Geometric Constraints Flashcards
7 cards from real CAD practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Geometric Constraints flashcards as text
What does 'fully constrained' mean for a CAD sketch?
Answer: Every element has zero remaining degrees of freedom and cannot move
A fully constrained sketch has no remaining degrees of freedom — every element's position, size, and orientation are completely defined by constraints and dimensions.
What is a 'Collinear' constraint used for in a CAD sketch?
Answer: Forces two or more lines to lie along the same infinite line
A Collinear constraint forces two or more line segments to share the same infinite line direction and position, meaning they all lie on the same line.
How does a 'Concentric' constraint differ from a 'Coincident' constraint?
Answer: Concentric applies only to circles and arcs sharing a center; Coincident applies to any two points sharing a location
Concentric is specifically for circles/arcs sharing a center point, while Coincident is a general-purpose point-to-point (or point-to-curve) constraint.
In most CAD software, under-constrained sketch elements are typically displayed in which color?
Answer: Blue
Under-constrained (under-defined) sketch elements are typically shown in blue in software like SolidWorks and Inventor, indicating they still have free degrees of motion.
Which constraint would you apply to ensure two arcs always maintain the same radius?
Answer: Equal
An Equal constraint applied to two arcs forces them to maintain identical radii, so changing one automatically updates the other.
What is the 'Pierce' constraint used for in CAD sketching?
Answer: Forces a sketch point to coincide with where a 3D edge or curve pierces the sketch plane
A Pierce constraint forces a sketch point to lie exactly where a 3D geometry (edge, axis, or curve) intersects the sketch plane, linking 2D and 3D geometry.
What is the purpose of a 'Smooth (G2)' or 'Curvature Continuous' constraint between two splines or curves?
Answer: Ensures the curves meet with matching tangent direction and matching curvature, producing a visually seamless blend
A G2 (curvature continuous) constraint enforces that two curves share both the same tangent direction (G1) and the same curvature magnitude at their junction, eliminating visible inflection points.