Clone¶

In one sentence: Wrap any solid object in a new Body as a parametric linked copy that stays synchronized with the original whenever it changes.

Overview¶

Workbench: Part Design · Menu: Part Design → Clone
Toolbar: Part Design Helper Features · Shortcut: none

Clone takes any Part::Feature-derived solid — a Body tip, a Part primitive, an imported STEP solid — and creates a fresh PartDesign::Body containing a single PartDesign::FeatureBase whose BaseFeature property links back to the source object. Because the link is parametric, the clone recomputes every time the source changes shape or placement. You get a separate Body with its own model tree entry, its own visual appearance, and the ability to add further PartDesign features on top of the imported shape.

Intuition¶

Imagine you have a complex casting imported from STEP. You want to add machined features (holes, fillets, chamfers) without touching the original import. Clone creates an exact mirror of that casting inside a new Body. The mirror always shows the current state of the casting. You then add features to the mirror; the original import stays pristine.

Alternatively, if you are building an assembly of identical parts, Clone lets you reuse one Body's geometry in several places while keeping all instances in sync. Change the master, and every clone updates.

When to use it¶

You want to use a solid from outside the PartDesign workflow (a Part primitive, a Shape Binder result, or an imported solid) as the starting point for PartDesign features.
You need multiple separate Bodies that share the same base geometry but have different additional features on top.
You want to hand off the cleaned-up version of an imported STEP body to another Body for downstream machining operations without modifying the import.
You need to place the same geometry in multiple positions with individual placements while each instance tracks the master shape.

When NOT to use it¶

You want to reuse geometry from another Body within the same Body — use Shape Binder or Sub-Shape Binder instead; those tools bring references into an existing Body rather than creating a new one.
You want a fully independent copy with no link to the original — use Duplicate Object instead; it produces an unlinked copy.
You want to pattern features inside a single Body — use Linear Pattern, Polar Pattern, or Mirrored instead.

Step-by-step walkthrough¶

Prerequisites: At least one Part::Feature-derived solid must exist in the document (a Body, a Part primitive, an imported solid, etc.).

Select the source object. Click the solid you want to clone in the model tree or the 3D viewport. The Clone command requires exactly one Part::Feature to be selected; the toolbar button is greyed out otherwise.
Launch the command. Click the Clone button in the Part Design Helper Features toolbar, or choose Part Design → Clone from the menu.
Inspect the result. Two new objects appear in the model tree: a new Body and a Clone (a PartDesign::FeatureBase) inside it. The clone's BaseFeature property points to your original object. FreeCAD copies the visual appearance (colour, transparency, display mode) from the source to the clone.
Continue modelling. Activate the new Body by double-clicking it. You can now add Pad, Pocket, Fillet, or any other PartDesign feature on top of the cloned shape exactly as if you had built it from scratch.

Tip

If the source object has a complex colour or material assigned, the Clone command automatically copies ShapeAppearance, LineColor, PointColor, Transparency, and DisplayMode to the new Body — you do not need to re-apply them manually.

Tip

You can rename both the generated Body and Clone objects immediately after creation. Right-click → Rename in the model tree so that the tree stays readable when you have many clones.

Parameters¶

The Clone object (PartDesign::FeatureBase) has a small set of directly editable properties. Open them in the Properties panel (View → Panels → Properties).

FeatureBase properties¶

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`BaseFeature`	`App::PropertyLink`	source object	The object whose shape this clone tracks. Changing this link retargets the clone to a different source. The link scope is Global, so cross-document references are supported.
`Placement`	`App::PropertyPlacement`	copied from source	Position and orientation of the clone in the world. Editable independently of the source — moving the clone does not move the source. The editor mode is set to `0` (visible and editable) by the Clone command.

Body properties (set by the Clone command)¶

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`Tip`	`App::PropertyLink`	the Clone feature	The feature whose shape the Body exposes.
`AllowCompound`	`App::PropertyBool`	from user preferences	When `True`, the Body may contain more than one solid. Copied from the BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/PartDesign/AllowCompoundDefault preference.

Advanced usage¶

Retargeting a clone to a different source¶

Open the clone feature's Properties panel, locate BaseFeature, and click the ... button to select a new source object. The clone immediately recomputes from the new source. Any features added on top of the clone in the same Body are rebuilt against the new shape.

Cross-document clones¶

Because BaseFeature uses LinkScope::Global, you can have a clone in one document reference a solid in another document (when both are open in the same FreeCAD session). This is useful for assembly-style workflows: master parts live in their own documents, and each assembly document holds clones that track them.

Adding features on top of a clone¶

After activating the clone's Body, use any PartDesign tool normally. The clone is automatically treated as the base solid for the next additive or subtractive feature. The model tree will show the clone at the bottom, with your new features stacked above it.

Placement independence¶

The clone's Placement is separate from the source's Placement. You can move the clone to a different position in the world while the geometry (shape) remains synchronized with the source. This is unlike a simple instance or link — the clone is an independent Body with its own location.

Common mistakes and pitfalls¶

Clone command is greyed out

Cause: No object is selected, more than one object is selected, or the selected object is not derived from Part::Feature.
Fix: Select exactly one solid (a Body, a Part primitive, an imported solid, etc.) in the model tree or 3D viewport before activating the command.

Clone turns orange or shows an error after the source changes

Cause: The source object failed to recompute, so the clone has nothing valid to link to. Or the source was deleted.
Fix: Resolve the error in the source object first. If the source was deleted, either undo the deletion or retarget BaseFeature to a different object in the Properties panel.

Features added on top of the clone fail after source geometry changes

Cause: The underlying shape changed significantly (faces or edges were removed or renumbered) and PartDesign features that referenced those sub-shapes can no longer find them. This is the standard topological naming problem.
Fix: Re-attach the affected feature's sketch or references to the new geometry by editing the feature.

Circular dependency error

Cause: You tried to clone an object that is itself derived from (or depends on) the same Body you are editing.
Fix: The clone must reference an object that is independent of the clone's own Body. Use Shape Binder for referencing geometry from within the same document hierarchy.

Python API¶

import FreeCAD as App
import FreeCADGui as Gui

doc = App.newDocument()

# --- Create a source solid ---
# (Using a Part Box as the source; any Part::Feature works)
import Part
box = doc.addObject("Part::Box", "SourceBox")
box.Length = 50
box.Width = 30
box.Height = 20
doc.recompute()

# --- Create a Body and a FeatureBase (clone) ---
body_name = "Body"
clone_name = "Clone"

body = doc.addObject("PartDesign::Body", body_name)
clone = doc.addObject("PartDesign::FeatureBase", clone_name)

# Wire the body up: group contains the clone, tip points to it
body.Group = [clone]
body.Tip = clone

# Link the clone to the source
clone.BaseFeature = box
clone.Placement = box.Placement  # start at same position as source
clone.setEditorMode("Placement", 0)  # make Placement editable

doc.recompute()

print(clone.Shape.BoundBox)
# Expected: BoundBox identical to box.Shape.BoundBox

# --- Move the clone independently ---
import Base
clone.Placement = App.Placement(
    App.Vector(100, 0, 0),   # offset 100 mm along X
    App.Rotation()
)
doc.recompute()
# The clone shape is still the same box geometry, just translated.

Key properties¶

Property	Type	Description
`BaseFeature`	`App::PropertyLink`	Points to the source `Part::Feature`. Setting this to `None` will cause the feature to error on next recompute. The link scope is Global.
`Placement`	`App::PropertyPlacement`	Position and orientation of the clone in the world coordinate system. Independent of the source's Placement.
`Shape`	`Part::PropertyPartShape`	Output shape, copied from `BaseFeature` on every recompute. Read-only.