In FreeCAD, the “Map Sketch to Face” (or “Map Sketch”) tool allows you to attach a 2D sketch to a selected face or plane of a 3D object. This ensures that the sketch moves with the underlying geometry if modifications are made.
Typical use cases are of Map Sketch in FreeCAD:
- The sketch was created on a standard plane (XY, XZ or YZ) and you want to attach it to the face of a solid in order to build a new feature upon it.
- The sketch was attached to a specific face of a solid but you need to attached it to a different face.
- A broken model needs to be repaired.
How to Use the Map Sketch Tool in FreeCAD-:
- Select an object with a shape, or one or more vertices, edges, and/or faces, and/or a plane.
- There are several ways to invoke the tool:
- Press the
Attach sketch… button. - Select the Sketch → Attach sketch… option from the menu.
- Press the
- The Select sketch dialog opens.
- Select a sketch from the dropdown list.
- Press the OK button.
- The Sketch attachment dialog opens.
- Select an attachment method from the dropdown list. Or select Don’t attach to detach the sketch.
- Press the OK button.
Important Notes-:
-
Sketch Must Be in Part Design Body – The sketch must be inside a Part Design Body to be mappable.
-
Avoid Non-Planar Faces – FreeCAD works best with flat faces. Mapping to curved surfaces may require workarounds (e.g., using a Draft ShapeString + Part Extrude for text).
-
Attachment Offset – You can adjust position/rotation in the Attachment properties.
Troubleshooting-:
-
“Failed to Map Sketch” Error → Ensure the target face is flat and the sketch is in a Part Design Body.
-
Sketch Doesn’t Move with Geometry → Check if the attachment is properly set in the Property Panel.
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