Degrees of Freedom Glyph Reference

Illustrates the degrees of freedom available to geometry.

Access

In a sketch when no command is active, do one of the following:

• Select Show All Degrees of Freedom from the status bar.
• Right-click the geometry, and select Display Degrees of Freedom.

Translation

• Points are constrained to move parallel to an axis, as defined by the glyph orientation.
• Curves possess translational degrees of freedom. Available curve translation is determined by the presence of this glyph and the endpoint/center point glyphs.

2D Translation

• Points are free to move in the sketch plane.
• This glyph is not applicable to curves.

Rotation

• Curves are free to rotate about a point in the sketch plane.
• This glyph is not applicable to points.

Example: Impact of constraint application on degrees of freedom

• Unconstrained sketch line

  

  • 2D Translation glyphs at the endpoints reflect the ability of the endpoints to move freely in the sketch plane.
  • Translation glyph on the line, combined with the 2D Translation glyphs on the endpoints, reflects the ability of the line to move freely in the sketch plane.
  • Rotation glyph reflects the ability of the line to rotate in the sketch plane.

• Vertical constraint applied to the line:

  

  • 2D Translation glyphs on the endpoints reflect the ability of the endpoints to move freely.
  • Translation glyph on the line, combined with the 2D Translation glyphs on the endpoints, reflects the ability of the line to move freely in the sketch plane.
  • Rotation glyph on the line has been removed as the line can no longer rotate in the sketch plane.

• Fix constraint applied to the bottom endpoint:

  

  • 2D Translation glyph on the bottom endpoint is removed as the endpoint is fixed.
  • Translation glyph is removed from the line as translation is no longer available. The line can only change length.
  • Translation glyph on the top endpoint reflects the ability of the line to change length.

• Dimension applied to the line:

  

  • Translation glyph on the top endpoint is removed as the line can no longer change length.
  • The line is fully constrained, no degrees of freedom remain.