FreeCAD started out a little shaky, but it has gotten better and better. If you are trying to draw a schematic, it probably isn’t the best way to do it. However, it is a great graphical alternative to OpenSCAD for 3D printing and even incorporates OpenSCAD if you don’t want to choose. However, if you have a 3D part — regardless of how you want to create it in real life — having a proper mechanical drawing is very valuable. FreeCAD’s TechDraw workbench makes this very easy and [Joko] has a tutorial that shows exactly how to do it.

Machinists everywhere are used to looking at these drawings that typically show a top view, a front view, and a side view. The program will automatically project the views you select and then allows you to pick dimensions. It creates them and keeps them up to date if you change them in the model later.

The only things we had to remember from drafting class are which dimensions you need and which you don’t. FreeCAD just puts them where you tell it to.

If you need a mechanical drawing to show a colleague, a customer, a machine shop, or to file with a patent, FreeCAD has you covered. We didn’t try it, but you ought to be able to pull in OpenSCAD files and then create a drawing from that, as well.

FreeCAD is changing rapidly, especially if you download the latest versions. However, we did do a tutorial that will get you started. You can even send it data from KiCAD. Now if they would make a schematic workbench, we’d be very happy.