Arch Panel

IfcSpreadsheet

Panel Cut

BIM

Description

The Arch Panel tool allows you to build all kinds of panel-like elements, typically for panel constructions like the WikiHouse project, but also for all kinds of objects that are based on a flat profile.

The above image shows a series of panel objects, simply made from imported 2D contours from a DXF file. They can then be rotated and assembled to create structures.

The Arch Panel can also be used to create corrugated or trapezoidal profiles:

Usage

1. Select a 2D shape (Draft object, face or sketch) - optional.
2. Press the Panel button, or press P then A keys.
3. Adjust the desired properties.

Limitations

• There is currently no automatic system to produce 2D cutting sheets from panel objects, but such feature is in the plans and will be added in the future.

Options

• The thickness of a panel can be adjusted after creation.
• Press Esc or the Cancel button to abort the current command.
• Double-clicking on the panel in the Tree View after it is created allows you to enter edit mode and access and modify its additions and subtractions.
• It is possible to automatically make panels composed of more than one sheet of a material, by raising its Sheets property.
• Panels can make use of Multi-Materials. When using a multi-material, the panel will become multi-layer, using the thicknesses specified by the multi-material. Any layer with a thickness of zero will have its thickness defined automatically by the remaining space defined by the Panel's own Thickness value, after subtracting the other layers.

Properties

An Arch Panel object shares the common properties and behaviors of all Arch Components.

• DataLength: The length of the panel
• DataWidth: The width of the panel
• DataThickness: The thickness of the panel
• DataArea: The area of the panel (automatic)
• DataSheets: The number of sheets of material the panel is made of
• DataWave Length: The length of the wave for corrugated panels
• DataWave Height: The height of the wave for corrugated panels
• DataWave Type: The type of the wave for corrugated panels, curved, trapezoidal or spiked
• DataWave Direction: The orientation of the waves for corrugated panels
• DataBottom Wave: If the bottom wave of the panel is flat or not

Scripting

See also: Arch API and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

The Panel tool can be used in macros and from the Python console by using the following function:

Panel = makePanel(baseobj=None, length=0, width=0, thickness=0, placement=None, name="Panel")

• Creates a Panel object from the given baseobj, which is a closed profile, and the given extrusion thickness.
  • If no baseobj is given, you can provide the numerical values for the length, width, and thickness to create a block panel.
• If a placement is given, it is used.

Example:

import FreeCAD, Draft, Arch

Rect = Draft.makeRectangle(1000, 400)
Panel = Arch.makePanel(Rect, thickness=36)

Tutorials

• Wikihouse porting tutorial

IfcSpreadsheet

Panel Cut

BIM

BIM

• 2D drafting: Sketch, Line, Polyline, Circle, Arc, Arc From 3 Points, Fillet, Ellipse, Polygon, Rectangle, B-Spline, Bézier Curve, Cubic Bézier Curve, Point

---

• 3D/BIM: Project, Site, Building, Level, Space, Wall, Curtain Wall, Column, Beam, Slab, Door, Window, Pipe, Connector, Stairs, Roof, Panel, Frame, Fence, Truss, Equipment
  • Reinforcement Tools: Custom Rebar, Straight Rebar, U-Shape Rebar, L-Shape Rebar, Stirrup, Bent-Shape Rebar, Helical Rebar, Column Reinforcement, Beam Reinforcement, Slab Reinforcement, Footing Reinforcement
  • Generic 3D Tools: Profile, Box, Shape Builder, Facebinder, Objects Library, Component, External Reference

---

• Annotation: Text, Shape From Text, Aligned Dimension, Horizontal Dimension, Vertical Dimension, Leader, Label, Hatch, Axis, Axis System, Grid, Section Plane, New Page, New View
  • Create 2D Views: 2D Drawing, Section View, Section Cut

---

• Snapping: Snap Lock, Snap Endpoint, Snap Midpoint, Snap Center, Snap Angle, Snap Intersection, Snap Perpendicular, Snap Extension, Snap Parallel, Snap Special, Snap Near, Snap Ortho, Snap Grid, Snap Working Plane, Snap Dimensions, Toggle Grid, Working Plane Front, Working Plane Top, Working Plane Side, Working Plane

---

• Modify: Move, Copy, Rotate, Clone, Create Simple Copy, Create Compound, Offset, 2D Offset, Trimex, Join, Split, Scale, Stretch, Draft to Sketch, Upgrade, Downgrade, Add Component, Remove Component, Array, Path Array, Polar Array, Point Array, Cut With Plane, Mirror, Extrude, Difference, Union, Intersection

---

• Manage: BIM Setup, Views Manager, Setup Project, Manage Doors and Windows, Manage IFC Elements, Manage IFC Quantities, Manage IFC Properties, Manage Classification, Manage Layers, Material, Schedule, Preflight Checks, Annotation Styles

---

• Utils: Toggle Bottom Panels, Move to Trash, Working Plane View, Select Group, Set Slope, Working Plane Proxy, Add to Construction Group, Split Mesh, Mesh to Shape, Select Non-Manifold Meshes, Remove Shape From BIM, Close Holes, Merge Walls, Check, Toggle IFC B-Rep Flag, Toggle Subcomponents, Survey, IFC Diff, IFC Explorer, New IFC Spreadsheet, Image Plane, Unclone, Rewire, Glue, Re-Extrude
  • Panel Tools: Panel, Panel Cut, Panel Sheet, Nest
  • Structure Tools: Structure, Structural System, Multiple Structures
  • IFC Tools: IFC Diff, IFC Expand, Create IFC Project, IfcOpenShell Update
  • Nudge: Nudge Switch, Nudge Up, Nudge Down, Nudge Left, Nudge Right, Nudge Rotate Left, Nudge Rotate Right, Nudge Extend, Nudge Shrink

---

• Additional: Preferences, Fine tuning, Import Export Preferences, IFC, DAE, OBJ, JSON, 3DS, SHP

User documentation

• Getting started
• Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
• Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate

---

• Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
• Workbenches: Std Base, Assembly, BIM, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Material, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework

---

• Addons: Addon Manager, External workbenches, Scripting and macros

---

• Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub