|| While importing, the '''STEP''' dialog box opens.

Click OK.
|-
|| Model tree shows imported part.

Cursor on the model.

Narration

Narration
|| The imported part now appears in the 3D view and in the '''Model''' tree.

A''' STEP''' file is a standard 3D model format.

It allows to import designs from other '''CAD''' software and edit them in '''FreeCAD'''.

We can edit this imported step file in different workbenches.
|-
|| Switch to Part workbench.
|| Let's switch to the''' Part '''workbench.
|-
|| Select the top face of the projected box

Select the defeaturing tool.

Move the cursor and highlight it.
|| Let’s now remove a part or face in the given model.

Select the top face and side face of the projected box.

Select the '''Defeaturing''' tool.

You can see that the selected part is removed now.
|-
|| Show the new copy of the object that appears in the model tree.

Move the cursor to show the original object.

Highlight the booleans operations.
|| A new copy of the part is created after removing the selected features.

Note that the original object is still seen in the tree.

The part operations like Booleans can also be applied to '''STEP''' files directly.
|-
|| Switch to Part Design workbench
|| Now let us create a pocket in the model.

For this we will switch to the''' Part Design''' workbench.
|-
|| Select defeatured part.Click''' Create body '''tool on the toolbar.

Move the cursor to show the base feature in model tree.
|| Select the defeatured object.Then click '''Create''' '''Body''' tool.

The defeatured object becomes the BaseFeature of the Body.
|-
|| Select the create a datum plane tool.

Select the top face.

Click OK.

In the reference pop up, select the Make independent copy and click OK.
|| Select the '''create a datum plane''' tool.

A new datum plane is created to draw on the top face.

Select the top face and click '''OK'''.
|-
|| Select Create Sketch tool.
|| Click '''Create Sketch tool.'''
|-
|| Narration

Select the circle tool in sketcher

Close the sketch
|| In Sketcher, let us draw the pocket profile.

Select the circle tool and draw a circle on the top face.Close the sketch.
|-
|| Highlight the '''Pocket '''tool in sketch
|| Select the sketch and the '''Pocket '''tool.
|-
|| Enter the depth as 10mm
|| Enter the depth as 10 mm.Then click OK.
|-
|| 3D view showing pocket cut into the defeatured part
|| The pocket is now created in the defeatured part.
|-
|| Go to File → Save As

Enter the file name as '''Edited example''' and click OK.
|| To save the file, go to '''File '''and click '''Save'''.

Enter the file name as '''Edited example''' and click Save.
|-
|| '''Slide 5'''

'''Summary'''

In this tutorial we learnt to
* Import a''' STEP''' file in '''FreeCAD'''
* Understand why File '''Import''' is preferred over '''Open '''option.
* Use the '''Defeaturing''' tool to remove unwanted features.
* Create a '''sketch '''and make a''' pocket''' in the model.
|| With this, we come to the end of this tutorial.

Let us summarize.
|-
|| '''Slide 6 '''

'''Assignment'''
* Import a '''Sample.step''' file into '''FreeCAD.'''
* '''Defeature''' it by removing both the rectangle protrusions.
* Add a''' Body''' and '''BaseFeature.'''
* Create a circular''' sketch''' on a face and '''pocket '''it by 10 mm.
* The final output''' Edited Sample.png''' is provided in code files.
|| As an assignment, please do the following:

Here is the output of the assignment.
|-
|| '''Slide 7 '''

'''Thank You'''
|| Thank you for joining.
|-
|}

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 '''Title Slide'''
-|| Welcome to the Spoken Tutorial on '''Working with Imported STEP Files''' in '''FreeCAD.'''
 |-
 || '''Slide 2 '''
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 '''Learning Objectives'''
 || In this tutorial, we will learn to:
 * Import a''' STEP''' file in '''FreeCAD'''
 * Understand why '''File''' '''Import''' is preferred over '''Open''' option.
@@ Line 32: / Line 34: @@
 * '''Windows 11'''
 * '''FreeCAD version 1.0.0'''
 || To record this tutorial, I am using the following setup.
 |-
 || '''Slide 4 '''
-'''Prerequisite'''
+'''Prerequisites'''
 || To follow this tutorial, learners should know the basics of '''FreeCAD '''interface.
 |-
@@ Line 50: / Line 53: @@
 These files are provided in the Code Files link of this tutorial page.
 || The following code files are required to practice this tutorial.
@@ Line 67: / Line 71: @@
 Click open.
-|| We can open the '''STEP''' file using either Open or Import options.
+|| We can open the '''STEP''' file using either '''Open''' or '''Import''' options.
 Lets open a step file.
@@ Line 76: / Line 80: @@
 Then click OK in the dialog box.
-|| After clicking the Open button, the STEP dialog box opens
+|| After clicking the '''Open''' button, the '''STEP''' dialog box opens.
 Check the check boxes for:
@@ Line 112: / Line 116: @@
 Enter the value and click enter.
 || The '''Import '''option''' '''is preferred when you want to combine several files together.
@@ Line 130: / Line 135: @@
 Click on the''' Open '''button at the bottom right corner.
-|| Now let’s import a step file and edit the model.
+|| Now let’s import a '''step''' file and edit the model.
 Let’s go to''' File '''and select '''Import.'''
@@ Line 142: / Line 147: @@
 || STEP Import Options dialog box opens.
-Then click OK in the dialog box.
+Click OK in the dialog box.
 || While importing, the '''STEP''' dialog box opens.
@@ Line 156: / Line 161: @@
 || The imported part now appears in the 3D view and in the '''Model''' tree.
-A''' STEP''' file is a standard 3D model format.
+A ''' STEP''' file is a standard 3D model format.
 It allows to import designs from other '''CAD''' software and edit them in '''FreeCAD'''.
-We can edit this imported step file in different workbenches.
+We can edit this imported '''step''' file in different workbenches.
 |-
 || Switch to Part workbench.
@@ Line 167: / Line 172: @@
 || Select the top face of the projected box
-Select the defeaturing tool.
+Select the '''defeaturing''' tool.
 Move the cursor and highlight it.
@@ Line 187: / Line 192: @@
 Note that the original object is still seen in the tree.
-The part operations like Booleans can also be applied to '''STEP''' files directly.
+The part operations like '''Boolean'''s can also be applied to '''STEP''' files directly.
 |-
 || Switch to Part Design workbench
 || Now let us create a pocket in the model.
-For this we will switch to the''' Part Design''' workbench.
+For this we will switch to the ''' Part Design''' workbench.
 |-
-|| Select defeatured part.Click''' Create body '''tool on the toolbar.
+|| Select defeatured part.
 Move the cursor to show the base feature in model tree.
-|| Select the defeatured object.Then click '''Create''' '''Body''' tool.
+|| Select the defeatured object.
-The defeatured object becomes the BaseFeature of the Body.
+The defeatured object becomes the '''BaseFeature''' of the Body.
 |-
-|| Select the create a datum plane tool.
+|| Select the create a '''datum plane''' tool.
 Select the top face.
-Click OK.
+Click '''OK'''.
 In the reference pop up, select the Make independent copy and click OK.
 || Select the '''create a datum plane''' tool.
-A new datum plane is created to draw on the top face.
+A new '''datum plane''' is created to draw on the top face.
 Select the top face and click '''OK'''.
@@ Line 222: / Line 231: @@
 Close the sketch
-|| In Sketcher, let us draw the pocket profile.
+|| In '''Sketcher''', let us draw the pocket profile.
 Select the circle tool and draw a circle on the top face.Close the sketch.
@@ Line 230: / Line 239: @@
 |-
 || Enter the depth as 10mm
-|| Enter the depth as 10 mm.Then click OK.
+|| Enter the depth as 10 mm.
 |-
 || 3D view showing pocket cut into the defeatured part
@@ Line 240: / Line 251: @@
 || To save the file, go to '''File '''and click '''Save'''.
-Enter the file name as '''Edited example''' and click Save.
+Enter the file name as '''Edited example''' and click '''Save'''.
 |-
 || '''Slide 5'''
@@ Line 262: / Line 273: @@
 * Add a''' Body''' and '''BaseFeature.'''
 * Create a circular''' sketch''' on a face and '''pocket '''it by 10 mm.
-|| As an assignment, please do the following:
+|| As an assignment, please do the following.
 Here is the output of the assignment.