Chapter 7: Parametric Tools in AutoCAD

In this chapter, you will learn to do the following:

 Apply Geometric and Dimensional Constraints

 Create Equations using the Parameter Manager
 Create Inferred Constraints

Parametric Tools
Parametric tools are one of the main advancements in CAD/CAM/CAE. Using the parametric tools, you can define
the shape and size of a drawing by applying relations and dimensions between the objects. You can also use
equations in place of dimensions. Changing one parameter of an equation would change the entire shape and size
of the drawing. This makes it easy to modify the design.

The parametric tools can be accessed from the Ribbon, Menu Bar, and Command line.

Geometric Constraints

Geometric Constraints are used to control the shape of a drawing by applying geometric relationships between the
objects. For example, you can apply the Tangent constraint to make a line tangent to a circle. You can use the Equal
constraint to make two lines equal in length.

The following table shows various geometric constraints and their functions
Constraint Function

It is used to constraint a point to lie on another point or an object.

Coincident

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Coincident on the ribbon.

• Select a point on a line or arc.
• Select a point on another object; the two points will coincide with each other.

Collinear It is used to constraint a line along another line. The lines are not required to touch each
other.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Collinear on the ribbon.

• Select the first line and the second line; the first line will be made collinear with the
second line.
Concentric
It is used to make the center points of arcs, circles or ellipses coincident.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Concentric on the ribbon.

• Select a circle or arc from the drawing.
• Select another circle or arc; the second circle will be concentric with the first circle.

It is used to fix a point or an object at a particular location.

Fix

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Fix on the ribbon.

• Select a point to make it fixed at its location.
• After you fix it, you can change its shape and size but can’t move it.
• You can also use the Objects option to select objects from the drawing.
 Parallel It is used to make two lines parallel to each other.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Parallel on the ribbon.

• Select two lines from the drawing; the second line is made parallel to the first line.

Perpendicular
It is used to make two lines perpendicular to each other.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Perpendicular on the ribbon.

• Select two lines from the drawing; the second line is made perpendicular to the first
line.
Horizontal It is used to make a line horizontal. You can also make two points lie along the horizontal
axis.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Horizontal on the ribbon.

• Select a line/lines to make them horizontal.

• If you want to make points horizontal, select the 2Points option from the command
line and select the two points.
Vertical It is used to make a line vertical. You can also make two points vertical.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Vertical on the ribbon.

• Select a line to make it vertical.
• You can also use the 2Points option to make two lines vertical.
Tangent It is used to make an arc, circle, or line tangent to another arc or circle.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Tangent on the ribbon.

• Select a circle, arc, or line.
• Select another circle, arc, or line; the second object will be tangent to the first
object.

Smooth It is used to make a spline continuous with another spline or arc.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Smooth on the ribbon.

• Select a spline curve.
• Select another spline or arc; the first curve will become continuous with the second
curve.
Symmetric It is used to make two objects symmetric about a line. The objects will have same size,
position and orientation about a line.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Symmetric on the ribbon.

• Select two objects from the drawing.
• Select the symmetry line; the objects will be made symmetric about the selected
line.

• You can also use the 2Points option to make two points symmetric about a
line.

It is used to make two objects equal. For example, if you select two circles, the diameter of
Equal
the two circles will become equal. If you select two lines, the length of the two lines will be
equal.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Equal on the ribbon.

• Select two objects from the drawing; the second object will be made equal to the
first object.
 Auto The Auto Constraint tool is used to apply constraints to the objects, automatically.
Constrain
• Click Parametric > Geometric > Auto Constrain on the ribbon.
• Select the Settings option from the command line; the Constraint Settings dialog
box appears.

• In this dialog box, select the constraints that you want to apply. You can also select
the Tangent objects must share an intersection point and Perpendicular objects
must share an intersection point options.
• Click OK.
• Select multiple objects by clicking on them or by dragging a selection window.
• Right-click and select Enter; geometric constraints are applied to the objects based
on their geometric condition.

Example:
In this example, you will create the following drawing by using the drawing tools and parametric tools.
• Open a new AutoCAD file.
• Create two circles and a line as shown in figure.

• Click Parametric > Geometric > Horizontal from the ribbon.

• Select the line to make it horizontal, as shown.

• Press the SPACEBAR and select the 2Points option from the command line.
• Select the large circle and the small circle; the center points of the two circles will be horizontal.

• Create four lines as shown below.

• Click the Coincident button on the Geometric panel and select the two endpoints of the lines as shown
below; the endpoints will be made coincident.
• Click the Auto Constrain button from the Geometric panel and select the four lines as
shown below.
• Right-click and select Enter; constraints are applied to the selected objects, automatically.

• Click the Vertical button on the Geometric panel and select the line as shown below; the line will become
vertical.
• Use the Parallel tool and make the two lines parallel, as shown below.

• Use the Perpendicular tool and make the two lines perpendicular, as shown below.

• Use the Tangent tool and make the two horizontal lines tangent to the large circle, as shown below.
• Click the Coincident button on the Geometric panel.
• Select the Object option from the command line and select the large circle.

• Select the endpoint of the lower horizontal line to make it coincident with the circle.

• Similarly, apply the Coincident constraint between the large circle and the upper horizontal line.
 • Use the
Trim tool and trim the unwanted portion of the circle.

Also, you will notice the Tangent and Coincident constraints have been deleted. These constraints were the
properties of the trimmed portion of the circle. As a result, constraints are also deleted along with the
trimmed portion.
 • Click the Auto Constrain button from the Geometric panel.
• Drag a window around the arc and horizontal lines.
• Right-click and select Enter; the Tangent and Coincident constraints are applied between the arc and the
horizontal lines.

Dimensional Constraints

Dimensional constraints are applied to a drawing after applying the Geometric constraints. They are used to control
the size and position of the objects in a drawing. You can apply the dimensional constraints using the tools available
in the Dimensional panel of the Parametric ribbon.
• Click the inclined arrow on the Dimensional panel; the Constraint Settings dialog box appears.
• In the Constraints Settings dialog box, set Dimension name format to Name, as shown.
• Click the OK button, as shown.

• Click Parametric > Dimensional > Linear on the ribbon.

• Select the two endpoints of the lower horizontal line; the dimensional constraint is attached to the cursor.
• Place the dimension constraint and left click.
• Similarly, apply linear dimensions to other lines as shown below.

You will notice that when you try to apply dimensional constraint to the horizontal line connected to the arc, the
Dimensional Constraints message box appears. It shows that the dimension will overconstrain the geometry. In
an over-constrained geometry, there are conflicting dimensions or relations or both. Click the Cancel button on
the Dimensional Constraints message box.
• Click the Diameter button on the Dimensional panel and apply the diameter dimension to the circle
located on the left side.

• Click the Radius button on the Dimensional panel and apply radial dimension to the arc.
Creating equations using the Parameters Manager

Equations are relations between the dimensional constraints. Look at the drawing given below. In this drawing, all
the dimensions are controlled by the diameter of the hole. In AutoCAD, you can create this type of relations between
dimensions very easily using the Parameter Manager palette.

• Click the Parameters Manager button on the Manage panel; the PARAMETERS MANAGER palette appears.
• Double-click in the box next to the dia1 and enter 50.

• Similarly, change the values of the other dimensions as shown below.

 You will notice that the circle is placed outside the loop.

• Click Zoom All on the Navigation Bar to view the circle.

Creating Inferred Constraints

With the Infer Constraints button active at the status bar, you can automatically create constraints while drawing a
sketch.

• Activate the Infer Constraints button at the status bar.

 • Click the Fillet button on the Modify panel of the Home ribbon.
• Select the Radius option from the command line and enter 50 as the radius.
• Create a fillet at the lower left corner of the sketch.

You will notice that Tangent and Coincident constraints are applied, automatically.

• Click the Concentric button on the Geometric panel.

• Select the circle located outside the loop and the fillet; they both will be concentric.

• Use the Radius tool from the Dimensional panel and apply the radius dimensional constraint to the fillet.
• Open the Parameters Manager palette and modify the rad2 value to 3/2*dia1, as shown.

• To hide all the Geometric Constraints, click the Hide All button on the Geometric panel.
• Similarly, click Hide All on the Dimensional panel to hide all the dimensional constraints.
• To modify the size of the drawing, change the value of dia1 in the Parameters Manager window; you will
notice that all the values will be changed, automatically.
• Save and close the file.