19.16.3 Enlarging or reducing Sketcher objects

Use the scale tool from the Sketcher toolbox to enlarge or reduce Sketcher objects—lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, fillets, or splines—about a specified point. You can choose to move the original objects or to create a scaled copy in the new location. If you choose to move objects, your changes are controlled by any constraints in the sketch and by the constraint solution method in the sketch options (for more information, see Customizing the use of constraints in the Sketcher, Section 19.9.8). If you choose to create a copy, the movement of the copy is unrestricted.

To scale sketched objects:

  1. From the move and copy tools in the Sketcher toolbox, select the scale tool . For a diagram of the tools in the Sketcher toolbox, see The Sketcher tools, Section 19.4.1.

  2. Select Copy or Move in the prompt area.

    ABAQUS/CAE displays prompts in the prompt area to guide you through the procedure.

  3. Select all the objects that you want to scale. You can select sketch and construction geometry to move, or you can select sketch, construction, and reference geometry to copy; dimensions cannot be scaled.

    Tip:  To select more than one object, hold down the [Shift] key as you click each object or drag a rectangle around the objects. To unselect an object, use [Ctrl]+Click. For more information, see Chapter 6, Selecting objects within the viewport.”

  4. Click mouse button 2 to indicate that you have finished selecting objects.

  5. Select a center point about which to scale, or enter coordinates in the prompt area.

  6. Enter the scale factor—values greater than 1.0 enlarge the moved or copied objects, values less than 1.0 reduce them.

    ABAQUS/CAE keeps the selected point stationary in the viewport and enlarges or reduces the objects around it according to the scale factor.

  7. If desired, repeat Steps 3 through 6 to continue scaling objects.

    Note:  Subsequent scale operations are of the same type—Copy or Move—as you originally selected. To change the type, end the procedure and select the scale tool again.

  8. When you have finished scaling objects, either

    • Click mouse button 2 anywhere in the ABAQUS/CAE window, or

    • Select any other tool in the Sketcher toolbox, or

    • Click the cancel button in the prompt area, or

    • Click the scale tool in the Sketcher toolbox.


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