Alibre Design Part Two

Adding Constraints

        Constraints are usually added to ensure that specific aspects of the figure to be set within a certain parameter which is required by the user or designer. This can include the size, shape, orientation or any other relationships with other 2d sketches or 3d models. Constraints in Alibre design can be added very readily and can be manipulated to be able to design so that the figure itself matches the required constraint.

Here are the list of possible constraints which Alibre has to offer:

• Fixed constraint - This fixes or locks the 2d figure into its orientation and position in the sketch area.  If this constraint is applied to the 2d figure, the figure can not be edited nor moved from its location. To move or adjust the figure again, the fixed constraint must be removed first.
• Vertical constraint -  This constraint forces all lines or nodes be vertically aligned. This can be applied to any two lines to make them vertically constrained or nodes as well in the sketch figure.
• Horizontal constraint -  Similar principle to the Vertical Constraint, but inversely horizontally.
• Intersection constraint - Allows for more than one figure to intersect with one another at a point in the sketch area.
• Symmetric constraint - This constraint forces any line or shape to have the same aspect and length as the previously selected line or figure. Example of this is two uneven lengths on a box figure. By highlighting a smaller side of the box, the symmetric constraint will force the the large line to be redrawn to the same equal length as the highlighted line. Constraints only work if they are highlighted in the correct manner.
• Coradial constraint - Figures can be constrained if they have the same centre point as well as the same radius. This constraint can be applied to circles and arcs.
• Concentric constraint - Figures can be organised into concentric circles if they are constricted to share the same centre point. The concentric constraint can be applied to not only circles but arcs as well.
• Co linear constraint - This constraint make sure that all the figures that are selected remain in the same line. Lines can be constrained in a Co-linear Fashion as soon as they are drawn by the user automatically.
• Coincident constraint - This constraint make sure that the selected point is constrained to lie within in the figure selected. This constraint can be applied to any point within a figure.
• Midline Constraint - As its name suggest that a Point node can be Fixed into a position where it lines in the middle of the line. this can be applied to lines, circles and arcs as well within the sketch area.
• Equal Constraint - Figures can be constrained to have equal size on their edges to one another. This can be applied automatically within the  sketch design as the lines are drawn in by the user.
• Tangent Constraint - Constraint allows for a Selected Circle to form a tangent with another line that is selected afterwards and will resize the radius of the circle to form the tangent.
• Perpendicular Constraint - Lines within the figure can be constrained with this function to allow them to form Perpendicular angles with the previous selected line. This can be applied to lines and Circles as well as circular arcs.
• Parallel Constraints -  This creates a parallel constrain in the selected figure its edges. this can only applied to lines.

Applying these Constraints can be done by selected the Option made available on the right toolbar. By selecting the desired constraint, and the applying to the two edges or figures that is required will apply the constraint. To remove, simply by selecting the constraint icon on the figure itself on the sketching area with the selection icon and pressing delete.

Adding Dimensions

        Now with Alibre Design, this is very easy to use and will be required later if you want to edit various dimensions of the Model that you are creating. This Feature will also allow for you to create and resize your model in various parts that are required to do so. To enable this feature, you will need to make sure you have setup your Properties settings for the model design. Please refer to the first page for this information. Now there are two way to do this, firstly by right clicking and going to the dimensions. This will enable the Dimension icon to be enabled and click the side you want the dimensions for, or the two points where you want to show the dimensions for. Note the dimensions will not be shown in 3D sketches, since that you can use the 3d Measurement tool. It is wise to be using this Feature on various areas that you will be requiring a lot of editing or changes to the design. The second method you can use alternative is that you use the side toolbar to access the dimension icon. here you will be able to select the side u need the measurements for and placing the measurement in an appropriate area. Now with The dimensions Box opening up like the one below here, you are free to edit the dimensions on the sides of your model to fit specifications required. And with the same way, you can come back and reedit the dimensions here as well.

Now there is another way in which you are able to adding dimensions without having to go through the whole process manually and adding the necessary dimensions on the figure itself. By going into the 2d sketch function and then selecting the Auto dimension Function, this will create multiple dimensions on the figure that is required.

Sketching Shapes

    Alibre Design comes pre configured with a set of shapes which can be used in the design sketch. there are two Options in which this Option to be accessed. The first way you can do this is through the right hand side sketch toolbar. Then select the sketch the shape Option which should look something similar to the image above. Another way to access this Option is by going to the sketch menu on the top of the window and selecting Shape Option there and then selecting the specific shape that is required. There are 7 different shapes in which can be used within your design. To apply any of the shapes simple click in the sketch space and then edit accordingly to the shape that is to be used.

Circle, Square  - very straightforward in applying the shape into the sketch. The diameter can a value and adjust to fit the specifications that are required. Same with the square instead of the diameter, the length of the side needs to be enter to complete the sizing of the shape.

Oblong, Rectangle - There are three dimensions here which are required to filled in for the shape to take form. The Diagram on your left will instruct where the sides dimension that is to be modified by the user. XL dimension is the long side of the oblong shape, YL gives the the dimension for the depth of the shape and A is the degree that the shape is tilted in a clockwise position. For the rectangle it is the same procedure.

Rectangle with R corner shape - This method is pretty much the same as the rectangle and oblong. The dimensions are need to be placed in their appropriate fields. The only difference is that that there is an additional field where the radius of the rounded corner. This needs to be field in before the shape is adjusted to the correct field.

Single and Double D Shape - Same as the oblong and rectangle. The curve of the shape is determined by the difference of the length and the depth of the shape.

    Now there is additional Options which are given with each of these shape placements as seen in the previous images above. There is a Set pattern which is available for the repetition of the shape through the sketch. By selecting any of the other patterns besides the single will open up additional Options based of the pattern layout. These include:

Linear - As the name suggest, the shapes will be placed in a linear fashion. With additional Options such as pitch which will determine the space between each of the shapes that are placed down in a linear fashion. The Pattern angle and determine the orientation of the linear curve. Also the number of the shapes within the figure can also be edited as well.

Arc - The pattern that the name suggest is that the laying out the pattern in a arc like fashion. The distance from a centre point can be changed as well as the number of the shape can be edited similarly to a linear fashion. The difference between the two is that the starting angle which can be prescribed and the pitch of the angle which is the next positional angle of the next Shape in the arc pattern. All the values are related with lettering next the description of each Dimension Field.

Circle -  Same as the Arc Pattern, but can be orientated  differently based on the starting angle of the first shape. This will result with a staggered circular start as shown here with the difference of the two.

Grid -  This pattern commonly used if required multiple areas with the same shape and can be edited later to fit the prescribed design. There are multiple fields which are assigned key letters which will help orientate the pattern for the shape to be assigned to as shown in the following diagram.

Adding 2D Fillets and 2D Chamfer

  By adding a Fillet to a model will remove a corner and replace with a rounded corner where as Chamfer will just remove the corner itself with just a straight line as shown here. To apply any of these Options by selecting the feature through the right sketch panel or through the 2D sketch Option. Once selected, highlight the required corners for the adding or either the fillets or the chamfers. Click okay to apply the function.

Offsetting a Sketch

Offsetting will allow for the model to draw a smaller model of itself within the sketch itself. The distance in which the offset is performed can be altered as in the offsetting menu box. To apply, select the function, highlight the areas in model required for the offsetting and then put in a value for the offset.

A note to remember is that the offsetting function will not work if the offsetting model has small feature within itself and having very little space of the offset to be shown in the model. Example can be seen here:

Mirroring

Mirroring as the name suggest, will allow you to create a mirror of the sketch in 2D. This function is also available to be done in 3D mode as well. The only requirement for the Mirroring is that a plane must be next to the model or sketch itself as shown here. To add planes, simple select the insert plane Option on the top toolbar or Insert menu and go to insert plane. Select the required face and set a distance of the plane if desired. Once completed click okay and a plane will be made parallel to the face model. Then you can mirror the model by selecting mirror Option and then the plane in which you want to form the mirror on ( most likely the plane nearest to the face which you created earlier). If you look at the drawing screen you should be able to see the projected mirror model.

To do this in 2D mode with a sketch, you need to create an axis in which the model can be mirrored off. To do this, select create Axis and the highlight the edge in which the sketch would like to be mirrored off. Once completed select okay. Next go to the mirror Option and fill in the correct parameters. Finish by Clicking okay and the Sketch should mirror.

Working Around Design Explorer

As you progress through Alibre Design, you will start to take note that design Explorer is tracking all the changes made to the model and keeps tabs on where you are working at as well as what area in the model design that you are looking at as well. If look closely to the Tree diagram, will note that most of your work will be located under feature, with all the changes as well as the functions that your have applied to the design listed there. Now for people who would like to use Alibre design to correct previous design, by selecting the name of the model or design and then right clicking, an Option for colour properties should be available. Select the Colour Properties and this will give the designer the Options to change the colour of the model, edges, the opacity (transparency of the model) and reflectivity (how much light is reflected off the model). By using the transparency bar, you can make the model fade out of view to show other moving parts in the design which will covered in the next tutorial.

This is part of Alibre Design were you can go back and edit various parts of the design model and see it take effect across the entire design. Simple by selecting one of the features or the sketch designs, right click and select edit to change the size shape or even the whole design of that specific part. Now provided that you have ensured the use of the the Analyse function and it has come back with no problems found, by pressing F5 or go to feature and select regenerate All function, this will tell the program to take all the changes made and remake a previous model with all the new changes.

Another Option which can be useful for redesigning parts of your model is the suppression function. This will force that part of the model disappear from the drawing window which allows you to force on the specific area where the changes are needed. Take note that the feature of the suppression can be removed by right clicking the part and then un-ticking the suppression Option. Parts can be suppress automatically by simply by double clicking the previous feature, but this doesn't allow for selectively suppress different features. this method will suppress everything else between the previous items between the most recent to the selected feature which was double clicked.

Rescaling the model

Rescaling of the model as it name suggest is to keep the model the way it is in a much larger size desired based on the needs of the designer. Now to do this, there are two ways. One is by going to the Features Menu or by going to the toolbars on the right and selecting the scaling icon as shown here. Now once you have open up scaling you will notice that there are few Options here. The scale factors are based of decimals as 1.0 is being 100%. Now by going to to 1.1 in retrospect, will increase the size of the model by additional 10%( 110%). Now you can change any of the these factors in the x, y and z axis. Note that if you change only of these factors alone, e.g X = 1.0, Y=1.1 and Z= 1.0, then everything in the y axis will gain the 10% increase in size and skewing your model in the y axis.

However if you want to change the model in proportions that the is currently in, select Uniform and the Options for the X, Y, Z scales should disappear and only allow for one scale factor field. Now on the very top of the scaling window, there is a field for scale type. There are only two scale types available. The first one will scale from origin which is the true origin in the drawing area itself. the second Option will give a scale from centroid of the model which is the the centre of the model itself.