ghbalf/freecad-ai/thread-insert

Heat-Set Thread Insert Holes

Create properly sized holes for heat-set threaded inserts (common in 3D printed parts).

Standard insert sizes (hole diameter / depth)

• M2: hole d=3.2mm, depth=3.5mm
• M2.5: hole d=3.6mm, depth=4.0mm
• M3: hole d=4.0mm, depth=5.0mm
• M4: hole d=5.6mm, depth=6.0mm
• M5: hole d=6.4mm, depth=7.0mm

Parameters to ask (if not provided)

• Insert size: M2 / M2.5 / M3 / M4 / M5
• Target object: which body/feature to cut into
• Positions: XY coordinates or face + offsets
• Through-hole below insert?: if yes, add a smaller through-hole (screw clearance) below the insert pocket

Construction

1. For each position, create a sketch on the target face
2. Draw a circle with the insert hole diameter
3. Pocket to the insert depth
4. If through-hole requested: add a second smaller circle (screw clearance) and pocket through-all

Clearance hole diameters (for through-holes below insert)

• M2: 2.4mm, M2.5: 2.9mm, M3: 3.4mm, M4: 4.5mm, M5: 5.5mm

Cleanup

After construction, hide all sketches for a clean viewport:

for obj in App.ActiveDocument.Objects:
    if obj.TypeId == "Sketcher::SketchObject":
        obj.Visibility = False