The Sketch Tab in SolidWorks houses a variety of tools used to create the foundational geometry for your 3D models. Here’s a breakdown of the functions of each tool:
Entity Creation Tools:
- Line: Creates a straight line segment defined by two points.
- Circle: Creates a circle defined by a center point and radius or two or three points on the circumference.
- Rectangle: Creates a rectangle defined by two diagonal points or a corner point, width, and height.
- Slot: Creates a rectangular slot with rounded corners defined by center point, width, height, and corner radius.
- Arc: Creates an arc defined by three points (center and two endpoints) or a center point, radius, start angle, and end angle.
- Ellipse: Creates an ellipse defined by two focal points and a major or minor radius.
- Spline: Creates a smooth, curved line defined by multiple points (control points).
Modification Tools:
- Convert Entities: Converts edges or curves from existing 3D model geometry into sketch entities for further manipulation.
- Extend Entities: Extends existing sketch entities beyond their endpoints.
- Trim Entities: Trims away unwanted portions of sketch entities.
Relationship Tools:
- Dimension: Defines the size or distance between two sketch entities (lines, circles, etc.).
- Relation: Defines geometric relationships between sketch entities (e.g., parallel, perpendicular, tangent, coincident).
Other Tools:
- Centerline: Creates a centerline that doesn’t participate in creating model geometry but serves as a reference.
- Rectangle Center: Creates the center point of a selected rectangle.
- Circle Center: Creates the center point of a selected circle.
- Project Entities: Projects entities from a face or another sketch onto the current sketch plane.
- Offset Entities: Creates a new entity offset from an existing entity by a specified distance.
Additional Notes:
- All sketch tools offer various options and customization abilities through the PropertyManager that appears when the tool is selected.
- You can use construction geometry (created by holding down the Shift key while using a tool) to define relationships without affecting the final model shape.
By understanding the function of each tool, you can effectively create the 2D geometry that forms the basis of your 3D models in SolidWorks.