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ryankembrey/FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench

A FreeCAD workbench that checks 3D models for Design for Manufacturing issues such as draft angles, wall thickness, undercuts and sharp corners.

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What is it?

DFM Workbench is an add-on for FreeCAD that analyses 3D models for Design for Manufacturing (DFM) problems, so designers can find issues before a part reaches the factory. It checks draft angle for mold ejection, wall thickness against the chosen process and material, undercuts that block mold separation, and sharp internal and external corners.

Plastic injection molding is preconfigured. Manufacturing processes, rules and materials can be edited or extended to suit other workflows. Failing faces are highlighted in the 3D viewport with annotations, and results can be tracked over time to show regressions and fixes. Analysis results can be exported to CSV.

The workbench is installed through the FreeCAD Addon Manager and is officially supported on FreeCAD 1.1 and later. It is currently in alpha.

Key features

  • 01Draft angle analysis for mold ejection
  • 02Wall thickness checks against process and material
  • 03Undercut detection that blocks mold separation
  • 04Sharp internal and external corner detection
  • 05Failing faces highlighted in the 3D viewport
  • 06Results history for tracking regressions and fixes
  • 07CSV export of analysis results

Use cases

  • Checking an injection-molded part design before sending it to a mold maker
  • Reviewing wall thickness and draft in CAD models during the design phase
  • Adding custom manufacturing processes and materials for a specific shop's workflow

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install the workbench from the FreeCAD Addon Manager

Things to know

  • Status is alpha, so expect rough edges.
  • Requires FreeCAD 1.1 or newer; FreeCAD 0.x is not supported.
  • Plastic injection molding is the only preconfigured process out of the box.

Topics

#freecad#design-for-manufacturing#cad#injection-molding#3d-modeling#manufacturing#addon#dfm#workbench

FAQ

What is FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench?
A FreeCAD workbench that checks 3D models for Design for Manufacturing issues such as draft angles, wall thickness, undercuts and sharp corners. DFM Workbench is an add-on for FreeCAD that analyses 3D models for Design for Manufacturing (DFM) problems, so designers can find issues before a part reaches the factory. It checks draft angle for mold ejection, wall thickness against the chosen process and material, undercuts that block mold separation, and sharp internal and external corners.
Is FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench free to use? What license does it have?
FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench is open source under the LGPL-2.1 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench was on Nov 2, 2026.
What can I use FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench for?
Checking an injection-molded part design before sending it to a mold maker Reviewing wall thickness and draft in CAD models during the design phase Adding custom manufacturing processes and materials for a specific shop's workflow
How do I install FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench?
Install the workbench from the FreeCAD Addon Manager
Where can I get FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/ryankembrey/FreeCAD-DFM-Workbench

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