Constraints
Constraints are used to define the spatial relationship between entities or parameters of entities themselves. Some constraints such a distance or angle allow entering a value.
Some constraints can have a workplane. Unless otherwise noted, this means that the constraint applies in the workplane, that is all entities are projected onto the workplane.
In general, constraints are created by selecting the to be constrained entities and invoking the requisite tool.
Points coincident
Constrains two points to be at the same position.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two points
- Tool:
Constrain coincident
Point on line
Constrains a point to be on a line. Keep in mind that lines are infinite from the constraint’s point of view.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Line (2D or 3D), point
- Tool:
Constrain coincident
Midpoint
Constrains a point to be at the midpoint of a line.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Line (2D or 3D), point
- Tool:
Constrain midpoint
Point/line distance
Constrains the distance from a point to a line to be the entered value. The distance between a point and a line is the shortest path between the two, i.e. a line perpendicular to the line passing through the point.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Line (2D or 3D), point
- Tool:
Constrain distance
Point on circle
Constrains a point to be on a circle or an arc. From the constraint’s point of view, arcs are full circles.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Arc/Circle (2D or 3D), point
- Tool:
Constrain coincident
Point in plane
Constrains a point to be in a plane defined by two lines.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Two lines, point
- Tool:
Constrain coincident
Point in workplane
Constrains a point to be in a workplane
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Workplane, point
- Tool:
Constrain point in workplane
Since version 1.1
Point/plane distance
Constrains a point’s distance from a plane defined by two lines to be the entered value.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Two lines, point
- Tool:
Constrain distance
Distance
Constrains the (euclidean) distance between two points to the entered value. Selecting a line is equivalent to selecting its endpoints.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two points or a line (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain distance
Horizontal / Vertical distance
Constrains the horizontal/vertical distance between two points to the entered value. Selecting a line is equivalent to selecting its endpoints.
- Workplane:
required
- Selection:
Two points or a line (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain horizontal distance, Constrain vertical distance
Horizontal / Vertical
Constrains two points to be at the same X position (vertical) or to be at the same Y position (horizontal). Selecting a line is equivalent to selecting its endpoints.
- Workplane:
required
- Selection:
Two points or a line (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain horizontal, Constrain vertical
Symmetric horizontal / vertical
Constrains two points to be symmetric about the vertical sketch axis (horizontal) or to be at symmetric about the horizontal sketch axis (vertical). Selecting a line is equivalent to selecting its endpoints.
- Workplane:
required
- Selection:
Two points or a line (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain symmetric horizontally / vertically
Since version 1.1
Symmetric about line
Constrains two points to be symmetric about a line. Selecting a line is equivalent to selecting its endpoints.
- Workplane:
required
- Selection:
Two points or a line (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain symmetric about line
Select the line the symmetry applies to in the tool.
Since version 1.1
Diameter / Radius
Constrains the diameter or radius of a circle or an arc to the entered value.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Arc or circle
- Tool:
Constrain diameter, Constrain radius
Equal length
Constrains two or more lines to have the same length.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two or more lines (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain equal length
Equal radius
Constrains two or more arcs or circles to have the same radius.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two or more arcs or circles
- Tool:
Constrain equal radius
Workplane normal
Constrains workplane’s orientation to a plane defined by two lines.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
The to-be constrained workplane
- Tool:
Constrain workplane normal
The tool is special in the way that it’s interactive. After invoking the tool, first click on the line that should define the workplane’s X axis, then on another line with a shared point to define the plane. Both lines must be in a group before the workplane.
Perpendicular
Constrains two lines to be perpendicular with respect to each other.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two lines (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain perpendicular
Line/points perpendicular
Constrains a line to be perpendicular to the vector between two points.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Line (3D only) and two points
- Tool:
Constrain perpendicular
Angle
Constrains the angle between two lines to the entered value.
- Workplane:
optional
- Selection:
Two lines (2D or 3d)
- Tool:
Constrain angle
Arc/Arc tangent
Constrains two arcs to be tangent at a shared point.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Two arcs
- Tool:
Constrain parallel
Arc/Line tangent
Constrains a line and an arc to be tangent at a shared point.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Line (2D only) and arc
- Tool:
Constrain parallel
Parallel
This constraint can do two things:
Constrains two lines to be parallel.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Two lines (2D or 3D)
- Tool:
Constrain parallel
Constrains a line to be parallel to the normal vector of a workplane
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Line (3D only) and workplane
- Tool:
Constrain parallel
Same orientation
Constrains two workplanes/STEP models to have the same orientation. There’s still one hidden degree of freedom along the normal in increments of 90°. Use the Rotate tool to get the entity to the target orientation.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
Two workplanes, two step models, or one workplane and one step model
- Tool:
Constrain same orientation
Lock rotation
Locks the STEP model/workplane to the rotation set in the “Rotate” tool. Even with the constraint applied, the rotate tool can still be used.
- Workplane:
none
- Selection:
One workplane or STEP model
- Tool:
Lock rotation