Drawing the Profile

In this Task

A 2D sketch profile will be drawn, then extruded into a solid object.

Associated Tasks 

Using Workplane by Active View.

Using a Grid to draw the sketch profile.

Before you Start 

Use the sample drawing for this Session. The Profile & Model are stored in the Blocks palette.

Set the view to Front.

Make sure the Workplane is displayed.

Set the Workplane toPlane by Active View.

The Grid Snap is used to draw the polyline on the grid.

The Brown/Tan/Olive color can be used to draw this profile.

Take Note 

The sketch profile, shown below, will be drawn on a grid.

Setting up the 3D Workspace

To create an ideal working environment for 3D objects, the degenerative faceting and the form building edges options must be adjusted.

Select Options | Display using either the Default or Ribbon menu, then activate the Draw Form Building Edges option. Next, in the same dialog box, select ACIS and deactivate the degenerative faceting option.

The Faceter quality allows the user to control the surface lines of a curved or flat object. In the example below, the faceter quality in the left illustration is set to 50. In the right illustration, the faceter quality is set to 90.

Faceter quality set to 50, above left and 90, above right

Creating the Profile

A 2D sketch profile, when closed will create a solid shape when extruded; an open profile will produce a profile extrusion only.2D profiles can be modified after extrusion using the node edit tool2D Boolean functions such as Add, Subtract and Intersect can be used to create complex geometry where closed profiles are required.

Grid

Ribbon : Options | Drawing Styles | Grid

Default : Options | Grid

A regular series of vertical and horizontal lines can be displayed in the workspace by creating a Grid.The Grid snap mode works by attaching the cursor onto each grid intersection.The Grid snap mode will function even when the grid is not displayed.The light blue lines of the grid are crossed at regular intervals by heavier blue lines.The darker blue lines are known as the Grid Divisions.Grid divisions can be halved or doubled in size using the Halve or Double Grid option.

The current view is set to Isometric South East. Right click in the editor and set the view to Front.

Make sure the Workplane is displayed the set the Workplane toPlane by Active View.

Left click onto the Grid tool from the menu options above, then create a spacing of 4on the X and Y axis. Active the ShowGrid option.

Next select Advanced Grid and create minor X and Y divisions of 2.

Make sure the Grid is displayed, then zoom to an appropriate magnification, similar to that shown below.

Activate the Grid Snap from the menu options above, then select the Polyline Draw | Line | Polyline tool.

Left click onto a major grid intersection to create the top left point, in the illustration below, then draw in a downward direction to a length of 20 and an angle of 270.

Next, draw horizontally to a length of 72 and an angle of 0, then upwards to a length of 20 and an angle of 90. Always make sure the correct length and value appear in the data fields.

Use the grid intersections to draw the remaining segments of line, shown in the illustration, below. Remember to use Finish or Close to terminate the polyline.

The result should be similar to the illustration, below.