Geometric Construction

290917

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Contents
n  Points and Lines n  Angles
n  Cartesian Coordinate n  Circles and Ellipse
System n  Geometric
n  Planes Constraints
n  Polygons

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 Geometric Forms
n  Points
n  Points are used to indicate locations in space.
n  Points are considered to have no height, width or
depth.
n  A point can be defined as a set of coordinates (x,y) on
the Cartesian plane.
n  Lines
n  A straight line is the shortest distance between two
points.
n  Lines are considered to have length, but no other
dimension such as width or thickness. Back to Contents

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Cartesian Coordinate System
n  In order to locate objects in space, the
Cartesian Coordinate System is used.
This system not only helps to locate
objects, but allows for sizes to be made
from those locations.

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 Cartesian Coordinates
+Y

-X -Z

The X, Y, and Z axes are number lines

that are oriented as you see here.
Placing the axis in this manner the
user can locate points in space
+Z +X

-Y
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 Cartesian Coordinates
+Y

-X -Z

The origin is the place where X,

Y, and Z are all equal to zero.

+Z +X

-Y
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 Cartesian Points
n  Absolute Coordinates
n  Points that are defined by absolute coordinates refer to
the origin for their numeric value. The point is
identified by the absolute X and Y distance from zero.
n  Relative or Incremental Coordinates
n  Points that are defined by relative coordinates reference
the previous point on the Cartesian plane. The final
point is identified by the distance from the last point
referenced.

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R Renee Descartes (1596 – 1650) was the French philosopher
and mathematician for whom the Cartesian Coordinate System
is named.

R The Cartesian Coordinate System made it possible to

represent geometric entities by numerical and algebraic
expressions

R Descartes coordinate system remains the most commonly

used coordinate system today for identifying points.

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 Absolute Coordinates
Y
6
D A = X3, Y2
5
B
4 B = X4, Y4

3 C = X7, Y1
A
2
C D = X8, Y5
1
0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 Relative/Incremental Coordinates
Y
A ref zero= X3, Y2
6 D
5 B ref A = X1, Y2
B
4
C ref B= X3, Y-3
3
A D ref C= X1, Y4
2
C
1
0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 Lines
Y
6
D
5 Line AD
B
4

3
A
2
C Line BC
1
0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 Polar Coordinates
Y
6
5
4
Polar Coordinates work similarly to
3 relative coordinates in that the location
of a point is based on the last location
2 point. The difference is that you will locate
the next point by distance and the angle
the point is located on the coordinate plane.
1
0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 90°

Polar Coordinates
Y 180° 0°

6
5
270°
4
To find this angle we can use an alternative origin. As
3 the reference point changes, this new origin will be placed
on the point and the angle can then be measured.
2 Notice that the angle is measured in a counter
clockwise direction.
1
0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 Polar Coordinates
Y D
6
5 90°

4 A 45°

3 180° 0°
To locate point “D”. Use point “A” as the reference
2 point. The “D” Polar Coordinate is 4.25 < 45°. 4.25
is the distance, 45° is the angle the point is located
1 270° in the coordinate plane.

0 X
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Project Lead The Way, Inc.
 Right Hand Rule

You can use your Y

hand to help orient Z
the coordinate
system in a CNC
Robotics or CAD
application. Make
sure you use your X
right hand!

Back to Contents

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 Geometric Forms
n  Planes
Planes are defined by:
§ Three points not lying in a straight line

§ Two parallel lines

§ Two intersecting lines

§ A point and a line

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 Origin Planes
Y

Planes in the origin are

identified by the axes that
lie on the plane.

Z X

The XY Plane.
Back to Contents

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 Origin Planes
Y
Planes in the origin are
identified by the axes that
lie on the plane.

Z X

The XZ Plane
Back to Contents

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 Origin Planes
Y

Planes in the origin are

identified by the axes that
lie on the plane.

Z X

The YZ Plane
Back to Contents

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Geometric Forms
Polygons
n  A polygon is any closed plane,
geometric figure with three or more
sides or angles.
n  Polygons can be inscribed (drawn within
a circumference) or circumscribed
(drawn around a circumference).

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 Polygons Inscribed Polygon
An inscribed polygon can be
constructed by determining the
number of sides and the distance
across the corners.

Circle diameter = distance across corners

8-sided polygon Connect radial lines where the ends

intersect the circumference
Example:
There are 360° in a circle; for an eight-sided polygon divide
360° by 8 (360° ÷8=45 °) to determine the central angle.
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 Polygons Circumscribed Polygon
A circumscribed polygon can be
constructed by determining the
number of sides and the distance
across the flats.

Circle diameter = distance across the

flats

8-sided polygon Connect radial lines by drawing line

segments tangent to arc segments
Example:
There are 360° in a circle; for an eight-sided polygon divide
360° by 8 (360° ÷8=45 °) to determine the central angle.
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 Polygons Triangle

Triangle

• A triangle is a plane figure bounded by

three straight sides.

• The sum of the interior angles is always

180°.
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Polygons Triangle

Equilateral Triangle – All sides equal; all

angles equal.

Isosceles Triangle – Two sides equal; two

angles equal.

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Polygons Triangle

Right Triangle – Contains one 90° angle.

Scalene Triangle – No equal sides or angles.

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 Quadrilateral
Polygons

Quadrilateral

• A quadrilateral is a plane figure bounded

by four straight sides.

• If the opposite sides are parallel, the

quadrilateral is also a parallelogram.
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 Quadrilateral
Polygons
Parallelograms:

Square – All sides equal, four right angles.

Rectangle – Opposite sides are equal,

four right angles.

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 Quadrilateral
Polygons
Parallelograms:

Rhombus – All sides equal; Opposite

angles are equal.

Rhomboid – Opposite sides are equal;

Opposite angles are equal.

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 Quadrilateral
Polygons

Trapezoid – Two sides parallel.

Trapezium – No sides parallel.

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 Other
Polygons Polygons

5 SIDES 6 SIDES 7 SIDES

Pentagon Hexagon Heptagon

8 SIDES 9 SIDES 10 SIDES

Back to Contents

Octagon Nonagon Decagon

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 Angle Types

Acute Angle - Angle that is Obtuse Angle - Angle Right Angle - Angle
less than 90°. that is greater than 90°. equal to 90°.

Complementary Angles - Supplementary Angles -

Two angles that make up Two angles that make up
90°. 180°.

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 Bisecting an Angle

Given Angle Strike Arc R any Strike two arcs, shown here as .625.
distance. The arcs can be any size as long as
they are equal.

Draw a line from where the .625 arcs intersect

to the vertex of the angle. This is the bisector
of the angle. The angle is now divided into two
equal angles.
Back to Contents

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Circle Terms Chord is a line that has endpoints
at the circumference of a circle

The circumference of a circle is the

Adistance
circle is around
a closedthe
curve withofallthe
outside
Center
points
circle. Toalong point
the curve
calculate an equal
the circumference:
distance from a point
Circumference = called
Dia. X the
Π
center.

The radius of a circle is half the diameter.

The diameter is the longest chord in

a circle that passes through the
center point of a circle.
An arc is a portion of the circumference
of a circle.

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 The set of all points in the same
Ellipse plane whose sum of the distances
from two fixed points is constant.

The sum of the distances

of the black lines equals
the sum of the distances
of the red lines. Back to Contents

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Geometric Constraints
n  When making solid models, constraints
are necessary to produce parts of exact
shapes and sizes. To make a part
parametric it is necessary to use as
many geometric constraints as possible.
The next set of slides will show what
that geometry is.

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Geometric Constraints
Parallel - Lines that are equal distance from
each other at each point along their length.

These two lines are parallel. The lines are

also representing the symbol for parallel.

Perpendicular - Lines that are 90° from one another.

These two lines are perpendicular and

represent the symbol for perpendicular.

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 Geometric Constraints
Horizontal - A line is horizontal when it is parallel to
the horizon. In solid modeling, the line is also parallel
in the horizontal projection plane and will appear true
length.

Vertical - A line is vertical when it is perpendicular to

the horizon. This line will be parallel to the front and
profile projection planes.

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 Geometric Constraints
Tangent - A line or arc that has one point in common
with an arc. If a line is tangent with a circle(Figure A),
the line will be perpendicular with a line drawn from the
point of tangency through the center point of the arc.
If two arcs are tangent (Figure B), a line drawn between
the centers will intersect at the point of tangency.

Figure A Figure B
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Geometric Constraints
Concentric - Circles or arcs that share the same center
point.

These circles and the arcs share the same

center point.

Coincident - Points that share the same location

on the coordinate plane. Points may also be parts
of arcs or curves.

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Geometric Constraints
Collinear - Lines that if projected at each other will
become the same line.

Collinear lines

Coplanar - Two or more objects that sit in the same

plane.
Fixed Point - A point that has been forced to stay in
one location in space.
Equal - Two or more lines, arcs, or circles that are given
the same magnitude. Back to Contents

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