FreeCAD Workbench

OpenGlider provides a FreeCAD workbench for interactive paraglider design inside FreeCAD. The workbench is in the freecad/glider package and is loaded when FreeCAD starts with OpenGlider installed.

Overview

  • Name: Glider workbench

  • Purpose: Paraglider/kite design: shape, arc, ribs, ballooning, cells, lines, cuts, and export of patterns/panels.

The workbench uses the same openglider Python library for geometry; FreeCAD is the GUI and document host.

Main tools (examples)

  • Create/Import glider — create a new parametric glider or import from file.

  • Shape / Arc / AOA / Airfoil / Ballooning — edit 2D design parameters.

  • Cell / Line — edit cells and line sets.

  • Pattern / Panel / Import DXF — production and import.

  • View — visualisation of the glider.

Installation for FreeCAD

  1. Install FreeCAD (e.g. from your system package manager or FreeCAD).

  2. Install OpenGlider so that Python can import both openglider and the FreeCAD modules (e.g. pip install -e . from the OpenGlider repo).

  3. Install a custom pivy build for your FreeCAD version if needed; see looooo/pivy.

  4. Start FreeCAD; the Glider workbench should appear in the workbench list.

Using with pixi

From the OpenGlider project root:

pixi run freecad

This starts FreeCAD with the correct environment and OpenGlider available.

Further resources

Use at your own risk — the workbench is maintained for compatibility with recent FreeCAD and OpenGlider versions but may require adjustments for your setup.