DesignSpark Mechanical Online Help

Sketching Constraints

 

You can choose constraint-based sketching to reduce the degrees of freedom (place constraints) on the drawing objects in 2D drawings and designs. Adding constraints restricts the type and range of movement of the objects, and links objects such that certain editing tasks on one drawing object will cause linked objects to be modified. Use tools in the Constraints group in the Sketch tab to add constraints to sketches.

Certain sketching tools included rudimentary tangency and coincident constraints (enabled with the Maintain Connectivity option), but these may be overridden during drawing editing. The tools in the Constraints group offer additional types of constraints which can be applied to any of the standard drawing objects (line, circle, arc, and so on) and are more robust.

To enable constraint-based sketching, select Enable constraint based sketching in the Advanced options in the DS Mechanical Options.

 

You can Save and Open models containing sketch Constraints. Designs that include Constraints will open in Sketch mode. Leaving Sketch mode will trigger the deletion of all constraint data. You need to save a copy of the sketch with constraints intact before solidifying if you intend to resume the design with constraints.

NoteClosed:Sketch constraints are active only in 2D sketch mode. If you switch to 3D mode, existing constraint data is deleted. If you expect to edit constraints as part of your design workflow, you must save a copy of the sketch with constraints before switching to 3D mode.

 

The following Constraints can be added to your sketch:

Notes:

By comparison, in normal sketching, the rounds are equal radius during creation only. After creation, they do not maintain an association and can have their sizes changed independently.

 

Adding DimensionClosed constraints

  1. Activate the DimensionClosed constraint in the Constraints group.
  2. Select an individual sketch object, or two objects as required for certain types of dimensions. MoveClosed the cursor away from the object to position the dimension. The normal behavior for applying and locating dimensions is observed. However, when applied as a constraint, if you attempt to edit one object, other objects may be modified to maintain the dimension constraint.

    Notes:

 

Adding an Equal Distance constraint

The Equal Distance constraint uses on-screen tool guides to determine the anchor and target distances, and to create the constraint. This is because more than one selection is often necessary to create the constraint.

  1. Activate the Equal Distance constraint in the Constraints group.
  2. With the TargetClosed tool guide active, select your moveable drawing object or pair of geometries to define the first dimension.

    A dimension line with the target symbol is added to the design page.

  3. Select the Anchor tool guide (or hold the alt key), and then select your stationary drawing object or pair of geometries.

    A dimension line with the anchor symbol is added to the design page.

  4. Click the Complete tool guide to create the constraint.

    The target object will be modified as required.

NoteClosed: A dimension between two lines will force the lines to be parallel.

 

ObjectClosed States

When using constraint-based sketching, you can make sketch objects under-defined, fully-defined, or over-defined.

 

 

Creating Multiple Sketches With Constraints

You can create multiple sketches with constraints on the same sketching plane. The active Sketch node is shown in bold in the tree and the active sketch is highlighted in the design window.

 

To activate a different sketch, select the Sketch node in the Structure treeClosed and select Activate Sketch.

NoteClosed: Constraints may be applied within sketches on the sketching plane.

 

Creating a New Sketching PlaneClosed

  1. Click Select New Sketch PlaneClosed in the mini-toolbar, or right-click and select the Select New Sketch PlaneClosed option from the context menu.
  2. Hover over any existing geometry to display existing planes.
  3. Click to select the highlighted plane and display the sketch grid.

Existing sketches are solidified, and a new Sketch node is added to the Sketching PlaneClosed in the tree. The previous sketch remains active temporarily until you start sketching in the new Sketch.

NoteClosed: Coplanar Sketch Constraints can reside on different containing planes.

 

Viewing Constraints

Select Show Constraint Tips in the Constraints group to view the constraints applied.

Hover over the constraint tip to see the type of constraint. The geometries involved will be highlighted dark blue.

If multiple constraints are applied, click the drop-down to see all the constraints applied.

Deleting Constraints

You can delete constraints using the Delete Constrainttool in the Constraints group or using the option from the mini-toolbar.

Using the Delete Constraint tool:

Select Delete Constraint in the Constraints group. The Delete Constraint tool is available when Show Constraint Tips is enabled.

Select the constraint to be deleted. In case of multiple constraints, click the drop-down and then select the constraint to be deleted.

 

Using the option from the mini-toolbar:

  1. Right-click a drawing object.
  2. In addition to the context menu, a mini toolbar appears at the cursor location.

  1. Click the drop-down next to the Delete icon to see the list of active constraints on the selected drawing object. For example,

    NoteClosed: If the drawing object is a point, the mini toolbar and drop-down will be simpler, containing only the point’s constraints. If multiple drawing objects are selected, the drop-down panel will contain the constraints common to all the selected objects.

    Alternatively, click the red X to delete a constraint. The list of active constraints is shown.

  2. To check which geometries are involved in a constraint, hover over the constraint’s symbol in the drop-down panel. Geometries involved will highlight in red. For constraints involving a point, the point’s parent curve will highlight dashed as well, to help distinguish it from other overlapping points. If applicable, related constraints will highlight in yellow. Related constraints will be affected by changes to the highlighted constraint. Circles constrained to have equal radii could be an example of related constraints.
  3. To delete a constraint, click the constraint’s symbol in the drop-down panel. The symbol will gray out. If the sketch was in an over constrained state, the sketch may adjust if a solution is now achievable.

Using MirrorClosed With Sketch Constraints

  1. With Constraint-based sketching active, sketch a line in the desired mirror position.
  2. Use the right-click context menu, select Set as MirrorClosed LineClosed to set up the mirror.
  1. With multiple MirrorClosed Lines, entities are mirrored about each mirror line whether they are perpendicular or not.
  1. To stop creating mirror constraints, uncheck Set as MirrorClosed LineClosed.

Notes:

NoteClosed: 1D Patterns and 2D Patterns are not supported for Constraint-based sketching.

 

Referencing Existing Geometry

It is possible to create constraints and dimensions to cross sections and edges that lie in the sketch plane. Such cross sections and edges are treated as reference curves and will not be changed. Creating a Sketch Constraint or dimension requires at least one non-reference curve to allow for the constraint to be satisfiable.


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