6.0

Creating Base Features | 259
2 Use AMPROFILE to profile your sketch.
Context Menu In the graphics area, right-click and choose Sketch Solving
➤ Single Profile.
Mechanical Desktop analyzes the sketch and displays a message on the com-
mand line:
Solved underconstrained sketch requiring 5 dimensions or constraints.
NOTE Throughout this tutorial, the number of constraints your sketch needs
may differ from the example, depending on how precisely you draw the sketch.
You learn how to modify constraints so that your sketch solves correctly.
Look at the assumed constraints and determine which constraints you need.
3 Use
AMSHOWCON to display all of the existing constraints.
Context Menu In the graphics area, right-click and choose 2D
Constraints ➤ Show Constraints.
Respond to the prompt to show all constraints.
Your sketch should look like this. However, the constraint numbering may
differ, depending on the order in which you drew the geometry.
In the example, all sketch elements have constraints except the arc. The lines
show vertical (V) or horizontal (H) constraints and the top two horizontal
lines show a collinear (C) constraint. A fix constraint is located at the start
point of line 0.
NOTE If the fix constraint in your sketch does not appear in the same location
as the illustration above, redraw the sketch starting at the lower left.
Now that the basic sketch shape is defined, you need to add dimensions to
stabilize its size. Start with its longest lengths to minimize the risk of distort-
ing the shape as it is resized.