Sketcher basics, customization, Sketch tools toolbar, View toolbar and Standard toolbar

Sketcher is the basic workbench, and it is used to create a 2D sketch. The sketch forms the basis of a 3D model. A sketch can be created on a 2-Dimensional plane such as XY, YZ, ZX or any other planar surface of existing part which is two-dimensional. It can be created using various tools present in the Profile toolbar, and modified using tools in Operation toolbar and Transformation toolbar. However, before we start to make sketch and learn about the tools that are available for sketching, there are some conditions you should remember.

a) The sketch should not be self-intersecting
b) The sketch should not be open
c) The sketch should be Iso-constrained (i.e. it should have no Degree Of Freedom)
d) There should be no standard points (i.e. all points should be construction elements only)

These guidelines are general in nature and are applicable to all sketches irrespective of the software that it is made in, i.e. sketches made in Solidworks, Inventor, Creo etc. all adhere to these three guidelines. While a self-intersecting sketch is invalid and cannot be used, the fully constrained sketch is made with the help of constraints, so as to ensure that geometry of the part is according to the require size and as per requirements, it further helps any future modifications that can be made easily if the sketch is properly constrained. Though an open sketch is not generally used, it has limited application and it will be discussed ahead as to how to make an Iso-constrained or fully constrained sketch. Before we start sketching, it's worthwhile to know the ways in which you can make some modifications, so that working in the environment becomes easy.

Customising sketcher

Setting units - You may not always work in one system of units, so you can set the units of length, mass etc. before you start working. This makes working a little more convenient. Tools>Options>Parameters and Measure>Units

Setting grid size - Grid display can be turned on from Sketch tools toolbar (discussed ahead). Also, you can also set the grid size according to your preference from Tools>Options>Mechanical design>Sketcher. The size of horizontal and vertical spacing can be set and you can allow different graduation levels based on sketch that you would be making. Setting grid size may be desirable only if you are making a really large sketch at an infrastructure level. Working with grid may not be desirable when making small sketches.

Setting Plane size- By default, the size of the planes XY, YZ and ZX is small, you can enlarge them as well as change the colour of these which help you distinguish the sketch and other elements from your working planes. Plane size can be set from Tools > Options > Infrastructure > Part Infrastructure > Display > Axis system display size. 

Setting plane size

Sketch tools toolbar

The sketch tools toolbar offers different sub-options whenever you select any tool for drawing or modification etc. Also, it has other options that can let you decide if you wish to make a construction line or a standard line. So, sketch tools toolbar has options that can be toggled as per desire. In addition to specifying the kind of line, you can also specify if you wish to apply constraints by default or not and other things of that nature. Let us see all the options that are present.

Sketch tools toolbar

Display Grid - Grid display can be toggled using Display Grid button.

Snap on Grid - When you draw a sketch, the cursor would snap to the grid if this option is turned ON.

Construction / Standard element - A standard line element is used to make a solid model. A construction line element may be used in the sketch for making supporting geometry that help making the sketch. The standard point is useful in other ways and it will be explained in future exercises when we create a sketch. (Note: An element can be converted to standard / construction after creation too by using this tool)

Standard and Construction points / lines

Implicit Geometric constraint - When making a sketch with this option in 'ON' condition, geometric constraints like Horizontal, Vertical, Coincidence, Tangency etc. would be applied automatically. This helps sketch creation and should be kept in 'ON' position. This saves a lot of time. For example, when a rectangle is made, two of the lines would automatically be applied horizontal constraint and other two would be applied vertical constraint, and these lines would remain Horizontal and Vertical unless you delete the constraints. Likewise, if you use an existing circle's centre as centre point for making another circle, a concentric constraint would be applied automatically. In any case if constraints that are created which are not desired, they can be deleted later on. 

Implicit Dimensional constraint - Lines, circles, points etc. can be made using tools present in the profile toolbar. While using the drawing tools, the sketch tools toolbar expands automatically and presents option of entering values. So, if any values are entered, they would be used as constraints. This is also kept in 'ON' position.

Sketch tools options - Extended to provide options for Line tool

The Sketch tools toolbar expands every time you select a tool from either Profile toolbar or Operation toolbar or Transformation toolbar. It expands to give relevant options. Above is an expanded view after selecting Profile option in the Profile toolbar. This expanded view and options is something that I have personally found not very useful and somewhat counter productive. Anyway, if you wish to use it, no one is stopping you. So anytime you select a tool from Profile toolbar, Modification toolbar or Transformation toolbar, see the kind of options you get in this Sketch tools section.

View toolbar

Apart from tools such as Zoom in, Zoom out, Pan, Rotate etc. which can be accessed using mouse, the view toolbar has some additional tools such as Fit all in, Normal view, Swap Visible space etc. These are discussed ahead.

View toolbar

Fit all in - In case of large assemblies when you are working in a zoomed in view, the fit all in may come in handy and can be used to zoom out and get all the parts in the view once again in a single click.

Normal view - This is really handy for visualizing the projection that edges may have. After selecting the command, you can select a plane or a planar surface and the view will orient perpendicular to that selected plane.

Hide/Show - This can be used to hide the visible elements and vice-versa. You can either first select the command or first select the element and then select the command to hide/show any element such as surface, plane, line, sketch etc.

Swap visible space - This would temporarily hide the elements that are not hidden and show the elements that are hidden. Pressing the button again will swap the space again.

Create Multi-view

Create multiview -This can be used to visualise the created part in multiple windows simultaneously. Also, you can manipulate the part in all these windows separately without disturbing the view you have in others and commands like zoom in, zoom out etc. can be individually applied to these windows separately. You can activate the window you are working in by simply clicking in it.

Quick view - This can be used to view the part's from top, bottom, isometric view. This can also be used to add a custom view of preference by using the option Named views. A view added can be used subsequently whenever required.

View mode - View mode can be used to view the part in different styles such as Wireframe, Shading with edges, Shading with material etc.

Fly - The mode uses a perspective mode and can offer a detail look at parts and assemblies from close and can be used to navigate through small entrances. Fly mode can be accelerated and decelerated based on part model size. Turn head option can be used to stay stationary and look around with the help of mouse. While Turn head is activated the object does not move with respect to a point around which the view is being manipulated so the view is essentially moved about a point of an imaginary sphere. This can be used to examine a 360 degree view around a point. (The option works when the Render style is in perspective mode. You may need to change it back from perspective to parallel from View>Render style>Parallel since perspective view is not suitable for normal viewing)

Standard toolbar

Standard toolbar

A standard toolbar is like any other toolbar that you might find in other windows applications. It has all the tools that you should be already familiar with like New (Ctrl+N), Copy (Ctrl+C), Paste (Ctrl+V), Open (Ctrl+O), Undo (Ctrl+Z) etc. Not only are these commands similar in name, they serve the same purpose as they do in Windows. For example, New is used to create a new file, Open for opening a file, so on and so forth. It has buttons for creating a file, Undo, redo etc. Not only do the buttons perform the same function, the shortcuts are similar too for most of the tools as can be seen in the picture.