1. In this chapter, you will learn the following:
Chapter 2: Drawing Sketches with SOLIDWORKS
In this chapter, you will learn the following:
Invoking the Part Modeling Environment
Invoking the Sketching Environment
Working with Selection of Planes
Specifying Units
Specifying Grids and Snaps Settings
Drawing a Line Entity
Drawing an Arc by using the Line tool
Drawing a Centerline
Drawing a Midpoint Line
Drawing a Rectangle
Drawing a Circle
Drawing an Arc
Drawing a Polygon
Drawing a Slot
Drawing an Ellipse
Drawing an Elliptical Arc
Drawing a Parabola
Drawing Conic Curves
Drawing a Spline
Editing a Spline
Modifying the Tangency Direction of Arc/Spline

2. SOLIDWORKS is a feature-based, parametric, solid modeling mechanical design and automation software. Before you start creating the solid 3D components in SOLIDWORKS, you need to understand it. To design a component in this software, you need to create all its features one by one.

3. Invoking the Part Modeling Environment
Start SOLIDWORKS by double-clicking on the SOLIDWORKS 2019 icon on your desktop. After loading all the required files, the startup user interface of SOLIDWORKS appears along with the Welcome dialog box.

5. Invoking the Sketching Environment
After invoking the Part modeling environment, you need to invoke the Sketching environment for creating the sketch of the first feature of a model. For doing so, click on the Sketch tab in the CommandManager. The tools of the Sketch CommandManager appear.

6. In the Sketch CommandManager, click on the Sketch tool
In the Sketch CommandManager, click on the Sketch tool . The three default planes: Front, Top, and Right, which are mutually perpendicular to each other appear in the graphics area.

7. To select a plane, move the cursor over the plane to be selected
To select a plane, move the cursor over the plane to be selected. Next, click the left mouse button when the boundary of the plane gets highlighted in the graphics area. As soon as you select a plane, the Sketching environment gets invoked with a Confirmation corner at the top right corner in the graphics area. Also, the selected plane becomes the sketching plane for drawing the sketch and it is oriented normal to the viewing direction, so that you can create the sketch easily.

8. The Sketching environment also displays a red color point with two perpendicular arrows at the center of the graphics area. The red color point represents the origin (0,0) of the Sketching environment and the perpendicular arrows represent the X axis and Y axis of the sketching plane.

9. Working with the Selection of Planes
As discussed earlier, to invoke the Sketching environment, you need to select a plane as the sketching plane. Selection of an appropriate plane is very important for defining the right orientation of a model.

10. Specifying Units
To modify the default unit settings, click on the Options tool in the Standard toolbar. The System Options dialog box appears.

12. The System Options dialog box contains two tabs: System Options and Document Properties. By default, the System Options tab is activated. Click on the Document Properties tab in the dialog box.

13. Specifying Grids and Snaps Settings
Grids help you specify points in the drawing area for creating sketch entities and act as reference lines.
To turn on the display of grids and specify snap settings, click on the Options tool in the Standard toolbar. The System Options - General dialog box appears. In this dialog box, click on the Document Properties tab.

15. Drawing a Line Entity
A line is defined as the shortest distance between two points. To draw a line, click on the Line tool in the Sketch CommandManager. The Insert Line PropertyManager appears on the left of the drawing area.

16. Horizontal Vertical Angle Message Orientation As sketched Options
The options in the Insert Line PropertyManager are used for controlling
the settings for drawing lines. The options are discussed next.
Message
Orientation
As sketched
Horizontal
Vertical
Angle
Options
For construction
Infinite length
Midpoint line

17. Tutorial 1
Draw the sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only.
To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

18. Hands-on Test Drive 1
Draw a sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only.

19. Drawing an Arc by using the Line Tool
You can also draw a tangent arc by using the Line tool.
NOTE:
The tangency of arc depends upon how you move the cursor from the last specified point in the drawing area.

20. Tutorial 2
Draw a sketch of the model, as shown in figure by using the Line tool. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in this figure are for your reference only. All dimensions are in mm.
To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

21. Hands-on Test Drive 2
Draw a sketch of the model, as shown in Figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only. Draw all entities of the sketch by using the Line tool. As all the dimensions of the sketch are multiples of 5 mm, you can set the snap settings such that the cursor snaps to the increment of 5 mm.

22. Drawing a Centerline
Centerlines are defined as reference or construction lines, which are drawn for the aid of sketches. In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw a centerline by using the Centerline tool.

23. Drawing a Midpoint Line
A midpoint line is created symmetrically about its midpoint. In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw midpoint lines by using the Midpoint Line tool.

24. Drawing a Rectangle
In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw a rectangle by different methods using the tools in the Rectangle flyout of the Sketch CommandManager.

25. Corner Rectangle Tool
The Corner Rectangle tool is used for drawing a rectangle by specifying its two diagonally opposite corners.

26. Rectangle Type
The Add construction lines check box of the Rectangle Type rollout is used for adding construction lines in the rectangle. On selecting this check box, the From Corners and From Midpoints radio buttons become available.

27. Parameters
The options in the Parameters rollout of the Rectangle PropertyManager are used for displaying or controlling parameters of the rectangle.

28. Center Rectangle Tool
The Center Rectangle tool is used for drawing a rectangle by specifying its center point and a corner point.

29. 3 Point Corner Rectangle Tool
The 3 Point Corner Rectangle tool is used for drawing a rectangle by specifying three corners. The first two corners define the width and orientation of the rectangle and the third corner defines the length of the rectangle.

31. 3 Point Center Rectangle Tool
The 3 Point Center Rectangle tool is used for drawing a rectangle by specifying three points. The first point defines the center of the rectangle, the second point defines the width and orientation of the rectangle, and the third point defines the length of the rectangle.

33. Parallelogram Tool
The Parallelogram tool is used for drawing a parallelogram, whose sides are not perpendicular to each other. You can draw a parallelogram by specifying three points.

34. Drawing a Circle
In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw a circle by using the Circle and Perimeter Circle tools available in the Circle flyout of the Sketch CommandManager.

35. Circle Tool
The Circle tool is used for drawing a circle by specifying its center point and a point on its circumference.

37. Perimeter Circle Tool
The Perimeter Circle tool is used for drawing a circle by specifying three points on its circumference.

38. Drawing an Arc
In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw an arc by different methods using the tools in the Arc flyout of the Sketch CommandManager.

39. Centerpoint Arc Tool
The Centerpoint Arc tool is used for drawing an arc by defining its center point, start point, and endpoint.

40. 3 Point Arc Tool
The 3 Point Arc tool is used for drawing an arc by defining three points on its arc length.

41. Tangent Arc Tool
The Tangent Arc tool is used for drawing an arc tangent to an existing entity.
NOTE:
The tangency of arc depends upon how you move the cursor from the specified point in the drawing area.

42. Drawing a Polygon
A polygon is a multi-sided geometry having all sides of equal length and equal angle. In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw a polygon of sides ranging from 3 to 40.

43. Options
Parameters
Number of Sides

44. Inscribed circle
Circumscribed circle
New Polygon

45. Drawing a Slot
In SOLIDWORKS, you can draw straight and arc slots by using the tools in the Slot flyout.

46. Straight Slot Tool

47. Centerpoint Straight Slot Tool

48. 3 Point Arc Slot Tool

49. Centerpoint Arc Slot Tool

50. Drawing an Ellipse
An ellipse is drawn by defining its major axis and minor axis. You can draw an ellipse by using the Ellipse tool of the Sketch CommandManager.

51. Drawing an Elliptical Arc
You can draw an elliptical arc by using the Partial Ellipse tool of the Ellipse flyout.

53. Drawing a Parabola
A Parabola is a symmetrical plane curve formed by the intersection of a cone and a plane parallel to its side. You can draw a parabola by defining its focus point, apex point, and two points (start point and endpoint) on the parabolic curve.

55. Drawing Conic Curves
SOLIDWORKS allows you to draw conic curves by specifying the start point, endpoint, top vertex, and Rho value.
NOTE:
The Rho value of the conic curve defines the type of curve. If the Rho value is less than 0.5 then the conic curve will be an ellipse. If the Rho value is equal to 0.5 then the conic curve will be a parabola. If the Rho value is greater than 0.5 then the conic curve will be a hyperbola.

57. Drawing a Spline Spline Tool
A Spline is defined as a curve having high degree of smoothness and is used for creating free form features. You can draw a spline by specifying two or more than two control points in the drawing area. In SOLIDWORKS, you can also draw a spline by defining mathematical equations. The different tools for drawing splines are discussed next.
Spline Tool
The Spline tool is used for creating a spline by defining two or more than two control points in the drawing area.

59. Equation Driven Curve Tool
The Equation Driven Curve tool is used for creating an equation driven spline. For doing so, click on the arrow next to the Spline tool in the Sketch CommandManager.

60. Message Eqation Type Parameters
The Message rollout of the PropertyManager displays appropriate information about the action to be taken for drawing the equation driven spline.
Eqation Type
Explicit
Parametric
Parameters

62. Style Spline Tool
The Style Spline tool is used for creating bezier splines of 3 degrees, 5 degrees, and 7 degrees by defining control points in the drawing area.

63. Fit Spline Tool Parameters
The Fit Spline tool is used for converting multiple sketch entities into a single spline curve.
Parameters

65. Tolerance Preview Options
The Tolerance rollout is used for specifying the maximum deviation allowed for the original sketch entities. You can enter tolerance value in the Tolerance field of this rollout.
Preview Options
The options in this rollout are used for controlling the preview of the resultant spline.

66. Editing a Spline Circular handle Arrow head handle Diamond handle
Editing a spline is important in order to achieve the complex shape and maintain the high degree of smoothness and curvature. You can edit a spline by using its control points and spline handle. Control points are the points which are specified in the drawing area for drawing the spline.
Circular handle
Arrow head handle
Diamond handle

67. Modifying the Tangency Direction of Arc/Spline

68. Tutorial 3
Draw the sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only. All dimensions are in mm. You will learn about applying dimensions and creating the 3D model in later chapters.
To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

69. Tutorial 4
Draw the sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the model shown in the figure are for your reference only. All dimensions are in mm. You will learn about applying dimensions and creating the 3D model in later chapters.
To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

70. Hands-on Test Drive 3
Draw the sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only. All dimensions are in mm.

71. Hands-on Test Drive 4
Draw the sketch of the model, as shown in figure. The dimensions and the 3D model shown in the figure are for your reference only. All dimensions are in mm.

72. Summary
In this chapter, you have learned that the Sketching environment is invoked within the Part modeling environment. To invoke the Sketching environment, you need to select a plane as the sketching plane. Once the Sketching environment has been invoked, you can specify the unit system as per your requirement by using the Document Properties - Units dialog box as well as specify the grids and snaps settings. You have also learned about drawing sketches by using different sketching tools such as Line, Arc, Circle, Rectangle, and Spline. Besides, you have learned about editing a spline and flipping the tangency direction of an arc or a spline.

73. Questions
Features are divided into two main categories: ________ and ________ .
The ________ feature of any real world component is a sketch based feature.
A polygon has number of sides ranging from ________ to ________.
To draw an ellipse, you need to define its ________ axis and ________ axis.
If the Rho value of a conic curve is less than 0.5 then the conic is an ______.
A parabola is a symmetrical plane curve which is formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to its side. (True/False)
You cannot draw a tangent arc by using the Line tool. (True/False)
A fillet feature is known as placed feature. (True/False)