Read a FreeCAD document

.FCStd is FreeCAD’s native document format: a zip archive carrying Document.xml plus one BREP per part. pyvista_cad.read_fcstd parses the manifest and tessellates the BREPs via OCP, no FreeCAD binary required.

This example reads a real part straight from the FreeCAD parts library (CC-BY 3.0, FreeCAD-library contributors): an M3 nyloc lock nut, and walks the resulting pyvista.MultiBlock.

Why this matters: FreeCAD is the dominant open-source MCAD package. Reading FCStd without a FreeCAD install lets analysis pipelines pick up community parts directly.

import pyvista as pv

import pyvista_cad
from pyvista_cad.examples import downloads

Read the real FCStd document.

mb = pyvista_cad.read_fcstd(downloads.fcstd_nut_path())
mb

MultiBlock (0x7f6faf5e69e0)
  N Blocks:   16
  X Bounds:   -3.175e+00, 3.175e+00
  Y Bounds:   -3.175e+00, 3.175e+00
  Z Bounds:   -2.000e-01, 3.856e+00

MultiBlock 16 blocks 562 KiB

Bounds⧉X [-3.175e+00, 3.175e+00]Y [-3.175e+00, 3.175e+00]Z [-2.000e-01, 3.856e+00]

• Blocks: (16)
  • SketchPolyData0 pts · 0 cells · 3 KiB
  • RevolutionPolyData214 pts · 204 cells · 19 KiB
  • HexagonPolyData0 pts · 0 cells · 3 KiB
  • Sketch002PolyData0 pts · 0 cells · 3 KiB
  • PocketPolyData424 pts · 372 cells · 33 KiB
  • Pocket001PolyData530 pts · 480 cells · 36 KiB
  • neck-sketchPolyData0 pts · 0 cells · 3 KiB
  • neckPolyData538 pts · 832 cells · 56 KiB
  • nut-with-neckPolyData1,068 pts · 1,312 cells · 77 KiB
  • ChamferPolyData1,122 pts · 1,364 cells · 78 KiB
  • CylinderPolyData106 pts · 100 cells · 11 KiB
  • Cylinder001PolyData106 pts · 100 cells · 11 KiB
  • nylon-ringPolyData212 pts · 208 cells · 18 KiB
  • nut-basePolyData1,122 pts · 1,364 cells · 78 KiB
  • nylon-neckPolyData212 pts · 208 cells · 18 KiB
  • Nyloc-nut-M3PolyData1,334 pts · 1,572 cells · 115 KiB

Render the nut.

for _, part in mb.cad.walk():
    part['elevation'] = part.points[:, 2]

pl = pv.Plotter()
pl.cad.add(mb, scalars='elevation', cmap='cividis')
pl.show()

Static Scene

Interactive Scene