Manage larger projects?

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Raddinox
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:47 am

Manage larger projects?

Post by Raddinox »

Hello,

I have been learning FreeCAD for a while. Now I'm in the process of creating a boat in real size, the boat will later be scaled down so I can 3D print or laser cut parts to build a model boat from my own design.

But I can't figure out a good way to manage all my parts for my boat. Currently I have my hull and bulkheads etc. in one file which is a huge mess IMO and no Assembly workbench is used.

I have another project for my 3D printer I built myself few years ago. My original is made in Sketchup and I'm recreating my parts in FreeCAD now, my plan is to upgrade my 3D printer using my new FreeCAD drawings. With my 3D printer drawings I have a main file using A2Plus assembly workbench and then I draw a single part in a single FreeCAD file import them into my main assembly.

The separate files with a main assembly feels a lot cleaner. But I'm not sure about the idea of separating each bulkhead into a separate file because they relate to each other and to the hull shape. Anyone have any ideas?
Jee-Bee
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Posts: 2566
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:32 am
Location: Netherlands

Re: Manage larger projects?

Post by Jee-Bee »

To be honest i have zero experience in boat design. I have worked with cars including using (parts of) the master shape. So it can be that somebody that has worked with boat design correct me...

What i should do is creating a (set of )master shape(s). Probably you create the outer surface of the hull as one master shape. Based on that surface you can create a line/ set of lines (intersections) for every frame / bulkhead. I'm not sure if you can group them and import them as a group.
I think this way you got the most clean setup. The projects i did with FC are not complex enough that i used master sketches / master models. So i hope somebody response in that direction
Raddinox
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:47 am

Re: Manage larger projects?

Post by Raddinox »

I have planned for something like a master sketch, or more a like a parametric design drawing where I design the hull as surface. Just to get the shape of the hull.

I just had no idea how to take it to the next step, the intersection lines is an interesting idea.
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