Create a spring with FreeCAD

Hanspeter Flütsch

24 Sep, 2022 04:29 PM

a step by step tutorial for creating a spring with the open source program FreeCAD

1. Step 1:

   Open a new File in the Part workbench.

   

   Click on create primitives and choose "Helix".

   

2. Step 2:

   Now, we set the height to 10mm

   and the radius to 2.4mm

   and click the "Create" Button.

   

   
   

   And now, we have a helix with 10 turns.

3. Step 3:

   We change to the Part-Design workbench and create a new Body.

   We select the Helix and create a shape-binder.

   

   
   

   
   

4. Step 4:

   We hide the Original Helix and see a yellow shape-binder helix.

   We take the front view and create a new sketch on the XZ-plane.

   We activate the helix in our sketch with the "external geometry" button.

   

   we draw a circle with a radius of 0.4mm at the green point of the helix.

   close the sketcher window

5. Step 5:

   

   now, select click at first the circle and then the helix-shape-binder with ctrl.

   Press "additive pipe" button and see what will happened.

   A Helix!!! Congrats...

6. Step 6:

   And now, we need an end of the helix.

   

   
   

   Open a new sketch on the YZ-plane.

   On the upper end, we have to make a vertical cut.

   

   1. We change the draw style to "wireframe"
   2. we take the end circle with "external geometry" (ctrl + x)
   3. an draw a rectangle like this.
   4. it is important that the rectangle completely overlaps the end.
   5. change the view to normal and close the sktech.

7. Step 7:

   

   
   

   1. Press the pocket button.
   2. Change Type to "Trough all"
   3. Activate reversed
   4. Press OK

   At the next step, we finish ou helix with two steps.

8. Step 8: Finish

   This step is actually one step, which we make two times.

   Which page you want to do first, you decide for yourself.

   I take the upper side.

   

   
   

   1. Select the vertical end of the helix and...
   2. Click the "Revolution" button
   3. Change the axis to "Base Z axis"
   4. Press OK

   and repeat this step on the other side.

   
   

   Congratulation!!! Well done...

   Your first helix !!!

   
   

   If you have any question, write me a message.