Use the Profile command to create a series of connected lines and/or arcs in string mode.
In string mode, the end of the last curve becomes the beginning of the next curve.
For example, you can create this pipe vise profile in one series of mouse clicks:
Where do I find it?
Toolbar
(Modeling) Direct Sketch→Profile
(Drafting and Sketch task environment) Sketch Tools→Profile Menu (Modeling and Drafting) Insert→Sketch Curve→Profile
(Sketch task environment) Insert→Curve→Profile
Create a profile
This example shows you how to create a pipe vise profile like this.
1.
On the Direct Sketch toolbar, click Profile .
日 2.
Move the cursor over the Datum CSYS origin and, when you see the Snap to Point icon, click to start the first line.
3. On the Direct Sketch toolbar, turn off Continuous Auto
Dimensioning . 4.
Move the cursor up so that you see the vertical constraint help line and click to complete the first line.
5.
Move the cursor to the right and click to complete the second line.
6.
Click twice more to complete the angled and vertical lines.
7.
To switch to arc mode, press and hold the left mouse button, and move the cursor in the direction of the arc.
8.
When you see the horizontal help line indicating that the arc ends are collinear, click to complete the arc.
When the arc is complete, Profile switches back to line
mode.
9.
Click in three locations to create the following lines.
日 10.
Before completing the vertical line, move the cursor over the first line in the profile.
NX adds that line to the Short List, making it available for
constraint inferencing.
11.
Move the cursor down until you see the horizontal help line, and click to complete the line.
12.
Click the start of the first line to close the profile.
13. Esc
Press Esc to stop the Profile string mode.
The arc quadrant with Profile
When you transition from a line to an arc or from one arc to another arc, the quadrant zone symbol displays:
The quadrant that contains the curve and its opposite vertex are tangent quadrants (quadrants 1 and 2).
Quadrants 3 and 4 are perpendicular quadrants.
To control the direction of the arc, place the cursor inside of one of the quadrants and then move the cursor out of the quadrant in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
Tangent Quadrant
Perpendicular Quadrant
Profile dialog box
Object Type
Line Creates a line.
This is the default mode when you choose Profile.
Points selected off of the sketch plane are projected onto the sketch plane.
Arc Creates an arc.
While stringing from line to arc, you create a two point arc. You can create a three point arc if the first object drawn in string mode is an arc.
日 chained arcs, double-click the Arc option.
Input Mode Coordinate Mode
Creates curve points using X and Y coordinate values.
Parameter Mode
Creates curve points using parameters that are appropriate to a line or arc curve type.
Lines Length and Angle parameters.
Arcs Radius and Sweep Angle parameters.
b) Line
Use the Line command to create lines with constraint inferencing. This example shows the first line point at XC-YC 90 and 70 , and the second line point at length 45 and angle 300 degrees .
Where do I find it?
Toolbar
(Modeling) Direct Sketch→Line
(Drafting and Sketch task environment) Sketch Tools→Line
Sketch Tools→
Menu (Modeling and Drafting) Insert→Sketch Curve→Line (Sketch task environment) Insert→Curve→Line
Create a line at a relative angle
You can create a line at a relative angle to another line by first locking a parallel, perpendicular, or collinear constraint. This example shows how to create lines relative to the reference curve below in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions.
1.
Click Line .
2.
Click the end of the upper curve.
3.
Move the mouse until you see the parallel constraint indicator.
日 4.
Click the middle mouse button.
NX locks the parallel constraint and switches the
input box to Relative Angle.
5.
Create a line at an angle that is counter-clockwise from parallel.
Press Tab to move to the Relative Angle input box.
Type 2 and press Enter.
NX previews the relative line.
To finish the line, click an end point.
6.
Create a line at an angle that is clockwise from parallel.
Click the lower end of the original curve.
Move the mouse until you see the parallel constraint indicator.
Click the middle mouse button.
In the Relative Angle input box, type –2 and press Enter.
To finish the line, click an end point.
Line dialog box Input Mode
Coordinate Mode Creates a line start or end point using XC and YC coordinates.
This is the default mode for a line's start point.
Parameter Mode Creates a line start or end point using Length and Angle parameters.
NX switches to this mode for the line's end point.
c) Derived Lines
Use the Derived Lines command to create new lines from existing lines. You can create any of the following:
Any number of offset lines from a base line.
A line midway between parallel lines.
A bisector line between non-parallel lines.
Where do I find it?
日 Toolbar
(Modeling) Direct Sketch→Derived Lines
(Drafting and Sketch task environment) Sketch Tools→Derived Lines Menu (Modeling and Drafting) Insert→Sketch Curve→Derived Lines
(Sketch task environment) Insert→Curve→Derived Lines
Create Derived Lines
To offset a line from a base line, click the base, and click again to place the new line.
To offset multiple lines from the same base line, hold Ctrl and click the base line. Then click again to place each new line.
To create a line at the intervening midpoint, select two parallel lines. You can set the line length by dragging the mouse or by entering a value in the Length input box.
To construct a bisector line, select two nonparallel lines. You can place the line end graphically or enter a value in the Length input box. You can also place the bisector in any quadrant of the angled lines.
Constraints with Derived Lines
The sketch automatically creates appropriate constraints and dimensions for derived lines if the Parallel, Coincident, and Create Dimensions for Typed Values check boxes are selected in the Inferred
Constraints and Dimensions dialog box.
Derived Line
Constraint Dimension
Parallel at a Distance
Parallel Distance between parallel lines,
if you type the Offset value and press Enter.
Midway line Parallel Length of line created, if you type the Length value and press Enter.
Bisector Point on Curve constraint at the intersection point of the lines and the bisector line
Length of line created, if you type the Length value and press Enter.
d) Arc
Use the Arc command to create an arc with either of two methods:
Specify the arc start and end points, and the radius.
日 This example shows the arc start/end points and radius method.
Where do I find it?
Toolbar
(Modeling) Direct Sketch→Arc
(Drafting and Sketch task environment) Sketch Tools→Arc Menu (Modeling and Drafting) Insert→Sketch Curve→Arc
(Sketch task environment) Insert→Curve→Arc
Create sketch arcs
This example shows how to create arcs at the top and bottom of this profile using the Arc by 3 Points method and the Arc by Center and Endpoints method.
1. On the Direct Sketch toolbar, click Arc . 2. Click the left end point of the top line.
3. Click the right end point of the top line.
4. Select a point on the arc.
You can optionally enter a Radius value in the on-screen input box.
When you select the third point, NX completes the arc.
5. Under Arc Method, click Arc by Center and Endpoints . 6. Select the center point of the circle.
日 7. Select a point on the line at the bottom of the profile.
8. Select a second point on the line at the bottom of the profile.
When you select the third point, NX completes the arc.
9. On the Feature toolbar, click Extrude .