SolidWorks Command Manager: SolidWorks Sketch Toolbars

The sketch tools are the one of the major tools in SolidWorks sketch command manager to draw or make 2D sketch or profiles in graphics area. Without the 2D sketch or profile you can’t make any 3D solid objects. So, it is base of Soild modeling in the SoildWorks user interface. Here you can learn about the different Solidworks Sketch tools to make your basic design drawing.

SolidWorks Sketch Tools

Sketching is one of the easiest jobs in the SolidWorks interface. You can easily create any sketch or profile to make the Solid objects. For example to draw a circle, you can select the circle button form the tool bar menu and click on the graphics interface point and drag it to certain extend and click again the mouse right button (just forgot the dimension). The tools can also access from the command manager by using the Solidworks search box. This is not showing the how to use the sketch tools, only introduces the functions of each tools with their button image.

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Let us see all the sketch tools with their buttons.

Line

It helps to draw a line of the graphics sketch area. In side drag menu centerline option also available. This tool helps to create center line for the 2d drawing. The centerline representation follows the engineering graphics drawing tools. The new version of SolidWorks contains Midline which helps to make lines on both sides.

Read How to do Line Sketching in SolidWorks

Rectangle

It helps to create rectangle box in the sketch area. In the side down drag menu, you can see the different rectangle drawing methods such as Corner rectangle, Center Rectangle, 3 Point Corner Rectangle, 3 Point Center Rectangle and Parallelogram.

Arc

It enables to draw arc. It contains 3 arc drawing methods and they are Centerpoint Arc, Tangent Arc and 3 Point Arc.

Circle

It helps to draw a circle. IT contains two circle drawing method such as, center point circle and Perimeter circle.

Polygon

It helps to create a polygon on the sketch area. You can change the polygon sides form its property manager.

Spline

Splines are used in mechanical for mating the rotating parts. It is two types internal and external splines. This tool helps to draw highly smooth curves or lines in the sketch.

Straight Slot

It helps to draw a straight slot in 3D object. It also contains arc slot tool which create an arc slot. It have two types of slot drawing methods such as centerline method, center point, 3 Point arc and Centerpoint arc method.

Ellipse

This tool helps to draw Ellipse on the drawing interface. You can also draw partial ellipse and parabola form the down drag menu.

Related Post: How to Create New Part File in SolidWorks

Smart Dimension

The smartdimension is one of the useful tools to create sketches as mentioned in your drawing. You don’t need to care about the dimension of the sketch profile while drawing. It will adjust using SmartDimension tool in later action.

Plane

It helps to insert a plane in a 3D sketch.

Sketch Fillet

If you want to adjust the corners or make round at the corners of sketch, use the Sketch fillet tool. You can enter the fillet parameters through the property manager.

Sketch Chamfer

The sketch chamfer tool helps to replace the sharp corner with small distance or angle-distance line.

Text

To add text on the sketch area.

Point

It helps to create a points on the surface.

Trim Entities

Using the Trim Entities, you can remove the unwanted parts from the sketch profile.

Convert Entities

It helps to convert selected model edges or sketch entities into sketch segments.

Offset Entities

It enables to insert the solidworks sketch entities offset to face or edge or curves or specified distance from it.

Mirror Entities

Mirror entities helps to create mirror image of the sketch profile about a centerline.

Linear Sketch Pattern

The linear pattern helps to create patterns of a profile linearly. In the down drag menu, also contains the circular pattern helps to arrange the profiles into circular manner.

Move Entities

It helps to move the sketch entities and annotations.

Copy Entities

It helps to copy the sketch entities form the one position to another in the same user interface.

Rotate Entities

To rotate the sketch entities about a particular point.

Scale Entities

To scale or make sized difference about one fixed point.

Display/Delete Relations

It helps to display or delete the relations between sketch entities. By clicking on the sketchs , you can the relations between them and also add new relations too.

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