Translate a brief into dimensions

Translate a brief into dimensions — guided practice

Define a small solid model in millimeters.

Fictional object: a solid desk token, 60 mm wide, 30 mm deep, 6 mm thick, with one circular through-hole. Hole center is x=10, y=15 mm from the lower-left corner; diameter 8 mm. No physical manufacture is required. Open the desk-token-brief.txt file or copy these numbers.

1. 1. Choose the unit

   Launch free desktop FreeCAD. Create a new document with File > New; choose Edit > Preferences > General > Units and a millimeter-based system. Save as desk-token.FCStd.

   You should see: A named empty document uses millimeters.

   A 60-inch interpretation would be a different object.

2. 2. Mark the origin

   On paper or in a text note, name the lower-left base corner (0, 0). Write the four corners (0, 0), (60, 0), (60, 30), (0, 30).

   You should see: The rectangle covers positive x and y.

   An origin removes ambiguity in hole placement.

3. 3. Check the margins

   Calculate the hole radius 8/2=4. Subtract it from the x and y center coordinates; also subtract center plus radius from each opposite edge.

   You should see: Hole-to-edge margins are left 6, right 46, bottom 11, top 11 mm.

   The complete circle must sit inside the rectangle.

4. 4. Record the model order

   Write: base sketch → 6 mm Pad → circular sketch → through Pocket. Add a note that a rendered preview does not certify a manufactured part.

   You should see: The plan has four operations and a geometric check.

   Building from a simple base makes later edits understandable.