The dictionary defines a constraint as being a restricted or confined state within prescribed bounds. Autodesk Inventor uses constraints in two primary ways:
- To control geometry within sketches.
- To establish relationships between components placed within assembly models.
The idea that geometry within Autodesk Inventor behaves differently depending on the constraints that were applied is one that often hinders new users transitioning from a 2D drawing application.
Within Autodesk Inventor's 2D sketch environment constraints are inferred between lines, arcs and other geometry while the geometry is being created. Constraints can also be manually applied to alter the relationships between geometry after the sketch geometry exists. These geometric constraints allow the subsequent editing of the sketch with predictable results. For example, dragging the endpoint of a line that is constrained to be perpendicular to another line does not change the perpendicularity.
Within Autodesk Inventor's assembly environment, features of one component can have relationships to features on other components. These relationships determine the position (and sometimes the size) of each component. For example, mating the bottom of a box to the top of a table ensures that the bottom face of the box remains in contact with the plane representing the top of the table.
