To add a stand-alone sketch:

From the Sketcher toolbox, select the add sketch tool . For a diagram of the tools in the Sketcher toolbox, see “The Sketcher tools,” Section 19.4.1.

ABAQUS/CAE displays the Add Sketch dialog box.

Select the sketch to add from the list of stand-alone sketches and click OK to close the Add Sketch dialog box.

ABAQUS/CAE does the following:

Positions the added sketch so that its origin is coincident with the origin of the current sketch.

Resizes the view so that both the current sketch and the added sketch are visible.

Use the buttons that appear in the prompt area to indicate how you will locate the added sketch.

Select Translate to translate the added sketch along a specified vector. You can define the beginning and the end of the translation vector by either selecting from the sketch or by typing the X- and Y-coordinates of each end.

Select Rotate to rotate the added sketch through a specified angle about a specified point. You can specify the point at the center of rotation by selecting from the sketch or typing the X- and Y-coordinates. The angle of rotation you specify must be between 360 and –360 degrees.

Select Mirror to mirror the added sketch about a selected line. You must specify the mirror line by selecting an existing straight line (not a line in the added sketch).

Select Scale to scale the spacing between the vertices of the added sketch by a specified amount about a specified point. You can specify the point by selecting from the sketch or by typing the X- and Y-coordinates.

A preview of the added sketch is modified and positioned according to your specification.

If desired, repeat Step 3 to continue modifying or repositioning the added sketch.

Select Done in the prompt area.

ABAQUS/CAE adds the stand-alone sketch to the existing geometry.