Frequently used 2D Tools

Although there are multiple variations of 2D geometric objects which can be input into the workspace, these roughly fall into two categories :

• Line Geometry
• Radial Geometry

Line Geometry

Ribbon : Draw | 2D | Line

Default : Line

This consists of line tools such as single lines, multiple lines (polylines), Polygons, Rectangles etc.

All 2D Line Geometry can be created in the workspace by means of the inputting accurate geometric and spatial information.

Any line can be drawn according to length and angle dimensions by inputting the Length and Angle into the data fields of the Inspector Bar.

Various drawing tools can be used to assist in the creation of lines. For example, when drawing a line, the keyboard SHIFT key can be used to constrain the drawing of such lines to orthographic (90°) angles.

Closed line objects such as Polygons and Rectangles are created by inputting their geometric information into the data fields of the Inspector Bar.

The geometrical and spatial information, as well as the properties (layer, color, line style etc) for any drawn object can be found using the Selection Info Palette. For example, the length and angle of a line can be found by selecting the line and viewing the information in the Selection Info Palette.

Similarly, geometric information, for example, changing the length or angle of a line can be done using the Metrics pane of the Selection Info Palette.

Rectangles, Polygons, Parallel Lines and Perpendicular lines

Closed line objects such as Polygons and Rectangles are created by inputting their geometric information into the data fields of the Inspector Bar.

The geometrical and spatial information, as well as the properties (layer, color, line style etc) for any drawn object can be found using the Selection Info Palette. For example, the length and angle of a line can be found by selecting the line and viewing the information in the Selection Info Palette.

Similarly, updating geometric information, for example, changing the length or angle of a line can be done using the Metrics pane of the Selection Info Palette.

Radial Geometry

Ribbon | Draw | Draw 2D | Circle/Ellipse

Default : Draw | Circle

This consists of radial tools such as circles, arcs and ellipses.

All 2D circle tools provide options to generate these objects according to specific criteria such as radius, diameter, tangential connections etc. For example, a circle can either be drawn from a center to a radial point, from 2 points on the diameter or by connecting 2 tangential points to other circles or lines.

The geometrical and spatial information, as well as the properties (layer, color, line style etc) for any drawn object can be found using the Selection Info Palette. For example, the radius of a circle can be changed by selecting the circle and viewing the information in the Selection Info Palette.

Similarly, geometric information, for example, changing the radius or a circle be done using the Metrics pane of the Selection Info Palette.

Curves & Contours

Sketch tools such as Polylines can include the creation of arcs and blends by defining a radius. They can also be tapered by specifying a start and end line width.

An example of curved drawing tools is the Bezier Curve.

 

Bezier Curve

Ribbon : Draw | Draw 2D | Curve | Bezier

Default : Draw | Curve | Bezier

A Bezier curve is a freehand curve which consists of multiple segments and control points.

The curvature of the blend is bisected by control points and the Edit tool is used to access these points by applying nodes and handles.

Multiple nodes can be selected and equal or non-equal curvatures can be applied to the control points.

A Bezier curve can be converted to a Spline using the Selection Info Palette or the Properties Sheet.

The control points of the bezier curve are explained briefly below.

Simple bezier curve	Bezier curve selected	Control points selected using Edit tool

Multiple control points can be controlled using a rectangular selection method, shown below.

The illustration below shows the control points selected when the Selector Mode is deactivated.

The illustration below shows the Selector Mode activated, similar to the Selector Shell feature when 2D objects are selected.

This option is activated by selecting the Bezier curve with the Edit tool then using right click > Selector Mode.

When the Selector Mode is activated, shown above, the handles of the Selector Shell allow normal functionality such as Move, Copy, Rotate and Edit Reference Point, shown below.

In addition to using the Selector Mode to allow greater control over the nodes of the curve, features such as Equal Curvature at Point, Non Equal Curvature at Point etc, shown above are available.

Observe how these improved features affect the curvature of the control points in the illustrations below.

 

Curve Blend tool

Modify | Blend Curves

The Blend Curves tool can blend polylines and curves. Options include :

• G2 continuous. This option builds Bezier segment by 2 points, 2 directions, and 2 curvatures.
• Minimized radius of curvature. This option constructs a Bezier segment whose maximum radius of curvature is minimal.

Objects to which the Blend Curve tool applies are :

• Polylines
• Arcs
• Curves

Example

G2 Continuous

1. In the example below left, 2 separate curves are drawn as polyline arc segments.
2. Select Modify > Blend Curve.
3. Select the G2 option
4. Select the 2 points between ❶ and ❷
5. The result is shown below right.

Minimized Radius of Curvature

1. In the example below left, 2 separate curves are drawn as polyline arc segments.
2. Select Modify > Blend Curve.
3. Select the Minimized Radius of Curvature option.
4. The Curvature Radii remains at 1mm
5. Select the 2 points between ❶ and ❷
6. The result is shown below right.

Curvature at Point

This node manipulated	Using ‘Equal Curvature at Point ‘	Using ‘Unequal Curvature at Point’

TAKE NOTE

All 2D Sketch objects can be selected and their properties (layers, color, line style, etc), geometric properties (length, angle, radius, arc start and end length etc) and their spatial properties (X-Y coordinates) can be modified using the Selection Info Palette Tools > Palettes > Selection Info. .

Bezier Edit tool

The Bezier edit tool includes visualization of radii of curvature as a set of segments and editing tangent nodes (green) while maintaining tangent direction.

Additionally, preserves tangent direction has been included as a new local menu item of the Bezier edit tool which allows the editing of a Bezier curve without changing the direction of the tangent at the point.

show curvatures

The Curve tool has a new show curvatures option.

When this property is enabled, it displays curvatures as a set of segments.

Example

1. Select Draw > Curve and use any curve option to draw a shape in the editor. In this example, a Bezier curve is used. Right click and select Finish to create the end point of the curve.
2. Select the Edit tool, select the curve, then expand the Curve options in the Selection Info palette.
3. Activate the Show Curvatures option.

Construction Objects

Ribbon | Draw | Draw 2D | Construction

Default | Draw | Construction

Construction objects are used as temporary objects in cases where geometry is required.

A layer called $Construction is automatically created the first time construction entities are used in a drawing.

Certain snap modes can be used with construction entities. Nearest, center, quadrant, intersection, tangent and perpendicular snap modes can be used. Midpoint and vertex snap modes cannot be used with construction entities.

Construction entities can be erased using Edit > Clear > Construction > Construction/All Construction.

Construction geometry can remain in the drawing, but can be turned off prior toTo print the drawing, click onto A3 Landscape at the bottom left of the editor then go to File | Printing by adjusting the ‘Print Construction’ in theTo print the drawing, click onto A3 Landscape at the bottom left of the editor then go to File | Print.Preview/Page Setup options.

Frequently used Construction objects are :

Angular construction

Vertical construction

Horizontal construction

Parallel construction

Construction circles

The layer properties of construction objects can be changed using the Design Director. In the illustration below, angled, horizontal, vertical and construction circles are used to construct a drawing with irregular geometry.

Construction objects used to assist with constructing a drawing with irregular geometry

Design Constraints

Menu Options :

Ribbon | Insert | Constraints

Default | Constraints

Palette : Sketch | Constraints

Constraints apply design rules to a sketch which constrain it to certain conditions.

The Constraints Manager tools constrain the geometry of the sketch to specified conditions, eg: perpendicular; parallel, equal radius, tangent. etc. These are referred to as geometric constraints and are displayed in the menu panel above.

Dimensional constraints apply linear, angular, diametric and radial constraints to objects to define measurement and spatial relationships.

Worked Example

A rectangle will be constrained to specific measurements.

Auto Constraints will be added so as to maintain geometric integrity of parallel and perpendicular conditions.

A circle will be added, then the diameter constrained to a specific measurement.

The circle will be moved parametrically so that it is in the center of the rectangle.

take Note 

Dimensions shown greyed out in the illustrations are for illustrative clarity only.

The Auto Constraint shown above is activated at the bottom left of the editor.

A rectangle to the approximate proportions to that shown below is drawn in the editor. In the illustration below, the geometric constraints are shown at the edges (parallel constraints) and corner vertices (coincident and perpendicular constraints) of the rectangle.

When using the Auto Add Constraint option, the rectangle is automatically exploded into 4 separate lines.

Orthographic dimensions (horizontal and vertical) are applied to the sketch, similar to the illustration below.

A circle with the approximate diameter and spatial location to that shown in the illustration below is drawn. No attempt is made at dimensional accuracy at this stage. The circle is dimensioned using the Diameter dimension tool.

The Calculator palette is activated using Tools | Palettes | Calculator or by using the F2 (or fnF2) keyboard key and the information shown below is displayed.

As can be observed from the illustration above, the variable, Var1 is the Width, Var2 is the Height and Var3 is the Diameter.

The Variable names can be changed to more accurately indicate their associated dimensions, similar to the illustration below.

Variable names changed

To change the overall measurement of the rectangle so that it measures 50 x 100, with the value of the circle measuring 25, the values in the Variables palette are modified, shown below.

Values in Variables palette adjusted, constrained sketch automatically updates

A Point to represent the center of the circle is inserted onto the center of the circle, shown by the arrow below. So that the Point is associated geometrically to the Circle, a Concentric Constraint is added by first selecting the Point, then the Circle. A Concentric Constraint is added, shown by the arrow below.

Concentric Constraint added to associate the Point to the center of the Circle

Intermediate dimensions are then inserted from the corner vertex to the center of the circle using the Orthogonal Dimension tool. The result is shown below.

When inserting the intermediate dimensions shown below, the vertex point of the corner is used and the vertex of the newly inserted point.

Point added to center of circle, new dimensions added

To apply a rule so that the center of the circle remains at all times in the exact ‘center’ of the rectangle, the information shown in the Formula field, shown below as point 1 and 2 is input into the Formula fields .

The formulas above ensure the center of the circle is constrained to half the overall Width value and half the overall Height value, regardless of the measurements of the Width and Height.

In the illustration below, it is shown how the overall Width and Height measurements are adjusted, but the center of the circle retains its relationship to the rule input into the Formula field shown above.

 

Width and Height variable changed, circle maintains position

constraintAnimation

Ribbon | Insert | Constraints

Default | Constraints

Palette : Sketch | Constraints

This constraint tool animates in real-time, the consequences of updating constrained features within a sketch and is a useful tool for anticipating design possibilities without bypassing constraint conditions.

The animation sequence can be defined by the current and anticipated distance, the number of incremental steps between these values and the time delay between each animated step.

Below is an example of the sketch and the Constraint Animation tool to stretch the current value shown as point 1 (50.00) to the anticipated value of 150, shown by point 2. This animation will be done in increments of 3 steps, with a delay (pause) between steps of 1 second.

Imposing Animated Constraint Parameters 

By inputting the information shown above and pressing ‘Play’, the animation sequence will pause at 3 x 1 second intervals providing real-time updates to the sketch, until the anticipated distance is reached, shown below.

Notice that the integrity of the constraint conditions has been retained.

Constraint Animation paused at step 3 of the update process

Related Topics

Dimensional Constraints Tutorial