Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > Tutorial 3: Add a Sketch-Loop to a Part > STEP 3.2B: Add Lines and Arcs and Sketch-Loop

GST-3-201A

Sketch-Path

A minimum of two sketch-elements

Their start-Points and/or end-Points are merged.

It is open or closed.

Sketch-Loop

A sketch-path that is closed.

Special-case: A Circle is also a sketch-loop.

To add a sketch-loop, the start-Points and end-Points of adjacent sketch-element are merged.

GA-Sketch-Loop1-AddLine

STEP 1: Do Add Line

1.Expand the Geometry toolbar to the LEFT of the graphics-area

2.Click Geometry toolbar > Add Line

Your pointer changes to the Add Line pointer

3.Drag your mouse to add the Line

Note:

Mouse-button-down at the start-Point, mouse-button-up at the end-Point of the Line

STEP 2: Do Add Arc - with the Efficient Merge-Point method

1.Click Geometry toolbar > Add Arc

To add the Arc you must drag two times.

We also need to merge the start-Point of the Arc and the end-Point of the Line.

Drag 1: Hover and Drag

Hover above the end-Point of the Line so it is the selected.

+ Drag: ... mouse-button down ... move your mouse-pointer ... mouse-button-up.

Drag 2: Locate the radius of the Arc

Move your mouse-pointer between the start-Point and end-Point of the Arc.

Mouse-button down, again and drag to approximate the radius of the Arc

GA-Sketch-Loop2-AddArc

GA-Sketch-Loop3-

STEP 3: Do Steps 1 and 2 two more time to complete a sketch-loop

1.Add two more Lines and two more Arcs with the Merge technique

When you add the last Arc you must close the sketch-elements to complete the sketch-loop.

There are two Drag actions to add the Arc:

Drag 1 of the last ARC:

2.Hover above the end-Point of the next-to-last sketch-element

3.Mouse--button-down...

4.Drag...

5.Hover above the start-Point of the first sketch-element...

6.Mouse-button-Up.

Drag 2 of the last Arc

Drag again to approximate the radius of the Arc.

The sketch-loop is complete. It should be similar to the image.