FreeCad 1.1.3 - Text

General
1

I saw a 5 year old video on your channel where you talked about placing text on design with freecad. You extruded the label. I want to keep it on the surface with out extruding or cutting into the part. For example on a functional part I want to palce a part number. or what it is a name etc.

Can that be done in Freecad?

1 Like
2

Are you going to 3d print this part? If so this is what I do.

  • pocket the text about .01 mm
  • Save and Export the file
  • Open slicer (I’m using Orca Slicer) and load model
  • Select model then select the paint tool
  • Select the color to paint with (you need to have at least two filaments setup in slicer)
  • There is a type of tool selection - select the Fill type
  • Move the mouse over the part of the model where your text is. In the areas where the 0.01 pocket is will the highlighted, click the mouse button to fill that area with a different color.

I’m going from memory at 5:30 am with no coffee good luck

2 Likes
3

As a follow up I know there is a way in freecad that the text can be a different ‘part’ (not sure what the correct term is). Then when it is loaded in the slicer the different ‘parts’ show up in the ‘objects’ area of the Process tab. You can change/select a color there.

the pocket method works for me.

I think a YouTube by the name of MangoJelly had a video some time back explaining how to do this.

4

Thanks Larry will try it and see how it comes out. Thanks any questions, I hope I can reach out. Thanks.

Ing. Peter Fraga
fragapete@gmail.com

1 Like
5

I sometimes find it easier to add text using Orca slicer or one of its forks. There are 3 options

Join - text will be raised

Cut - text will be resealed

Modifier - text will be flush

6

This is probably the easiest way to add text. If you use another slicer, you can always export the modified model.

Cheers

7

Yes you are correct that can work if text is simple and straight. My models could have both text and features that need different colors. So for me the tiny pocket fits my workflow.

1 Like
8

I used text in FreeCAD all the time. It is a little bit tricky, as you need to use Draft workbench and ShapeString operation to then use that in PartDesign to extrude.

MorphOSStick.FCStd (135.8 KB)

This is a USB Stick case I did for presentation at a computer convention.

MorphOSStickV2
MorphOSStickV21024×768 96.6 KB

1 Like