FreeCAD Help & Showcase

Hi,

Have you posed this question in the FreeCAD forum https://forum.freecadweb.org/

Do a search first (use the search box in the forum header).

You will often get a useful reply within a few hours.

One thing I like about the forum is that if something is generally not possible someone will usually say so (or provide a workaround), or suggest that the problem is under consideration.

Given the limited manpower resources for most Open Source software the developers do an amazing job to provide a program that performs many functions.

Cheers,

Paul

Hello Emil,

everything Paul wrote is correct.

Did you install 3rd-party Fastener Workbench via the Add-On-Installer?

If yes, you should switch the thread-option to true. It is normally switched off because of performance reasons.

Then threads can be visible by boolian subtracting the bolt from the plate. But many who have done this report on the FC forum that printing a threat usually is difficult and often too tight. Tapping or even fitting a metal thread into the printed piece is the way to go.

regards

what you say makes sense, especially for tight threads, fine threads and so on, and printing a large plate witha 0.1 nozle just to get a nice thread in it might not justify the ages you have to wait for the print to be accomplished, hence go old time style, tap and good bye.

The problem with tap thing is I just ordered them today and will arrive on... 8 of February, god damn it.

Printing fine threads is always going to be sketchy due to a number of factors. Thickness of print, direction of hole, nozzle size, print speed, filament vs resin, etc. Tapping can be a better option but tapping a number of plastics can be tricky. Some plastics do not cut well, such as more flexible plastics, and can leave hairs or burs or gum up your tap. Also hand tapping means the human factor can leave your threads possibly in a slightly different angle than anticipated. but taps are cheap and so is filament so have fun experimenting!

Printing fine thread is easy at the pact that you use very fine nozzle and print dual head or dual filament same nozzle, either goes fine as long as your other filament is water soluble PVA and it is only used as support material alone, and yes, you need support everywhere. Common sense here. That is why I install now a double nozzle direct drive kit with all the headache that it takes, and will see how it behaves latter.

If you look at my coil spring model on my profile, it is a sweep of a circle around a helix. You could do a sweep of the thread profile around the helix making it as tight or loose as you want.

it is not only about how you design it, but about how you design it so that the printer can do it fit for purpose.

I realize that. Which is why I say sweep a sketch around a helix. You can then easily change the dimensions in the sketch by .001 or whatever you need to get the desired fit. In aluminum parts I machine, I try whenever possible to make threads with a thread mill. That allows me to set the fit to whatever I like. Since milled threads are so much cleaner, I usually can make them tighter than standard and not have problems threading a bolt in.