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Adding relations to a rough drawing
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:25 pm
by Dimensionmetal
Hi guys, I'm new on here. I have very basic knowledge of Solidworks (self taught on Youtube) however their price point is so far out of my realm I don't really see a point continuing to learn that program. I am a metal fabricator and find it much easier to lay intricate gates or brackets in CAD prior to making them. Previously I've just made a line drawing and then added dimensions and relations (degree of angles, vertical, length etc) to lock the drawing and find unsolvable equations or over-defined sections. Am I able to do this in QCAD? Attached is a quick sketch of the rough shape I want to make. I want to know if I can add relations after the rough sketch is drawn or do I have to stipulate the relation as I'm making the initial shape.
Re: Adding relations to a rough drawing
Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:14 am
by Husky
Hello Dimensionmetal - welcome to the QCAD Forum.
Dimensionmetal wrote:... I am a metal fabricator and find it much easier to lay intricate gates or brackets in CAD prior to making them.
Agree - that is the right thing to do.
Dimensionmetal wrote:... Previously I've just made a line drawing and then added dimensions and relations (degree of angles, vertical, length etc) to lock the drawing and find unsolvable equations or over-defined sections. Am I able to do this in QCAD?
No.
Dimensionmetal wrote:... Attached is a quick sketch of the rough shape I want to make. I want to know if I can add relations after the rough sketch is drawn or do I have to stipulate the relation as I'm making the initial shape.
You have to design your drawing with Draw tools like
- Husky-2017.11.13-04.png (8.37 KiB) Viewed 8757 times
afterwards you are able to modify everything what is drawn with the Modify tools like ...
- Husky-2017.11.13-03.png (39.14 KiB) Viewed 8757 times
... or the powerfull Property Editor.
But you are not able just to change a value in a dimension and the whole shape (like a rectangle) will adopt this new values.
Your quick sketch: Will that be made out of sheet metal and has to be prepared (cuts) for bending? I think that is an pretty easy task for QCAD but maybe you like to try it by yourself with a Free QCAD Trial Version.
http://www.qcad.org/de/qcad-downloads-trial
If you have any further question please feel free to ask us.
Re: Adding relations to a rough drawing
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 5:27 pm
by Dimensionmetal
I downloaded the free trial but didn't open it soon enough and it expired after about 1/2" of me diddling around on it. That drawing will be made out of aluminum and yes dotted line are bends. Thanks for answering my questions!
Re: Adding relations to a rough drawing
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 5:31 pm
by andrew
Dimensionmetal wrote:I downloaded the free trial but didn't open it soon enough and it expired after about 1/2" of me diddling around on it.
Did you notice that you can simply restart the trial version after it expires?