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Arch workbench icon Arch Workbench

Introduction

The Arch Workbench provides a modern building information modelling (BIM) workflow to FreeCAD, with support for features like fully parametric architectural entities such as walls, beams, roofs, windows, stairs, pipes, and furniture. It supports industry foundation classes (IFC) files, and production of 2D floor plans in combination with the TechDraw Workbench.

The Arch Workbench imports all tools from the Draft Workbench, as it uses its 2D objects to build 3D parametric architectural objects. Nevertheless, Arch can also use solid shapes created with other workbenches like Part and PartDesign.

The BIM functionality of FreeCAD is now progressively split into this Arch Workbench, which holds basic architectural tools, and the BIM Workbench, which is available from the Addon Manager. This BIM Workbench adds a new interface layer on top of the Arch tools, with the aim of making the BIM workflow more intuitive and user-friendly. See FreeCAD BIM migration guide.

The developers of Draft, Arch, and BIM also collaborate with the greater OSArch community, with the ultimate goal of improving building design by using entirely free software.

Tools

These are tools for creating architectural objects.

  • Wall: creates a wall from scratch or using a selected object as a base.

  • Curtain Wall: creates a curtain wall from scratch or using a selected object as a base. (v0.19)

  • Structural element: creates a structural element from scratch or using a selected object as a base.

  • Rebar tools: the Reinforcement Addon augments the Arch Workbench Structures.

    • Straight Rebar: creates a Straight reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • UShape Rebar: creates a UShape reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • LShape Rebar: creates a LShape reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • Bent Shape Rebar: creates a Bent Shape reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • Stirrup Rebar: creates a Stirrup reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • Helical Rebar: creates a Helical reinforcement bar in a selected structural element.
    • ColumnReinforcement: creates a reinforcing bars inside a Column Arch Structure object.
    • ColumnReinforcement TwoTiesSixRebars: creates a reinforcing bars inside a Column Arch Structure object.
    • BeamReinforcement: creates reinforcing bars inside a Beam Arch Structure object.
    • Rebar: creates a custom reinforcement bar in a selected structural element using a sketch.

  • Floor: Creates a floor including selected objects

  • Building Part: Creates a building part including selected objects

  • Building: Creates a building including selected objects

  • Site: Creates a site including selected objects

  • Project: Creates a project including selected objects

  • Reference: Links objects from another FreeCAD file into this document

  • Window: Creates a window using a selected object as a base

  • Section Plane: Adds a section plane object to the document

  • Axis tools: The Axis tool allows you to places a series of axes in the current document.

    • Axis: Adds a 1-direction array of axes to the document
    • Axis System: Adds an axis system composed of several axes to the document
    • Grid: Adds a grid-like object to the document

  • Roof: Creates a sloped roof from a selected face

  • Space: Creates a space object in the document

  • Stairs: Creates a stairs object in the document

  • Panel tools: Allows you to build all kinds of panel-like elements.

    • Panel: Creates a panel object from a selected 2D object
    • Panel Cut: Creates a 2D cut view from a panel (v0.17)
    • Panel Sheet: Creates a 2D cut sheet including panel cuts or other 2D objects (v0.17)
    • Nest: Allow to nest several flat objects inside a container shape (v0.17)

  • Frame: Creates a frame object from a selected layout

  • Fence: Creates a fence object from a selected post and path. (v0.19)

  • Truss: Creates a truss from a selected line of from scratch. (v0.19)

  • Equipment: Creates an equipment or furniture object

  • Profile: Creates a parametric 2D profile. (v0.19)

  • Pipe tools (v0.17)

    • Pipe: Creates a pipe (v0.17)
    • Pipe Connector: Creates a corner or tee connection between 2 or 3 selected pipes (v0.17)

  • Material tools: The Material tools allows to add materials to the active document.

    • Material: Creates a material and attributes it to selected objects, if any
    • Multi-Material: Creates a multi-material and attributes it to selected objects, if any (v0.17)

  • Schedule: Creates different types of schedules

Modification tools

These are tools for modifying architectural objects.

Utilities

These are additional tools to help you in specific tasks.

Preferences

  • Preferences: preferences for the default appearance of walls, structures, rebars, windows, stairs, panels, pipes, grids and axes.

File formats

  • IFC: industry foundation classes
  • DAE: Collada mesh format
  • OBJ: Obj mesh format (export only)
  • JSON: JavaScript Object Notation format (export only)
  • 3DS: 3DS format (import only)
  • SHP: GIS Shapefiles (import only)

API

The Arch module can be used in Python scripts and macros using the Arch Python API functions.

Tutorials

documentation index > Workbenches > Arch > Arch Workbench