FreeCAD 26.3.0 Assembly: A simple alternative to SolidWorks Configurations? (Testing)
Hey everyone,
I’m currently transitioning my workflow from SolidWorks to FreeCAD. My current project is designing an open-source diode laser engraver (the My-Diode Laser), and I hit a major roadblock that I know many SW transplants struggle with: Part Configurations inside an Assembly.
When building a machine with V-Slot aluminum extrusions or lead screws, you need multiple instances of the same profile with different lengths. I recently watched MangoJelly's excellent video on Configuration Tables and Variant Links and tried to figure out a way to apply that logic directly inside an assembly without duplicating files.
I tested this in older FreeCAD versions and couldn't get it to work—every time I changed a configuration on one instance, all the other instances in the assembly updated to match it. However, I just tried experimenting again using the FreeCAD 26.3.0 DEV version, and I found a workflow that seems almost too simple!
I’m honestly not sure if this is a new feature that just started working correctly in the new Assembly WB, or if I was simply doing something wrong in my previous attempts.
The Workflow I'm Testing:
- Create a Master Body part driven by a Configuration Table (Spreadsheet).
- Insert that Master Part directly into the new Assembly Workbench.
- Here is the trick: Select the instance in the assembly tree, go to its data properties, and switch
Link Copy On Changeto Disabled.
By doing this, I was able to drop several instances of the exact same extrusion file into the assembly and change their lengths independently! No duplicate files and no complex SubShapeBinder workarounds needed inside the assembly.
I uploaded a quick test file to GrabCAD so you guys can see exactly what I mean and test it yourselves: 🔗 https://grabcad.com/library/
My question to the FreeCAD veterans: Is this the intended way to handle instance variations in the new Assembly WB? Are there any hidden bugs or performance issues with this method when the assembly gets huge?
Any feedback is highly appreciated! I'm trying to establish best practices for my CAD classes and open-source releases.
P.S. If anyone is curious about the open-source machines I'm developing to democratize digital fabrication, you can check out the progress at https://my-machines.com/open-source-machine. Cheers!