Digital Trends

freeCAD 8

FreeCAD is a basic 3D CAD with advanced motion simulation capabilities. It is suitable for anyone interested in learning 3D CAD and motion simulation for free before using more sophisticated packages. Educators, students, and new engineers will find it ideal for the teaching and learning of geometry, kinematics, dynamics, vibrations, mechanisms, linkages, cams, machine design, and physics.FreeCAD allows users to create and manipulate assemblies, which are collections of parts. The parts are simple 3D solids, which can be connected by joints, constraints, contacts, motors, actuators, springs, dampers, forces, torques, or gravity. The parts and connections define the structure, mechanism, or machine of interest. Both open and closed 3D loops are permitted. FreeCAD performs full multibody dynamics analysis on the assembly to predict the motion according to Newton's Laws. Animation using the simulated data produces realistic dynamic behavior of the system. Users can also study the mechanical dynamics in the form of plots and tabular output. XY plots can be zoomed and set to equal scales. Data series available include linear and angular displacements, velocities, accelerations, forces, torques, momenta, and kinetic energies. Acceleration data include transverse, centripetal, and Coriollis accelerations. Users can view forces and torques from joints, constraints, actuators, springs, dampers, applied forces, and inertia.Notes can now be created, viewed, modified and saved with the assembly. More views and plane selections are provided. Assemblies can be saved in human readable, tab delimited, text format with notes and simulation data for later reload. The text format allows pre and post processing of assemblies by other programs, especially spreadsheet programs.Please visit www.askoh.com for latest updates.