AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 1 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Compiled by: Kevin Burke
Kevin Burke
Date: 16/Apr/2003
Approved by:
Date:
Authorised by:
Date:
AIRBUS UK Ltd. All rights reserved.
Foundation Course
Sketcher
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 2 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Contents
Session 3 – The Sketcher Workbench......................................3
An Introduction to Sketcher...................................................................................... 4
Renaming a Node name on the Specification Tree................................................... 5
Accessing the Sketcher Workbench.......................................................................... 6
Selecting a Sketch Plane ....................................................................................... 7
The Sketcher Workbench.......................................................................................... 8
Sketcher Toolbars and Icons ................................................................................... 10
Selecting and Positioning Geometry....................................................................... 12
The Profile Toolbar................................................................................................. 14
The Profile Icon................................................................................................... 14
Pre-Defined Profiles............................................................................................ 18
Circles and Arcs .................................................................................................. 22
2D Splines........................................................................................................... 24
Conical Shapes.................................................................................................... 25


♦ Understand the Sketcher Toolbars and Icons.
♦ Be able create and manipulate 2D Geometry.
♦ Be able to apply and manipulate Constraints.
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 4 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
An Introduction to Sketcher
The primary use for Sketcher is for the user to define precise and rapid 2D profiles,
which can then be used in the definition of surfaces and solids.
Within a sketch you can create 2D-wireframe geometry which can be used to produce
Solids or surfaces and is represented by a solid line font. 2D-construction wireframe
geometry can also be created which is used as an aid to produce the solid 2D-
wireframe geometry. To position and control the size of the sketch, geometric and
positional constraints are used which are displayed in green. A Sketch Node will be
attached to the Specification Tree in which the Sketch Axis, Geometry and
Constraints details are held. The Specification Tree can be expanded by selecting the
‘+’ symbol on the Tree Branch or collapsed by selecting the ‘-‘ symbol.
Dimensional
Constraints
Geometric
Constraints
Specification
Tree
Wireframe
Geometry
Construction
Wireframe
Geometry
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course

AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 7 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Selecting a Sketch Plane
The sketcher icon will now be orange and you will be prompted to select a plane, a
planar face or a sketch this is known as the Sketch Support. Select the required
plane, face or sketch and the catia desktop will switch to the sketcher workench and
graphic display.
Select a Plane from
the Specification
Tree or Graphically.
For additional
information on
creating user defined
Planes see the Part
Design Session
Select a Planar face
on an existing solid
Select an existing
Sketch on the
Specification Tree
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 8 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
The Sketcher Workbench
On entering the
Sketcher graphics
window a Yellow
2D Axis is displayed
containing a vertical

by the Mechanical Design>Sketcher branch on the displayed panel.
The Grid section controls the visibility, size and whether grid snapping is used.
The Sketch Plane section allows the sketch plane to be shaded and to automatically
position the sketch plane parallel to the screen.
The Geometry section allows the creation of circle/ellipse centre points and the
manipulation of geometry by the use of the mouse.
The Constraints section switches on automatic constraints where appropriate.
The Colors section controls element colours.
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 10 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Sketcher
Workbench Icon
Profile Creation
Constraints
Selection Icon
Exit Sketcher
Operations
Sketcher Toolbars and Icons
There are four main toolbars within the
sketcher workbench: -
1. Profile Creation – used for the
creation of geometric elements.
2. Operations – for dressing-up
(Filleting, Trimming, etc.) and
manipulating geometry (Mirroring,
Translating, etc.).
3. Constraints – for controlling
geometry size and position.
4. The Sketch Tools toolbar – is used

construction geometry will
be created).
Automatic Dimensional
constraints (orange indicates
dimensional constraints will
be created).
Fields for entering constraint
value manually.
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 12 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Polygon
Trap
Selecting and Positioning Geometry
Individual geometry can be selected by either graphically or from the specification
tree using the left mouse button. Two or more elements can be selected by pressing
the Ctrl Key in conjunction with the left mouse button. Finally selection can be
performed by using one of the selection icons and the left mouse button.
Standard Select - Select by clicking on an element or by clicking and
dragging a rectangle around the elements you wish to select, when the mouse button
is released all the elements fully contained within the rectangle are selected.
Selection Trap - Similar to the standard select command except individual
element cannot be selected. Select by clicking and dragging a rectangle around the
elements you wish to select, when the mouse button is released only the elements
fully contained within the rectangle are selected.
Intersecting Trap - Select by clicking and dragging a rectangle around the
elements you wish to select. All elements contained within and crossing the rectangle
are selected.
Polygon Trap – Select by
enclosing the required elements

AN—UG0300111
The Profile Toolbar
Used to create wireframe geometry with sketcher
Note: By using automatic geometric constraints when creating elements the shape will
be maintained if an element within the profile is moved. The profiles can be defined
either by selecting graphic locations, entering the values via the sketch tools toolbar or
by snapping to existing geometry in the current sketch
The Profile Icon
Creates a profile consisting of lines and arcs. On selecting this icon the sketch
tools toolbar changes to display further options and you are prompt to enter the start
point of the profile. By default the first element will be a Line as indicated by the
icon being highlighted in the toolbar, although you can start with an Arc.
With the automatic dimensions constraint icon selected it is possible to create a
profile two ways.
1. You can enter the ordinates of the start and end points of the line in the ordinate
fields followed by the Enter Key for each point, this will display both the start
and end points plus the constraint values on the screen.
2. You can click on the sketch plane to indicate the start and end points but no
constraints will be generated, although they can be added at any time. This is the
easier way to create geometry.
Creates a profile consisting of lines and arcs.
Creates circles and arcs.
Creates Points.
Creates an axis line.
Creates lines.
Creates Conical shapes.
Creates 2D Splines.
Creates pre-defined profiles.
Insert Line
Insert 3 Point Arc

Indicate the end point for the line using the left mouse button, again the line length is
displayed on the toolbar.
Finally click and drag from the end of the line to switch to insert arc mode, then select
the start of the first line to close the profile. As you hover over the start point of the
line a blue circle with a solid blue dot will appear, which indicates the end of the arc
will snap to the start of the line if you click. Once the profile is closed the command is
completed. If an open profile is required you can either double click after completing
an element or deselect the profile icon to terminate the command. If a mistake is made
when defining a profile, you can click on the Undo icon during the command to
step back through the profile.
Element snapping
indicator
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 17 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Starting a Profile with a three point Arc.
To start the profile with a arc rather than a line the following method can be used.
1. Select the Profile icon then click to indicate start point of the arc followed by the
insert three point arc icon on the sketch tools toolbar.
2. Click to indicate the second point.
3. Finally click to indicate the end point of the arc.
The profile command will now switch back to insert line mode.
Note: Complete circles can not be produced using this icon
Arc start
point
Insert 3
Point Arc
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 18 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111

of the points
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 19 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Creates an Orientated Rectangle using 3 points or locations.
Click to indicate the first corner of the rectangle followed a second click to complete
the first side. Finally click a location to indicate the diagonally opposite corner.
Creates a Parrallelogram using 3 points or locations.
Click to indicate the first corner of the Parrallelogram followed by the second click to
complete the first side. Finally click a location to indicate the diagonally opposite
corner.
First
point
Second
point
Third
point
First
point
Third
point
Second
point
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 20 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Creates an Elongated Hole or Slot using 3 points or locations.
The first two points selected using the mouse will define the position and length of the
slot axis. The third selection controls the size of the slot.
Creates a Cylindrical Elongated Hole or Slot.

First
point
Second
point
First
point
Third
point
Second
point
Fourth
point
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 22 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Circles and Arcs
Creates Circles and arcs.
Creates a Circle using 2 points or locations.
The first selection indicates the centre of the circle and second defines its size.
Creates a Circle through 3 points or locations.
Creates a Circle using Cartesian or Polar ordinates.
After selecting the icon a Circle Definition panel will appear. Select either the
Cartesian or Polar Tab and enter the Center Point ordinates as required. Enter the
radius size in the Radius field and click the OK button to insert the circle. The circle
is generated with the controlling constraints. The Center Point constraints are relative
to the sketch axis H and V.
Insert a Tri-Tangent
Circle
Insert
Arc

to a Line, Spline
and a Point
Circle tangent
to 3 Circles
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 24 of 65 Issue 1
AN—UG0300111
Creates an Arc using 3 points or locations starting with its limits.
Select 3 locations (Start point, End point and then Mid point). Again the contextual
menu can be used to close to a circle or create a complement arc.
Creates an Arc using 3 points or locations.
The first selection indicates the centre point of the arc, the second defines the radius
and its start point. The final selection defines the end of the arc.
2D Splines
Creates 2D Splines and Connect Curves.
Creates a 2D Spline through a series of Control points or locations.
Select a series of locations known as Control Points through which a 2D Spline is
generated as you define the control point locations. Double click the finish the Spline.
Creates a Connect Curve between to elements.
Select 2 elements to produce a trimmed circle between them. The contextual menu
can be used to produce a closed circle or complement arc.
Insert 2D
Spline
Insert a
Connect Curve
Spline
Control
Points
AIRBUS UK CATIA V5 Foundation Course
DMS42188 Page 25 of 65 Issue 1