Design Intent + Making a Cube 1. 2. 1
Starting a Sketch
Now we’re ready to make our first 3-D model but as we make it, it’s important to take into account design intent. Design intent is essentially the principle so that as you change one part of a 3d model, other parts will update accordingly to fit this change. To start our sketch, click the “start sketch” button in the top left and select the top plane in the center of the screen. Now, we want to place a corner rectangle down. Make sure you either start the rectangle on the origin (the point in the center of the plane) or you use the coincident constraint (with one corner of the rectangle and the origin). This constrant will ensure we are able to fully define the rectangle.
Finalizing Your Sketch
The next step is to make all sides of the rectangle equal in length. To do this, select the equal constraint (“e”) and select two sides that are perpendicular. Lastly on the sketch, define one of the sides as being 2” and press enter. To save and exit the sketch, press the green checkmark next to “Sketch 1.” To make our sketch into a 3d object, we will use the “extrude feature.” Select the extrude feature from the top bar and then select the sketch, giving it an extrude depth of 2” in the editor.
Extruding
To make our sketch into a 3d object, we will use the “extrude feature.” Select the extrude feature from the top bar and then select the sketch, giving it an extrude depth of 2” in the editor. Lastly click the green checkmark to finish the extrusion. Great job, you just finished your first 3D model!
In the next tutorial, we will learn about starting sketches on faces of parts. If you have any questions about the tutorial, you can reach out to us at contact@meatecs.com