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Specify geometric constraints, including perpendicular, coincident, and fix constraints.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
4 min.
Transcript
00:04
Constraints are a tool in autocad that can help keep design criteria built in C
00:08
ad items.
00:09
Constraints can help you keep specific geometry doing what
00:13
you want it to do even if it's modified.
00:16
For example,
00:17
if you have two lines that you want to remain parallel and at the same length,
00:22
constraints can do that.
00:24
And so much more,
00:26
there are two different types of constraints in autocad,
00:30
geometric
00:31
and dimensional constraints.
00:34
Geometrics constraints control what geometry does after
00:38
constraints have been applied to it.
00:40
Some examples of geometric constraints are
00:44
coincident
00:45
parallel,
00:47
perpendicular
00:49
and equal
00:51
dimensional constraints control as the name
00:54
suggests dimensional properties of the design
00:58
properties such as angles,
01:00
distances and radius values can be used in dimensional constraints.
01:08
Constraint commands can be accessed on the parametric tab.
01:12
If you don't see the parametric tab,
01:15
you can right click on any of the tabs,
01:19
then select show tabs
01:22
and select parametric from the list.
01:28
Let's go through some of the constraint
01:31
examples in a mechanical assemblies drawing.
01:36
If I click anywhere on one of the assemblies,
01:41
you'll see that the entities of this assembly are separate items.
01:46
So they're going to act independently of each other. If
01:50
one thing is grip edited
01:53
or otherwise moved,
01:55
ultimately,
01:56
it would be great if we edited one thing and it was linked to
01:60
another or in some cases would not allow us to break things apart.
02:05
This is where constraints can help.
02:09
For the first example, I will use the perpendicular constraint.
02:13
This constraint keeps particular lines at a 90 degree angle from each other.
02:18
So if we go to the parametric tab
02:20
on the geometric panel,
02:23
click on the perpendicular button
02:28
at the command prompt, select the first line,
02:33
then the second line
02:36
and you'll notice
02:38
a constraint symbol is placed
02:42
if you were to grip at it
02:45
or move this line,
02:47
notice how it maintains the angle to the other line.
02:58
Next I use the coincident constraint on the end points of all the lines constrained.
03:04
After applying all these constraints,
03:06
trying a grip at it will make it obvious that more constraints are needed.
03:22
Next, I'll add the fix constraint.
03:25
I'll do this for the center part of this circle
03:28
and notice when I do that
03:30
the circle cannot be moved.
03:32
Whereas the counterpart on the other assembly, the circle can be moved.
Video transcript
00:04
Constraints are a tool in autocad that can help keep design criteria built in C
00:08
ad items.
00:09
Constraints can help you keep specific geometry doing what
00:13
you want it to do even if it's modified.
00:16
For example,
00:17
if you have two lines that you want to remain parallel and at the same length,
00:22
constraints can do that.
00:24
And so much more,
00:26
there are two different types of constraints in autocad,
00:30
geometric
00:31
and dimensional constraints.
00:34
Geometrics constraints control what geometry does after
00:38
constraints have been applied to it.
00:40
Some examples of geometric constraints are
00:44
coincident
00:45
parallel,
00:47
perpendicular
00:49
and equal
00:51
dimensional constraints control as the name
00:54
suggests dimensional properties of the design
00:58
properties such as angles,
01:00
distances and radius values can be used in dimensional constraints.
01:08
Constraint commands can be accessed on the parametric tab.
01:12
If you don't see the parametric tab,
01:15
you can right click on any of the tabs,
01:19
then select show tabs
01:22
and select parametric from the list.
01:28
Let's go through some of the constraint
01:31
examples in a mechanical assemblies drawing.
01:36
If I click anywhere on one of the assemblies,
01:41
you'll see that the entities of this assembly are separate items.
01:46
So they're going to act independently of each other. If
01:50
one thing is grip edited
01:53
or otherwise moved,
01:55
ultimately,
01:56
it would be great if we edited one thing and it was linked to
01:60
another or in some cases would not allow us to break things apart.
02:05
This is where constraints can help.
02:09
For the first example, I will use the perpendicular constraint.
02:13
This constraint keeps particular lines at a 90 degree angle from each other.
02:18
So if we go to the parametric tab
02:20
on the geometric panel,
02:23
click on the perpendicular button
02:28
at the command prompt, select the first line,
02:33
then the second line
02:36
and you'll notice
02:38
a constraint symbol is placed
02:42
if you were to grip at it
02:45
or move this line,
02:47
notice how it maintains the angle to the other line.
02:58
Next I use the coincident constraint on the end points of all the lines constrained.
03:04
After applying all these constraints,
03:06
trying a grip at it will make it obvious that more constraints are needed.
03:22
Next, I'll add the fix constraint.
03:25
I'll do this for the center part of this circle
03:28
and notice when I do that
03:30
the circle cannot be moved.
03:32
Whereas the counterpart on the other assembly, the circle can be moved.
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