SolidWorks 2010 Bible

CHAPTERCHAPTER

Working with

Sketches

IN THIS CHAPTER

Beginning a sketch

Distinguishing sketch entities

Creating relationships in

sketches

Examining sketch settings

Using sketch blocks in parts,

assemblies, and drawings

Using reference geometry

Learning to use sketch

relations tutorial

Using blocks and belts tutorial

Referencing geometry tutorial

S

o far, in this book, you have looked mainly at concepts, settings, and
setup, which is necessary but mundane business. In this chapter, you
begin to learn how to control parametric relationships in sketches.
Then in later chapters, you begin to build models, simple at first, but gaining
in complexity and always demonstrating new techniques and features that
build your modeling vocabulary. Beyond this, you will move into putting the
parts together into assemblies. Finally, you use the parts and assemblies to
create drawings.

This chapter deals mainly with sketches in parts. However, you will be able
to apply many of the topics I cover here to assemblies. Some related topics,
such as layout sketches, have functionality that is exclusive to assemblies and
are covered in the assemblies’ chapter.

Cross-Reference

I discuss 3D sketches in detail in Chapter 31. n

When you open a sketch, several tools become available, specifically all the
sketch entities and tools. Conversely, you cannot do several things until you
open a sketch. For example, you cannot apply a Fillet feature while a sketch
is open. Open sketches and selection filters are two very common sources of
frustration for new users. Several indicators exist to let you know when you

Inferencing in Sketch ........................................................................................................

l (^) The title bar of the SolidWorks window displays the text Sketch X
of Part Y.
l (^) The lower-right corner of the status bar displays the text Editing
Sketch X.
l (^) The Confirmation Corner displays a sketch icon in the upper-right
corner of the graphics window.