Lesson 8 - Dimensioning

In this lesson the dimensioning of drawing components is presented. Dimensioning is represented by the DimSingle component. A DimSingle component represents a single dimensioning. Dimensioning can be oriented arbitrarily. Horizontal, vertical, angular and parallel dimensioning is possible. Dimensioning can be optionally connected to control points. This is known as associative dimensioning and results in a change of the dimensioning whenever the dimensioned geometry is changed.

8.1 Component DimSingle

The dimensioning component is defined by the dimension line's angle (1), a point on the dimension line (2) and the points (3, 4) that are dimensioned.

component dim

The visual appearance can be adapted via several parameters:

Terminator symbol: Slash, hollow and filled arrow, hollow and filled circle

Text units: Millimeter (MM), centimeter (CM), meter centimeter (M, CM), meter (M), kilometer (KM)

Text placement: Aligned (left, center, right), user defined

Projection line length: Fixed distance, fixed length, user defined

8.2 Commands

In order to add an angular dimensioning run the command AddDim or AddDimPar for parallel dimensiong. For adding horizontal or vertical dimensionings it's convenient to use the Menubar or the Toolbar icons.

Associative dimensioning

In order to add an associative dimensioning component vertices need to be selected first (See Selection section). Subsequently, the usual dimensioning commands AddDim or AddDimPar can be executed.

Example: Let's dimension the geometry shown below using associative horizontal dimensioning.

example step 1

At first we need to select the vertices we want to base our dimensioning on.

example step 2

After having the vertices selected we run the dimensioning command AddDim via the Toolbar icon for horizontal dimensioning (

). The only point that is to be specified now is the one on the dimensioning line. After entering this point the dimensioning chain will look like this:

example step 3

After unselecting everything (UnselectAll) our drawing looks like this:

example step 4

In order to check the associativity we move a certain segment. The dimensioning chain adapts automatically.

example step 5

8.3 Exercise

Load the drawings from exercise 4, 5, 6 and 7 and add dimensioning. Preferably use associative dimensionings. Save the drawings.