Catia Book - 1-Edu Cat en v5r16

Student Guide
CATIA
V5 Fundamentals
Book 1
Version 5 Release 16
EDU-CAT-EN-V5F-FI-V5R16
Copyright DASSAULT
SYSTEMES
CATIA / ENOVIA / SMARTEAM User Companion
Your everyday Companion!
Companion is an essential tool which allows you to continuously enhance your skills and
optimize performance with Dassault Systemes products – right at your desk! The Companion
includes theory, demonstrations, exercises and methodology recommendations that enable
you to learn proven ways to perform your daily tasks. Every release the Companion is
updated by Dassault Systemes experts to ensure that your knowledge remains current..
For more details please visit www.3ds.com/education/
Show them what you know

Get Certified!
Research shows, and industry experts agree, that an IT certification increases your credibility
in the Information Technology workplace. It provides tangible evidence to show that you have
the proficiency to provide a higher level of support to your employer. Are you ready to get
certified and affirm the knowledge, skills and experience you possess and gain a worldwide
recognized credential leading to success?
For complete details please visit www.vue.com/dassaultsystemes-catia/
Copyright DASSAULT
SYSTEMES
Student Guide
CATIA
V5 Fundamentals
Book 1
Official Courseware
Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the express prior written permission of DASSAULT
SYSTEMES. This courseware may only be used with explicit DASSAULT SYSTEMES
agreement.
Copyright DASSAULT
SYSTEMES
CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Table of Contents
Student Notes:
Table of Contents – Book 1
Lesson 1: Introduction to CATIA 1-1

Introduction to CATIA – Step 3 1-35
About this course 1-2 CATIA User Interface 1-36
About the Student Guide 1-3 Workbenches 1-38
Conventions used in the Student Guide 1-4 Menus and Toolbars 1-39
Case Study: Introduction to CATIA 1-5 Finding Tools 1-41
The Specification Tree 1-42
Introduction to CATIA – Step 1 1-8 Manipulating the Specification Tree 1-43
PLM – Product Lifecycle Management 1-9 Selecting Objects with the Mouse 1-44
PLM in Practice 1-10 Action/Object and Object/Action
CATIA within the PLM Solution 1-11 Approaches 1-45
CATIA from Concept to Realization 1-12 Using Windows 1-46
What is CATIA V5 ? 1-13 Using Windows and the Right Mouse Button 1-48
Key Terms 1-14 Moving Objects with the Mouse 1-49
Design Intent 1-18 Compass 1-51
How Features Affect Design Intent 1-21 Graphic Properties 1-52
Exercise 1A 1-23 Changing Graphic Properties 1-53
Rendering Styles 1-54
Introduction to CATIA – Step 2 1-26 Applying Rendering Styles 1-55
Windows Philosophy 1-27 CATIA User Companion 1-56
Introduction to V5 Documents 1-31 Help Documentation 1-57
Message Bar 1-58
The Workbench Concept 1-32

Starting CATIA using the Start Menu 1-33 Exercise 1B 1-59
Opening an Existing Document 1-34 Case Study: Introduction to CATIA 1-66
Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-1

Student Notes:
Lesson 2: Profile Creation 2-1

Geometry Creation: Conics 2-22
Case Study: Profile Creation 2-2 Geometry Creation: Pre-defined Profiles 2-23
Design Intent 2-3 Geometry Creation: User-defined Profiles 2-25
Stages in the Process 2-4 Geometry Creation: Introduction to
Re-limitations 2-26
Profile Creation – Step 1 2-5 Construction Geometry 2-27
Creating a New Part 2-6
Part Design Workbench 2-7 Recommendations for Sketching 2-28
Creating a Profile: What Are the Best Tools
to Use? 2-29
Profile Creation – Step 2 2-8
How Complex Should Sketches Be? 2-30
Reference Planes 2-9
What is a Sketch? 2-10
Exercise 2A 2-32
Sketch Support 2-11
Exercise 2B 2-43
Basic Sketching 2-14
Exercise 2C 2-47
Sketcher Workbench 2-15
Grid 2-16
Geometry Creation 2-17
Constraining the Sketch 2-51
Geometry Creation: Points 2-18
Geometric and Dimensional Constraints 2-52
Geometry Creation: Lines 2-19

Fully Constrained Sketches 2-53
Geometry Creation: Circles 2-20
Geometric Constraints 2-54
Geometry Creation: Ellipse, Parabola,
Hyperbola, and Spline 2-21 Dimensional Constraints 2-56

Student Notes:
Recommendations for Constraining 2-57

Sketch in Context 2-58 Lesson 3: Basic Features 3-1
Sketcher Orientation 2-59
Tips on Initial Sketch Geometry 2-61 Basic Features in Part Design 3-2
Tips on Constraint Creation 2-63 Case Study: Basic Features 3-3
Controlling the Constraint Dimension Design Intent 3-4
Direction 2-64
Stages in the Process 3-5

Basic Features – Step 1 3-6
Completing the Feature 2-66
Part Design Terminology 3-7
Using a Pad to Create the First Feature 2-67
Creating a Base Feature 3-8
Selecting a Base Feature 3-9
Selecting a Base Feature - Exercise 3-10
Saving Documents 2-69
Selecting a Base Feature - Answers 3-11
Saving a Document with the Same Name 2-70
Features that Add or Remove Material 3-12
Saving a Document with a New Name 2-71
Closing a Document 2-72
To Sum Up… 2-73
Pad and Pocket Limits 3-15
Creating Pads 3-16
Exercise 2D 2-74
Creating a Simple Pocket 3-17
Restrictions for Pad/Pocket Profile Sketches 3-18
Exercise 2E 2-86
Open Profiles 3-19
Exercise 2F 2-92
Case Study: Profile Creation 2-95

Student Notes:

What is a Hole? 3-21 Basic Features – Step 5 3-58
Hole Creation using a Positioning Sketch 3-22 Model View Options 3-59
Hole Creation using Pre-defined References 3-23 Hide/Show 3-60
Using Pockets or Holes 3-25 Deactivate/Activate 3-62
Investigating the Model 3-63
Basic Features – Step 4 3-26 To Sum Up ... 3-66
What is a Fillet? 3-27
Selection and Propagation Modes 3-28 Exercise 3E 3-67
Filleting an Edge 3-29
Face-Face Fillets 3-30 Exercise 3F 3-75
Variable Radius Fillets 3-32
What is a Chamfer? 3-34 Case Study: Basic Features 3-79
Chamfer Dimensioning Mode 3-35
Creating a Chamfer 3-36
Exercise 3A 3-37
Exercise 3B 3-46
Exercise 3C 3-52
Exercise 3D 3-55

Student Notes:
Lesson 4: Additional Features 4-1

Sketch Analysis Window 4-29
Case Study: Additional Features 4-2 Performing a Quick Geometry Diagnosis 4-32
Design Intent 4-3
Stages in the Process 4-5 Additional Features: Step 2 4-34
Multiple Profiles 4-35
Additional Features – Step 1 4-6 Multi-Pads/Pockets 4-36
Additional Sketcher Tools 4-7 Solving Ambiguity for Multi-Pads/Pockets 4-38
Creating an Axis 4-8 Sub-Elements of a Sketch 4-39
Dimensioning to an Axis 4-9 Solving Ambiguity for Sub-Elements 4-41
Re-Limitation Tools 4-10
Re-limitations 4-11 Exercise 4A 4-43
Trim Options 4-12
Quick Trim Options 4-13 Exercise 4B 4-61
Transformation Tools 4-14
Mirror and Symmetry Options 4-15 Exercise 4C 4-70
Translation 4-16
Rotation 4-18 Additional Features – Step 3 4-74
Scale 4-20 Reference Geometry 4-75
Offset Propagation Modes 4-22 Accessing the Reference Elements Toolbar 4-76
Offset 4-23 Power Input Line 4-77
Project 3D Elements 4-25 Points 4-78

3D Geometry Elements 4-26 Lines 4-79
Isolate Projected Elements 4-27 Planes 4-81
Sketch Analysis 4-28

Student Notes:
Additional Features – Step 3 4-83

Revolved Features 4-84 Exercise 4G 4-119
Axis of Revolution 4-86
Shafts 4-87 Exercise 4H 4-127
Creating Grooves 4-88
Exercise 4I 4-133
Restrictions for Revolved Features 4-89
Case Study: Additional Features 4-136
Exercise 4D 4-91
Exercise 4E 4-103
Exercise 4F 4-108
Additional Features – Step 5 4-111

Shelling 4-112
Shelling a Part 4-113
Importance of Feature Order 4-115
Thin Features 4-116
To Sum Up ... 4-118

Student Notes:
Lesson 5: Dress-Up Features 5-1

Dress-Up Features – Step 3 5-40
Case Study: Dress-up Features 5-2 What Are Threads and Taps? 5-41
Design Intent 5-3 Thread and Tap 5-43
Stages in the Process 5-4
Dress-Up Features – Step 1 5-5 Editing Features 5-46
What is a Draft? 5-6 Why Reorder Features? 5-47
Basic Drafts 5-8 Reordering Features 5-48
Reflect Draft 5-10 Limitations on Using Reorder 5-50
Variable Draft 5-12 Define in Work Objects 5-51
Selecting Faces to Draft 5-14 Properties 5-53
Recommendations for Draft 5-15 Filters 5-57
Parting and Neutral Elements 5-16 Parent-Child Relationships 5-61
Dress-Up Feature Order 5-17 Resolving Feature Failures 5-62
To Sum Up … 5-66
Introduction to Stiffeners 5-19 Exercise 5D 5-67
Create a Stiffener 5-20
Exercise 5E 5-80
Exercise 5A 5-22
Exercise 5F 5-85
Exercise 5B 5-30
Case Study: Dress-Up Features 5-88
Exercise 5C 5-37

Student Notes:
Lesson 6: Reusing Data 6-1

Reusing Data – Step 2 6-40
Case Study: Reusing Data 6-2 Introduction to Transformation Features 6-41
Design Intent 6-3 Using Transformation Features 6-43
Stages in the Process 6-4 Translation 6-44
Rotation 6-46
Reusing Data – Step 1 6-5 Symmetry 6-47
Introduction to Duplicating Features 6-6 Scaling 6-49
Mirror 6-7 Recommendations for Transformations 6-50
Patterns 6-8 Differences in Transformations 6-51
Rectangular Patterns 6-9 Scaling the Part to Define Mold “Shrink” 6-52
Circular Patterns 6-11 Contextual Menus 6-53
User Patterns 6-14
Recommendations for Patterns 6-16 Reusing Data – Step 3 6-54
Exploding a Pattern 6-17 Copy and Paste 6-55
Removing Individual Instances in a Pattern 6-18
Keep Specification 6-19 Reusing Data – Step4 6-59
Introduction to Catalogs 6-60
Exercise 6A 6-20 Power Copy 6-62
User Features 6-65
Exercise 6B 6-32 Catalog Creation 6-66
Inserting Catalog Items 6-67

Exercise 6C 6-37 To Sum Up … 6-70

Student Notes:
Exercise 6D 6-71 Lesson 7: Finalizing Design Intent 7-1
Exercise 6E 6-82 Case Study: Finalizing Design Intent 7-2

Design Intent 7-3
Exercise 6F 6-87 Stages in the Process 7-5
Case Study: Reusing Data 6-90 Finalizing Design Intent – Step 1 7-6
Material Properties 7-7
Applying Material Properties 7-8
Viewing Material on the Model 7-10
Finalizing Design Intent – Step 2 7-11

Analysis Tools 7-12
Element Selection 7-13
Measure between Modes 7-15
Measure Between 7-16
Measure Item 7-18
Components Option 7-20
Mass Properties 7-22
Measure Inertia 7-23
Creating Measurement Geometry 7-25

Update 7-27

Student Notes:
Exercise 7A 7-28
Exercise 7C 7-62
Exercise 7B 7-41
Exercise 7D 7-76
Finalizing Design Intent – Step 3 7-45
Formulas 7-46 Exercise 7E 7-85
Identifying Parameters 7-47
Renaming Parameters 7-48 Case Study: Finalizing Design Intent 7-90
Filters 7-49
Creating Formulas 7-50
Creating a Formula Using the Formula
Window 7-51
Creating a Formula by Editing the
Dimensional Value 7-53
Creating User-Defined Parameters 7-55
Recommendations for Formulas 7-57
Units 7-58
Displaying Formulas and User-Defined
Parameters 7-60
To Sum-Up … 7-61

Student Notes:
Lesson 8: Assembly Design 8-1

Specification Tree 8-26
Introduction to Assembly Design 8-2 Can You Reorder a Product Structure? 8-27
Terminology 8-3 Product Structure Reordering 8-28
Case Study: Assembly Design 8-4 Copy and Paste a Component 8-31
Design Intent 8-5 Setting Copy and Paste Options 8-32
Stages in the Process 8-6 Duplication Multiple Instances of a
Component 8-33
Assembly Design – Step 1 8-7 Duplicating Components Using an Existing
Pattern 8-34
Defining a New Assembly Document 8-8
Components from a Catalog 8-37
Assigning Product Properties 8-9
Exercise 8A 8-39
Assembly Design – Step 2 8-10
Adding Components 8-11
Exercise 8B 8-45
Inserting an Existing Component 8-13
Assigning Component Properties 8-15
Exercise 8C 8-51

What Does the Compass Do? 8-18
Degrees of Freedom 8-55
Positioning the Compass to Move a
Component 8-19 Setting Assembly Constraints 8-56
Introduction to Positioning with Constraints 8-57
Moving a Component Using the Compass 8-20

Snapping Components 8-21 Inserting an Existing Component with
Positioning 8-58
Fixing a Component in Space 8-22
Assembly Constraints 8-60
Fixing a Component 8-24
Available Constraints and their Symbols 8-61

Student Notes:
Defining a Coincidence Constraint 8-62

Defining a Contact Constraint 8-64 Exercise 8D 8-82
Defining an Offset Constraint 8-65
Creating an Angle Constraint 8-66 Exercise 8E 8-91
Fixing Together Components 8-68
User Setting: Turning On Fix Together Exercise 8F 8-97
Warning 8-69
Disregarding the Fix Together Warning 8-70 Case Study: Assembly Design 8-100
Constraint Rules 8-71
Assembly Assistant 8-72
Updating Constraints 8-73
Options For Updating Assembly Constraints 8-75
Handling Update Errors 8-76

Saving an Assembly Document 8-78
Saving a Document Under Another Name 8-79
Saving All Modified Documents 8-80
Save Management 8-81

Student Notes:
Lesson 9: Designing in Context 9-1

Designing in Context – Step 3 9-35
Working in the Context of an Assembly 9-2 Editing a Part 9-36
Case Study: Designing in Context 9-2 Sketching on a Face of a Component 9-37
Design Intent 9-4 Projecting 3D Elements onto the Sketch
Stages in the Process 9-5 Plane 9-38
Intersecting 3D Elements with the Sketch
Designing in Context – Step 1 9-6 Plane 9-39
Opening an Existing Assembly 9-7 Defining Sketch Constraints Using Other
Desk Option 9-8 Components 9-40
Design and Visualization Mode 9-10 Limiting Features Up to Other Components 9-41
Visualization Mode 9-11 References and Options 9-42
Working in Visualization Mode 9-13
Isolating Features 9-44
Exercise 9A 9-15
Designing in Context – Step 4 9-45
Exercise 9B 9-24 Assembly-Level Features 9-46
Cautions About Designing in Context 9-48
Designing in Context – Step 2 9-28 To Sum Up… 9-49
Inserting a New Model 9-29
Inserting a New Part 9-30 Exercise 9C 9-50
Inserting a New Product 9-32
Inserting a New Component 9-33 Exercise 9D 9-59
Component Properties Revisited 9-34

Exercise 9E 9-66
Case Study: Designing in Context 9-70

Student Notes:
Lesson 10: Drafting 10-1

Generating views using the View Wizard 10-27
Case Study: Drafting 10-2 Repositioning Views 10-30
Design Intent 10-3 Deleting Views 10-35
Stages in the Process 10-4 View Properties 10-36
Introduction to Generative Drafting 10-5 Sheet Properties 10-37
General Process 10-6
Accessing the Workbench 10-7
Drafting – Step 4 10-38
The Drawing Environment 10-8
Drafting Toolbars and Objects 10-9 Dimensions 10-39
Types of Manual Dimensions 10-40
Drafting – Step 1 10-10 Dimensions System 10-42
Setting the Drawing Sheet Format and Types of Dimension Locators 10-43
Drafting Standards 10-11 Dimensioning a Length 10-45
Starting a Drawing with a Blank Sheet 10-12 Dimensioning a Distance 10-46
Dimensioning a Hole 10-47
Dimensioning a True Length 10-48
Drawing Title Blocks 10-14
Dimensioning a Simple Angle 10-49
Dimensioning a Simple Radius 10-50
Types of Views 10-17 Dimensioning a Diameter 10-51
Creating Views 10-18 Dimensioning a Chamfer 10-52
Creating a Front View 10-19 Dimensioning a Thread 10-53
Using the Compass 10-21 Chain Dimensions 10-54

Adding Projection Views 10-24 Stacked Dimensions 10-55
Adding an Isometric View 10-25 Cumulated Dimensions 10-56
View Wizard 10-26 Dimension Properties 10-57
Annotations 10-58

Student Notes:

Master Project A-1
Matching Drawing with Modified 3D Part 10-60
Checking Links to 3D Parts 10-61
Saving a Drawing 10-63 Master Project: Overview A-2
Drafting – Step 6 10-64 Master Project: Part Creation A-6

Printing a Drawing 10-65
Print User Interface 10-66 Master Project: Finalize the Part A-18
To Sum Up… 10-68
Master Project: Create an Assembly A-24
Exercise 10A 10-69
Master Project: Edit a Part in an Assembly A-33
Exercise 10B 10-83
Master Project: Create an Assembly

Exercise 10C 10-88
Drawing A-37
Case Study: Drafting 10-91


CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Lesson 1: Introduction to CATIA
Student Notes:
CATIA Training
Student Guide
CATIA V5
Fundamentals
November 2005
EDU-CAT-EN-V5F-FF-V5R16

Student Notes:
Lesson 1: Introduction to CATIA

About this Course
Introduction
CATIA is a robust application that enables you to create rich and complex designs. The goals of the CATIA V5
Fundamentals course are to teach you how to to build parts and assemblies in CATIA, and how to make simple
drawings of those parts and assemblies. This course focuses on the fundamental skills and concepts that enable
you to create a solid foundation for your designs.
Course Design Philosophy

This course is designed based on a process- or task-based approach to training. Rather than focus on individual
features and functions, this course emphasizes the process and procedure to complete a particular task. By
using case studies to illustrate these processes, you will learn the necessary commands, options, and menus
within the context of completing a design task.
Target audience
The target audience for this course are new CATIA V5 mechanical designers.
Prerequisites
Students attending this course should have the following experience:
Mechanical design experience

Experience with the Windows operating system. 5 days
Introduction

Student Notes:
About the Student Guide
Using the Student Guide

This student guide is intended to be used in a classroom environment under the guidance of a certified CATIA
instructor. The examples and case studies are designed to be demonstrated by the instructor.
Exercises/Case Studies
This course illustrates the process-based approach in two ways: exercises and case studies. Exercises give you
the opportunity to apply and practice the material covered during the lecture/demonstration portion of the course.
They are designed to represent typical design and modeling situations. Extra exercises have been included in
this guide to accommodate those students who may wish to practice more modeling. Case studies provide a
context in which you would use particular tools and methods, and illustrate the process flow you would typically
use for a project.
Feedback
Dassault Systemes gladly accepts feedback and suggestions on its courseware. Send your feedback by mail or
e-mail:
• Mail: Dassault Systemes

Education Department
22 Quai Gallieni
92150 Suresnes, France
• E-Mail: education@ds-fr.com
Introduction

Student Notes:
Conventions used in the Student Guide
The following typographic conventions are used in the Example page:
Use the following steps to create a new
student guide: document in CATIA:
1. Click Start > Mechanical Design >

• Bold text within a sentence denotes options selected from Part Design.
the CATIA menu bar. 2. Create new part.
• Red text denotes the name of a tool, icon, button, or window a. Click File > New.
option. b. Select Part from the New window.
• Italic text within a sentence is used to apply emphasis on c. Select OK.
key words.
• Numerical lists are used in sequential lists, such as the steps
in a procedure. 2b
• Lower-case alphabetical sub-lists are used in sequential
sub-lists, as for steps in an exercise procedure.
• 2b identifies areas in a picture that are associated with d. Press <CTRL> + <S> to save the
document.
steps in a sequential list, such as in an exercise.
e. Enter [my first document] as the
• Upper-case alphabetical lists are used in non-sequential document name.
lists, as for a list of options or definitions.
• Text enclosed in < > brackets represents the names of You can create the following profile types:
keyboard keys that must be pressed. A. User Defined Profiles
B. Pre-Defined Profiles
• Text enclosed in [ ] brackets identifies text that must be
C. Circles
entered into a text field of a CATIA dialog box or prompt.
A B
Introduction

Student Notes:
Case Study: Introduction to CATIA
Each lesson in this course contains a case study, which help explain the skills and concepts
covered in the lesson. All models used in case studies come from the drill press assembly, which
is also your master project. In this lesson, you learn how to open and navigate models.
Familiarization Part Design Product Generative

Design Drafting
Exercises Exercises Exercises Exercises
(Case Study) Master Project


Student Notes:
Design Intent
Each case study contains a set of model
requirements, known as the design intent.
Design intent is discussed later in this lesson.
The first case study does not contain a design
intent because you are not designing anything.
However, by the end of this lesson you should
be able to:
Change the orientation of a model.

Change the visualization properties of a
model.
Manipulate the specification tree.
Access the help system in CATIA.

Student Notes:
Stages in the Process
Each lesson explains the material in steps.
These steps outline how you will create the
part or assembly in the case study. Each step
contains the information you need to complete
the case study and maintain its design intent.
For Lesson 1, you will go through the following

steps to introduce yourself to CATIA:
1. Understand the CATIA software.

2. Open CATIA.
3. Understand the CATIA interface.

Student Notes:
Introduction to CATIA
Step 1: Understand the Use the following steps to

CATIA software. introduce yourself to CATIA:
In this section, you will about PLM and

1. Understand the CATIA
how it relates to CATIA. This section software.
also introduces the key features of 2. Open CATIA.
CATIA. 3. Understand the CATIA interface.

Step 1 – Understand the CATIA Software

Student Notes:
PLM – Product Lifecycle Management
PLM is a set of standards that companies use to be sucessful in maintaining innovation in
engineering and manufacturing of low cost products.
PLM can be defined as follows:
A strategic business approach that applies a consistent set of business

solutions in support of the collaborative creation, management, dissemination,
and use of product definition information across the extended enterprise from
concept to end of life – integrating people, processes, business systems and
information
Source: CIMdata Inc.


Student Notes:
PLM in Practice
• PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) breaks down barriers in technology that have limited
interaction between the people who design products and the people who build, sell, buy, and
use them.
• Using the collaborative power of the Dassault Systemes Solutions, people can now experience
PLM with organizations beginning to create and develop innovative product design, while
reducing cycle times, streamlining manufacturing, and cutting production costs.
• A real-life experience of how PLM can change people’s experiences as innovators,

manufacturers, and consumers is….
Searching for a new bike!


Student Notes:
CATIA Within the PLM Solution
CATIA plays an integral part of the PLM solution by meeting the CAD/CAM (Computer Aided
Design and Manufacturing) requirements for the following functions:
Suppliers
Simulation
Planning
Analysis
Engineering
Test
Maintenance
Purchasing

Student Notes:
CATIA From Concept To Realization
• CATIA provides the backbone for the concept, product definition, manufacturing, simulation,
. and after market information found within the various lifecycle stages of a product.
• CATIA provides the specification and geometrical data related to the product in several phases
of the lifecycle.

Student Notes:
What is CATIA V5?
CATIA is mechanical design software. It is a feature-based, parametric solid modeling design tool
that takes advantage of the easy-to-learn Windows graphical user interface. You can create fully
associative 3-D solid models with or without constraints while utilizing automatic or user-defined
relations to capture design intent. To further clarify this definition, the italic terms above will be
further defined:

Student Notes:
Key Terms (1/4)
Feature-based
Like an assembly is made up of a number of
individual parts, a CATIA document is made up of
individual elements. These elements are called
features.
When creating a document, you can add features

such as pads, pockets, holes, ribs, fillets, chamfers,
and drafts. As the features are created, they are
applied directly to the work piece.
Features can be classified as sketched-based or

dress-up:
• Sketched-based features are based on a 2D
sketch. Generally, the sketch is transformed into
a 3D solid by extruding, rotating, sweeping, or
lofting.
• Dress-up features are features that are created
directly on the solid model. Fillets and chamfers

are examples of this type of feature.

Student Notes:
Key Terms (2/4)
Feature-based (continued)
CATIA graphically displays the feature-based
structure and other non-graphical data of your model
in specification tree. The specification tree shows
the sequence in which the features were created,
and enables you to easily access all the underlying
associated information and elements. You will learn
more about the specification tree throughout this
course.

Student Notes:
Key Terms (3/4)
Parametric
The dimensions and relations used to create a feature are stored in the model. This enables you
to capture design intent, and to easily make changes to the model through these parameters.
• Driving dimensions are the dimensions used when creating a feature. They include the dimensions
associated with the sketch geometry, as well as those associated with the feature itself. Consider, for
example, a cylindrical pad. The diameter of the pad is controlled by the diameter of the sketched circle, and
the height of the pad is controlled by the depth to which the circle is extruded.
• Relations include information such as parallelism, tangency, and concentricity. This type of information is
typically communicated on drawings using feature control symbols. By capturing this information in the
sketch, CATIA enables you to fully capture your design intent up front.
Solid Modeling
A solid model is the most complete type of geometric model used in CAD systems. It contains all
the wireframe and surface geometry necessary to fully describe the edges and faces of the model.
In addition to geometric information, solid models also convey their “topology”, which relates the
geometry together. For example, topology might include identifying which faces (surfaces) meet at
which edges (curves). This intelligence makes adding features easier. For example, if a model
requires a fillet, you simply select an edge and specify a radius to create it.

Student Notes:
Key Terms (4/4)
Fully Associative
A CATIA model is fully associative with the drawings and parts or assemblies that reference it.
Changes to the model are automatically reflected in the associated drawings, parts, and/or
assemblies. Likewise, changes in the context of the drawing or assembly are reflected back in the
model.
Constraints
Geometric constraints (such as parallel, perpendicular, horizontal, vertical, concentric, and
coincident) establish relationships between features in your model by fixing their positions with
respect to one another. In addition, equations can be used to establish mathematical relationships
between parameters. By using constraints and equations, you can guarantee that design concepts
such as through holes and equal radii are captured and maintained.

Student Notes:
Design Intent (1/3)
Design intent is your plan of how to construct the solid model of a part in order to properly convey
its visual and its functional aspects. In order to use a parametric modeler like CATIA efficiently,
you must consider the design intent before and during the modeling of the part. The techniques
used to create the model affect how the model behaves when it is changed during its life cycle.
The way a solid model is built can affect many aspects, including its flexibility to changes, its
stability during the change process, and the resource requirements to compute a new result.
Therefore, taking the design intent into account is important to achieve the most efficient solid
model of the part.
The following factors contribute to how the design intent is captured:
Automatic (Implicit) Relations

• Based on how geometry is sketched, automatic relations provide common geometric relationships
between objects, such as tangency, parallel, perpendicular, horizontal, and vertical.
Equations
• Equations relate dimensions mathematically; they provide an external way to force changes.
Additional Relations
• Other relations added to the model as it is created provide another way to connect related geometry.
Some common relations are concentric, coincident, and offset.

Dimensioning
• The way in which a sketch is dimensioned impacts design intent. Add dimensions in a way that reflects
how you would like to change them and control the elements.

Student Notes:
Design Intent (2/3)
A
The following examples show different design
intents within a sketch:
A. This sketch is dimensioned to keep the

holes a distance of 20mm from the left
and right edges, regardless of the overall
B
plate width (110mm).
B. Baseline dimensions keep the holes
positioned relative to the left edge of the
plate. The positions of the holes are not
affected by changes in the overall width
of the plate.
C. Dimensioning from the edge, then from
the center of one hole to the center of the C
second hole, maintains the distance from
the left edge and between the hole
centers, regardless of the overall plate
width.

Student Notes:
Design Intent (3/3)
The example below shows a simple hand-drawn sketch of a modeling plan that details the
complete design intent of the part. This type of pre-planning, even before starting to model the
part within the software, is an excellent strategy to ensure the desired outcome is clear and
precise.
Through pre-planning, you can become efficient at creating a robust model design that both
provides flexibility and maintains stability during any modifications.
Provided by the Boeing Company

Student Notes:
How Features Affect Design Intent (1/2)
In addition to how a sketch is dimensioned, the A
choice of features and the modeling
methodology affect design intent. Consider the
stepped shaft shown on the right. You can build
+
this part in several ways:
A. "Layered" Approach
• The layered approach builds the part one +
piece at a time, adding a layer or feature
onto the previous one until the desired
solution is obtained.
• Changing the thickness or shape of one
layer has a ripple effect; it changes the +
position or location of all the other layers
that were created after it.
+
Final Result

Student Notes:
How Features Affect Design Intent (2/2)
C
You can build this part in several ways
(continued):
B. "Potter'
s Wheel" Approach
-
• The potter' s wheel approach builds the part
as a single, revolved feature. A single
sketch, representing the cross-section,
includes all the information and dimensions
necessary to make the part as one feature. B
While this approach may seem the most
efficient, having all the design information -
contained within a single feature limits
flexibility and can make changes difficult.
C. "Manufacturing" Approach
• The manufacturing approach to modeling
mimics the way the part would be
manufactured. For example, if this stepped -
shaft was turned on a lathe, you would start
with a piece of bar stock and remove
material using a series of cuts.

Student Notes:
Exercise 1A
20 min
In this exercise, you will identify and describe the key terms of CATIA and
identify the design intent for various parts.
By the end of this exercise you will be able to:

Define the key terms of CATIA
Identify and describe the design intent for various parts
Exercise 7A

Student Notes:
Exercise 1A (1/2)
Write the letter of the correct definition that A. Geometric elements, such as pads, pockets,
best describes the following words: holes, ribs, fillets, chamfers, etc. that are applied
to a work piece to form a part.
B. A geometric model that contains all the topology,
___ Solid modeling wireframe and surface geometry necessary to
___ Feature-Based fully describe the edges and faces of a part.
___ Parametric C. The dimensions and relations used to create a
feature are captured and stored in the model.
___ Constraints D. The plan that explains how construct or develop
___ Design Intent the solid model of the part in order to properly
___ PLM convey the visual and functional aspects of the
part.
E. A strategic business approach that applies a
consistent set of business solutions in support of
the collaborative creation, management,
dissemination, and use of product definition
information across the extended enterprise, from
concept to end of life
F. Geometric relationships, such as parallel,
perpendicular, horizontal, vertical, concentric, and
coincident or equations to establish mathematical
relationships among parameters.
Exercise 1A

Student Notes:
Exercise 1A (2/2)
Using the drawings, list all items that should be
reflected in the design intent :
Support Plate
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________ Support Plate
__________________________________
__________________________________
Engine Support
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Engine Support
Exercise 1A

Student Notes:
Step 2: Open CATIA. Use the following steps to

In this section, you will learn how to introduce yourself to CATIA:
open CATIA in a Windows environment.
1. Understand the CATIA software.
2. Open CATIA.
3. Understand the CATIA interface.
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Windows Philosophy (1/4)
CATIA V5 is specifically designed for the Windows operating environment, and behaves in the
same manner as other Windows applications.
Traditional menu pull-downs provide access to all the CATIA commands.
Some pull-down menu options have additional options related to them:
A. An arrow pointing right indicates a sub-menu.
B. A menu followed by a series of dots indicates that selecting that command will open a
window with addtional options.
B
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Toolbars contain icons for quick access to the
most frequently used commands. Toolbars are
organized into workbenches. They can be
customized, rearranged, and relocated to your
preferences.
For example, the Standard toolbar contains

commands to open, save, print, cut, undo, and
to access on-line documentation.
Some toolbar icons have additional icons

related to them:
A. An arrow beside a command means more
tools of the same type are avaiable.
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
CATIA V5 uses a three button mouse for
selecting and indicating input from the user.
Below is the general functionality of the mouse A
buttons. A complete description of their use
will be covered later.
A. The left mouse button is used to the

select displayed elements or items on the B
screen.
B. The middle mouse button (or the thumb

wheel) is used to indicate or point to a
direction on the screen. C
C. The right mouse button is used to display

a contextual menu for the currently
selected or pre-selected elements on the
screen.
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
A
CATIA provides various levels of system
feedback to users, such as the following:
A. Different symbols may represent the

B
mouse cursor to indicate different status.
B. Various message panels may appear to
convey information about the progress,
failure, or result that occurred for a
requested procedure.
C. Tool tips and a short help message
appear when the cursor hovers over the
tools (without selecting it).
C
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Introduction to V5 Documents A
CATIA has a wide variety of documents that

can be created, modified, and saved. All
geometry and specifications that define an
object are described within these documents.
The most common documents (covered within
this course) include the following: B
A. A part document (.CATPart)

B. An assembly document (.CATProduct)
C. A drawing document (.CATDrawing)
C
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
The Workbench Concept
Current workbench
To perform work within a CATIA document,
you must use one of the workbenches
assigned to the document type. Each
workbench contains a set of tools that is
dedicated to perform a specific task. The
following workbenches are the most commonly
used:
Part Design: Design parts using a solid
modeling approach.
Sketcher: Create 2D profiles with associated
constraints, which is then used to create other
3D geometry.
Wireframe & Surface: Create complex part
features with 3D wireframe and surface
elements.
Assembly Design: Create constraints,
features, and specifications for parts in the
context of an assembly.
Generative & Interactive Drafting: Create
drawings from part and assembly designs.

Documents
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Starting CATIA using the Start Menu
Within the Windows environment, you can start the software application several ways:
A. Click CATIA under the Start > Programs > CATIA menu.
B. Select the CATIA icon on the desktop.
C. Double-click with the left mouse button on an existing CATIA document.
A
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Opening an Existing Document
Use the following steps to open an existing 1
document within CATIA:
1. Click File > Open or select the Open

icon.
2. Select the file location from the the File
Selection window.
3. Select the type of document you want to 2
open from the Files of type pull-down
menu.
4. Select the Show Preview option to display
a preview of the selected file.
5. Select Open to open the document in the
viewer.
5
3
Step 2 - Open CATIA

Student Notes:
Step 3: Understand the Use the following steps to

CATIA interface. introduce yourself to CATIA:
In this section, you will become familiar 1. Understand the CATIA software.
with the CATIA interface. 2. Open CATIA
3. Understand the CATIA

interface.
Step 3 - Understand the CATIA Interface

Student Notes:
CATIA User Interface (1/2)
The CATIA interface follows the windows
interface and contains the following key
features:
• Separate workbenches and their

respective toolbars
• Easy Navigation from one workbench to
another
• Standard and specific menus & toolbars
(File, Edit, Insert...)
• Standard manipulations (Copy-Paste,
Drag & Drop, Edit in place...)
• Intuitive (Highlighting, copilot, cursor
shapes...).
• Multi-document support.
• Contextual menu (MB3) support.
• Specification tree, including all
technological features, constraints, and

relationships.

Student Notes:
CATIA User Interface (2/2)
Below is the layout of the elements of the E
standard CATIA application. D C
A
F
A. Menu Commands B I
B. Specification Tree
C. Window of Active document
D. Filename and extension of current B
document
G
E. Icons to maximize/minimize and close
window J
F. Icon of the active workbench

G. Toolbars specific to the active
workbench
H. Standard toolbar
I. Compass
J. Geometry area H

Student Notes:
Workbenches
A
Workbenches contain various tools that you

may need to access during your part creation.
You can switch between any primary
workbench using the following two ways:
A. Use the Start Menu.

B. Click File >New to create a new
document with a particular file type. The
associated workbench automatically
launches.
B

Student Notes:
Menus and Toolbars (1/2)
Toolbars provides quick access to tools that
are also available in menus. Use the following
steps to activate/deactivate a toolbar:
1
1. Click View > Toolbars.
2. A complete list of toolbars is shown with
respective to the current workbench. 2
3. Activate workbenches have a checkmark
beside them.
4. Select a particular toolbar to activate or
deactivate the desired toolbar.

Student Notes:
Menus and Toolbars (2/2)
You can further manipulate toolbars to close, A
reorganize, or display them:
A. Select Close to close a floating toolbar.

B. Reorganize the toolbars by dragging the
separator to move the toolbar to another
location on the screen.
C. Double arrows mean more toolbars
available, but cannot currently be seen
with the window size. Drag the >> symbol
to move unseen toolbars. B
C

Student Notes:
Finding Tools
With the number of tools and toolbars that
CATIA contains, it is not possible to display all
of them within the normal borders of the main
screen. CATIA manages this through
collapsible toolbars and stacking extra toolbars
at the screen borders. If you are unable able C
find a toolbar, ensure that:
A. The tool you are looking for is not located

as a “fly out” optional tool. CATIA groups
variants of the same tool into a single
display group.
B
B. The tool/toolbar is not located outside the
display. Look for the >> symbols at the
edges of the screen. You can drag the
toolbars out from this area to see the
remaining tools in the toolbar.
C. The toolbar is active.
A

Student Notes:
The Specification Tree
CATIA V5 provides a specification tree, which
keeps the hierarchy of features, constraints,
process, and assembly information for a
CATIA document. The specification tree
provides a visual step-by-step record of the
sequence used in the creation of a solid
model.
You can edit, reorder, or remove steps in the

design process and specifications to achieve a
new finished part without having to recreate
the model.
The specification tree can suppress certain

features, and information by temporarily
removing them from consideration for the
model.
For example, the model on the right contains

several hole features. You can simply “turn off"
(suppress) the holes and have the model
reflect the base area without actually deleting

the holes.

Student Notes:
Manipulating the Specification Tree
The specification tree can be manipulated like the geometric area within CATIA. Below is a list of
the ways you can manipulate it:
Manipulation Action Description

Hide the tree Press the <F3> key to hide or show the
tree.
Activate/Deactivate the Shift+ Click anywhere on the tree structure or

tree Or press <Shift> and <F3> simultaneously to
activate or deactivate the tree.
Move the tree Drag and drop the tree structure with the
left button of the mouse.
Expand/Collapse the Click on [+] to expand the tree and on [–]

tree to collapse the tree.

Student Notes:
Selecting Objects with the Mouse
CATIA, like any other Windows environment
application, has an interface that is primarily A
mouse-driven. When working in the software,
there are two ways to select items:
A. Simple Selection
• To select an object, press the left
mouse button.
• You can select an object directly
from the model or its corresponding
feature in the tree. Selecting the
geometry highlights the tree feature
and vice versa.
B. Multi-Selection B +
• To multi-select, press the <Ctrl> key
while using the left mouse button to
select the objects. +
• Multi-selection can also be done by
trapping objects within a selection

area.

Student Notes:
The Action/Object and Object/Action Approaches
CATIA is different than other Windows applications in that you can control the order of selection
for the elements and tools. You can:
A. First select the object(s) to process, then select the tool defining the operation to perform.
B. First select the tool defining the operation to perform, then select the object(s) to process.
A B

Student Notes:
Using Windows (1/2)
Windows provide parameters for the

definition of features. They are standardized
and easy to use to define the inputs for a A
feature or process. The Hole Definition
window is shown on the right. B
C
The following lists common items you might D
find in a window: E
A. Name of the dialog box

F
B. Option Tabs to group particular types
of parameters
C. Pull-down menus for various options
D. Increment arrows to increase or
decrease of input value
E. Locked fields to protect data
F. Buttons to activate other actions

Student Notes:
Using Windows (2/2)
The following lists common items you

might find in a window (continued):
L M
G. Check boxes to activate options

H. Inactive fields that do not apply to this
case
I. OK button to confirm the creation N
J. Cancel button to quit the command
K. Preview button to pre-visualize the
result
L. Help documentation for the window
M. Close option to close the display.
G
N. Visual Aid Assistants to show the
H
intent of the selected options
I J K

Student Notes:
Using Windows and the Right Mouse Button
Data can also be entered into certain fields within dialog boxes by clicking the right mouse button
(right-clicking) in a field. The options that appear in the contextual menu are dependent on the
data the field is capable of receiving.

Student Notes:
Moving Objects with the Mouse (1/2)
Since CATIA is a 3D environment, you can A
view the model in various ways.
cursor
The easiest ways to change the view of the
model is to pan, rotate, and zoom:
A. Panning enables you to move the model

on a plane parallel to the screen. It
involves dragging the mouse when
selecting and holding the middle (#2)
mouse button.
B
B. Rotating enables you to rotate the model
around a point. It involves dragging the
mouse when selecting and holding the
middle (#2) mouse button, while clicking
and holding the left (#1) button.

Student Notes:
Moving Objects with the Mouse (2/2)
The easiest ways to change the view of the
model is to pan, rotate, and zoom (continued):
C. Zooming enables you to increase or C

decrease the size of the model on a plane
parallel to the screen. It involves dragging
the mouse up or down after selecting and
holding the middle (#2) mouse button,
then clicking once the left (#1) mouse
button.

Student Notes:
Compass
Besides being an orientation reference tool
when performing view rotations, the compass
is a powerful tool that can be used to
physically move and manipulate objects. This
is especially useful within the Assembly
Design, Freestyle, and Digital Mockup
workbenches.
The base of the compass (or privileged plane)

is, by default, the XY plane. The default
orientation of the compass is parallel to the
reference XYZ axis system and is located to
the top right corner of the screen.
After a view rotation has occurred, the

compass updates to reflect the new viewing
angle/direction that is currently be shown
within the geometric area of the window.

Student Notes:
Graphic Properties
The Graphic Properties toolbar enables you
to change the various graphic properties of
elements as they are displayed on the
screen. The toolbar provides a method to
change the following properties:
A. Fill color
B. Transparency
C. Line thickness
D. Line type
E. Point symbol
F. Rendering style
A B C D E F G H
G. Active Layer
H. The Painter tool copies the graphic
properties of one feature to another.

Student Notes:
Changing Graphic Properties
1
Use the following steps to change the graphic

properties of an element:
1. Select the element(s) with the left mouse

button.
2. Press the right mouse button and click
Properties in the contextual menu.
3. Select the Graphic Properties tab, and
select all desired graphic properties.
3

Student Notes:
Rendering Styles
CATIA has the ability to apply different styles
of rendering to visualize geometry that could
provide more clarity to the model. The View A
toolbar contains the rendering styles of:
B
A. Shading (SHD)
B. Shading with Edges C
C. Shading with Edges without smooth D

Edges
E
D. Shading with Edges with Hidden edges
F
E. Shading with Material
F. Wireframe(NHR)
A B C D E F

Student Notes:
Applying Rendering Styles
Use the following steps to apply a rendering
style:
1. Select the current rendering style within

the View toolbar.
2. Select a new rendering style to apply. It is

applied automatically to the geometry.
2

Student Notes:
CATIA User Companion
CATIA contains many assets to help you learn the
finer details of all the functionality and tools. The
main focus of workplace learning is through the User
Companion.
The Companion is a self-contained series of learning

objects, that aims to allow you to learn at your own
pace, to get some additional knowledge or some
extra practice on the following topics:
CATIA V5 (Mechanical Design, Hybrid Design,
Generative Sheet Metal Design, Analysis)
DMU
ENOVIA
SMARTEAM
To access the Companion, click Help > CATIA User

Companion or press the <F1> key (F1 may also
launch the online documentation, depending on the
settings).

Student Notes:
Help Documentation
CATIA contains many assets to help you learn
the finer details of all the functionality and
tools. The main focus of information is through
the on-line help documentation.
The help system is a self-contained series of

HTML documents that break down information
through workbenches, products, and solutions.
To access the on-line help documentation,

click Help > CATIA V5 Help or press the <F1>
key.

Student Notes:
Message Bar
Another useful tool that can help you
determine what is required when trying to
perform a command is the message toolbar.
When selecting a tool, CATIA prompts for the

particular inputs that are needed to complete a
command.

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B
20 min
In this exercise, you will start CATIA and open existing documents within a file
based environment.

Launch CATIA
Open an existing document
Identify the fundamental of CATIA document types
Close a file
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B (1/5)
1. Start the CATIA application.
• Start the application using the Windows
START menu.
1a
a. Double-click on the CATIA icon on
your desktop or select it through the
START > Program files menu.
2. Review the default window and

document.
• Review the default CATIA window.
a. Notice that CATIA opens a
CATProduct document by default and 2
automatically launches the Assembly 3
Design workbench.
b. Examine the various tools and menus
that appear. Try to locate the Design
Table tool by using the tool tips.
3. Close the Product1.CATProduct

window.
a. Select Close to close Product1.
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B (2/5)
4a
4. Open a part file.
• Open a file using the Open icon.
a. Click File > Open.
b. Browse to the Orientation.CATPart. 4c
c. Highlight the file.

d. Select Open.
4d
5. Customize the toolbars.

a. Press and hold the left mouse button
on the Workbench toolbar separator.
5a
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B (3/5)
5. Customize the toolbars (continued).
b. Drag the toolbar to the middle of the
screen. The toolbar is now “floating”.
5b
c. Drag the toolbar back to the right-
hand side of the screen until the
outline changes thickness.
d. Release the left mouse button. A
second row of toolbars is added to
the right-hand side.
e. Move other toolbars to customize
your screen.
5d
5c
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B (4/5)
6. Change the Orientation.
• Use the mouse and the view icons to change
the orientation of the model.
a. Select the Front View icon.
b. Press and hold the middle mouse
button to pan the model.
c. Press and hold the middle and the left
mouse button to rotate the model.
d. Press and hold the middle mouse
button, and click the left mouse
button to zoom.
e. Experiment with the other view
orientations, using the mouse buttons
and View icons. 6a
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B (5/5)
7. Change the properties.
• Make the top surface of the model red.
7b
a. Select the Isometric View icon.
b. Select the top face of the table.
c. Right mouse click and click 7c
Properties.
d. Change the color of the surface to
Red.
e. Select OK to apply the change and
close the window.
7d
8. Close the file.

a. Click File > Close to close the part
file.
b. Select No to the Close window.
8a
7e
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
Exercise 1B: Recap
Launch CATIA
Open an existing Document
Identify the fundamental of CATIA
document types
Close a file
Exercise 1B

Student Notes:
20 min
In this exercise, you will review the master project assembly.

With the knowledge you have learned in this lesson, you should be able to:
Change the orientation of a model
Change the visualization properties of a model
Manipulate the specification tree
Access the CATIA help system

Student Notes:
Case Study (1/6) 1
1. Open
Introduction_Drill_Press.CATProduct
2. Change the Orientation of the

assembly.
a. Change the model orientation to
Front.
b. Zoom in on the area as shown.
3. Change the Visualization properties. 2a

a. Select the front face of the support
part as shown and change the
color to red. 2b
3a

Student Notes:
Case Study (2/6) 5
4. Zoom out on the model.
5. Change to the Isometric view.
6. Change the rendering style to

Wireframe.
7. Change the rendering style to Shading 6

with Edges.

Student Notes:
Case Study (3/6)
8. Change the display of the specification
tree. 8b
a. Press the <F3> key to toggle the 3a

specification tree on and off.
b. Select one of the branches of the
specification tree and notice that
the model darkens.
c. Try zooming out; notice that the 3b
specification tree is being
manipulated and not the model.
d. Press <Shift> and <F3> to re-
activate the model.
3c

Student Notes:
Case Study (4/6)
8. Change the display of the specification
tree (continued).
e. Expand the Casing_sup node of
the tree. Notice that the features of
the part are now displayed in the
tree.
8e
f. Collapse all the nodes to show
only the top level of the tree.
8f

Student Notes:
Case Study (5/6)
9. Review the areas of information.
a. Hover the mouse over the various

tools and areas of the toolbars and
notice the tool tip comments.
b. Review the message bar as you
pause the mouse cursor over the
icons for more information.
9b
9a

Student Notes:
Case Study (6/6)
9. Review the areas of information 9c
(continued).
c. Click Help > CATIA V5 Help.
d. A web browser launches, with the
CATIA Help start page loaded.
e. Spend a few minutes browsing the
various links within the system.
9d
10. Close the assembly without saving

changes.

Student Notes:
Case Study: Introduction to CATIA Recap
Change the orientation of a model

Change the visualization properties of a
model
Manipulate the specification tree
Access the CATIA help system

CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Lesson 2: Profile Creation
Student Notes:
Lesson 2: Profile Creation
In this lesson, you will learn how to create a simple part.
Lesson content:
Case Study: Profile Creation
Design Intent
Create a New Part
Select Appropriate Sketch Support
Create Sketched Geometry
Constrain the Sketch
Create Pad Feature
Saving and Closing Documents

Duration: Approximately 0.33 day
Lesson Content

Student Notes:
The case study for this lesson is the support plaque used in the drill support assembly shown
below. The support plaque is part of the Drill Support sub-assembly. The focus of this case study
is the creation of a profile that incorporates the design intent for the part.

Student Notes:
Design Intent
The support plaque must meet the following
design intent requirements:
The model must be created in one feature.

• While this is not typical practice, in this case
it is a requirement.
The smaller holes must be 30mm away
from the center hole.
• Constraining the three small holes on a
construction circle that is 60mm in diameter
will ensure this requirement is met.
The center hole must remain in the center
of the support.
• This requirement can be met by creating a
rectangular profile symmetric about part
origin and locating the center of the circle
(representing the hole) at the origin.
The model must be saved with the name
Support_Plaque.

Student Notes:
The following steps will be used to create the Support Plaque:
1. Create a new part.

2. Select an appropriate sketch support.
3. Create sketched geometry.
4. Constrain the sketch.
5. Create the pad feature.
6. Save and close the document.

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
Step 1: Create a new part. Use the following steps to create

In this section, you will learn about part the Support Plaque:
design and how to create a new part file.
2. Select an appropriate sketch support.
3. Create sketched geometry.
Step 1 - Create a New Part

Student Notes:
Creating a New Part 1a
When creating a new model, the Part Design

workbench is automatically activated. When a
part is saved, it is saved with a .CATPart
extension to distinguish it from other CATIA
documents.
Use the following method to create a new part
file:
1. Use any of the following:
a. Click Start > Mechanical Design > Part
design.
b. Click File > New and select Part from the 1b
New dialog box.
c. Select the New icon from the Standard
toolbar and select Part from the New dialog
box.
2. Enter a name for the part.
3. Select OK. 2
1c
3

Student Notes:
Part Design Workbench
A new part contains only three default reference planes. These default reference planes are
always the first elements in the specification tree and are used as a basis for feature creation.

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
Step 2: Select an Use the following steps to create

appropriate sketch the Support Plaque:
support. 1. Create a new part.
2. Select an appropriate sketch

In this section, you will learn what a
support.
sketch support is and how to select an 3. Create sketched geometry.
appropriate sketch support. 4. Constrain the sketch.
Step 2 - Select an Appropriate Sketch Support

Student Notes:
Reference Planes
The default reference planes are the first three
features in any part file. Their names are B C
derived from the plane they are parallel to,
A
relative to the part coordinate system:
A. XY plane
B. YZ plane
C. ZX plane
The reference planes provide a planar

reference on which to create the first sketch.
Profile is sketched on the ZX plane.

Student Notes:
What is a Sketch?
Every new part begins with a 2D profile. This
profile can be created using the Sketcher
workbench.
The Sketcher workbench is a 2D workspace.

The elements created within Sketcher are
exclusively 2D WIREFRAME elements.
In the Part Design workbench, the geometry

created in Sketcher is seen as a single sketch.
This sketch is used to create 3D features
inside the Part Design workbench.
Sketches are constrained so that they can be

quickly modified by simply altering dimensions.

Student Notes:
Sketch Support (1/2)
Sketch support
A sketch support is the plane on which the
sketch is created.
The sketch support must be planar.
You can create a sketch on a reference plane Sketch

or on a planar face of any existing geometry.
The profile for the first feature of a model must

be created on a reference plane.
Typically, the first feature in the model is

created on one of the default reference planes.
Sketches can be
extruded to created
solid geometry.

Student Notes:
Sketch Support (2/2)
The default orientation of the model depends
on which reference plane is selected for the Profile sketched
sketch support. on the XY plane
The YZ plane is considered the front view of

the part, as defined by the quick views
discussed in Lesson 1.
When selecting the sketch support, consider Profile sketched

the orientation of the profile that you are on the YZ plane
creating.
For example, you have to select a different

sketch plane if you are creating a side profile,
as opposed to a front profile for the 3D
geometry.
Profile sketched
on the ZX plane

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
To create the Support Plaque,
use the following steps:
Step 3: Create sketched Use the following steps to create

2. Select an appropriate
sketch support.
3. Create sketched
geometry. the Support Plaque: geometry.
In this section, you will learn how to 1. Create a new part.

5.
6.
Create the pad feature.
Save and close the
access the Sketcher workbench and 2. Select an appropriate sketch support. document.
how to create sketched geometry. 3. Create sketched geometry.

Step 3 - Create Sketched Geometry

Student Notes:
Basic Sketching
1
Sketched profiles are created inside the
Sketcher workbench. Use the following steps
to access the Sketcher workbench within
another workbench:
1. Select a planar sketch support.

2. Select the Sketcher icon from any
workbench where it is possible to create a 2
sketch (such as the Part Design
workbench), or click Start > Mechanical
Design > Sketcher.
3. CATIA launches the Sketcher workbench.
3

Student Notes:
Sketcher Workbench
The Sketcher workbench is an environment
built to facilitate the creation of the 2D Profiles.
The workbench includes the following key
features:
A. The Grid, which guides you while you D
create the profiles.

B. The Profile toolbar, which is used to C
create geometry.
C. The Constraint toolbar, which is used to
dimension and constrain your sketch.
D. The Sketch Tools toolbar, which is a
B
floating toolbar (default) that displays A
options available during geometry
creation. The options within this toolbar
vary depending on the geometry being
created.

Student Notes:
Grid
By default, a grid is applied to the background
of the Sketcher workbench. This grid helps
define the scale of sketched entities.
When sketching, the mouse cursor snaps to Snap to Point

the points of the grid. This functionality can be Inactive
disabled temporarily by deactivating the Snap
Snap to Point
to Point icon.
Active
Options for the grid can be controlled in Tools

> Options > Mechanical Design > Sketcher.
You can: A C
A. Toggle the display of the grid. B
B. Permanently activate/deactivate the Snap
to Point option.
C. Change the values for both the Primary
spacing and Graduations. Primary Spacing
Graduations

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation
Sketched geometry is created using the tools
available in the Profile toolbar:
A. User-Defined Profile
B. Pre-defined Profiles
C. Circles A
D. Splines B
E. Ellipses and Parabolas I
C
F. Lines J
G. Axes D
H. Points E
F
The Operation toolbar can be used to modify
existing sketched geometry. In this lesson, you G
will learn how to use the following relimitation H
tools:
I. Corners
J. Chamfers

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Points
Icon Description
Point by Create a point by clicking locations on the sketch.
Clicking
Point by Create a point by defining its coordinates in the 2D space
Coordinates of the sketch.
Equidistant Create as many points as required, which are distributed
Points equidistantly on an existing curve. Once created, the
points are considered separate entities.
Intersection Create the intersection point between two existing
Point curves.
Projection Project an existing point onto an existing curve. The
Point projection can be normal to the curve or along a
direction.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Lines
Icon Geometry Description

Line Create a line by clicking two points to define its
extremities.
Infinite line Create an infinite line by clicking two points to
define its direction.
Bi-tangent Create a line tangent to two existing curves.
line
Bisecting Create a line bisecting two existing lines.

Line
Line Normal Create a line normal to an existing curve. Create

to Curve the line by selecting an end point and the curve
the line is to be normal to.
A Sketcher element is based on points. As a result,

each time you create geometry in the Sketcher
workbench, points are implicitly created. Sketched
geometry is added to the specification tree under
the Geometry branch of the sketch.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Circles

Circle Create a circle by defining its center and
its radius.
Three Point Create a circle passing through three

Circle points.
Circle Create a circle by giving the coordinates

by Coordinates of its center relative to the sketch origin
and its radius.
Tri tangent Create a circle tangent to three existing
Circle curves.
Three Point Arc Create an arc passing through three

points, relimited by the first and the last
selected points.
Three point arc Create an arc passing through three
starting with points, relimited by the first and the
limits second selected points.

Arc Create an arc by defining its center and
the two limit points.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Ellipse, Parabola, Hyperbola, and Spline

Ellipse Create an ellipse by selecting its
center point, then defining its
major and minor diameter by
1 2 3 clicking two points.
Parabola Create a Parabola by selecting:
by Focus • Focus point
• Summit
1 2 3 4
• Relimiting points (end points)
Hyperbola Create an Hyperbola by selecting:
by focus • Focus and center points
• Summit
1 2 3 4 5 • Relimiting points (end points)
Spline Create a spline curve passing
through as many points as
required.
1 2 3 4 5
End the spline by double-clicking.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Conics After the Conic icon is selected, several tools appear in
the Sketch Tools toolbar that contol its creation.

Two point Create by selecting:
conic with end 4 • A first end point and define its
2
tangents tangency
5
• A second end point and its tangency
1
3 • A mid-point
Two point Create by selecting:
3
conic with • Two end points
tangent • A point which defines the tangent
4
intersection 1 2 intersection
• A mid-point
Four point Create by selecting:
2
conic with one 4 • Two end points
tangent 5 • Two mid points and define one
1 3 tangency at the first or last point
Five point Create by selecting:

5 4 • Two end points
conic
3 • Three mid-points
1 2

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Pre-defined Profiles (1/2)

Rectangle 1 2 Create a rectangle by clicking its two
opposite corners.
Oriented Create a rectangle by defining two

1 2 3
Rectangle consecutive corners to define its
orientation, and a third corner to give it
a thickness.
Parallelogram 1 2 3 Create a parallelogram by defining
two consecutive corners, and a third
corner to give it thickness and angle.
Elongated 1 2 3 Create an elongated hole by defining
Hole a segment as its axis, and defining its
thickness.
Cylindrical 1 2 3 4 Create a cylindrical elongated hole by

Elongated defining an arc as its axis, and
Hole defining its thickness.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Pre-defined Profiles (2/2)

Keyhole Create a keyhole by defining the
1 2 3 4
center of the large circle, the radius of
the large circle, the center of the small
circle, and the radius of the small
circle.
Hexagon 2 Create a hexagon by defining its
1
center and a point on the hexagon.
Centered 1 2 Create a centered rectangle by

Rectangle defining its center and two points to
define its height and width.
Centered 3 Create a centered parallelogram
Parallelogram 2 select the first line, select the second
1 line and click to define its dimensions.
The parallelogram is centered on the
intersection of the two lines. Its edges
are parallel to the selected lines.

Once created, pre-defined profiles are
divided into elements. For example, a
rectangle is divided into four lines and
four points (located at the corners).

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: User-defined Profiles
Use the following steps to create a profile:
Step Geometry Description

1. Start the The profile can start with a
profile. segment using the Line
option, or with an arc using
Line Three Point Arc the Three points arc option.
2. Create the You can go on with the profile
profile. using segments (Line option),
tangent arcs (Tangent arc), or
non-tangent arcs (Three
points arc).
Line Tangent Arc Three Point Arc
3. End the End a closed profile by
profile. selecting the first point.
End an open profile by
double-clicking.

Student Notes:
Geometry Creation: Introduction to Re-limitations

Corner Create a corner shape between the two
selected lines.
Chamfer Create a chamfer between the two

selected lines.

Student Notes:
Construction Geometry
Construction geometry is created within a
sketch to aid in profile creation. Unlike standard
sketched geometry, construction geometry
does not appear outside the Sketcher
workbench.
A sketched element is created as a

construction element when the
Construction/Standard Element icon (located in
the Sketch Tools toolbar) is highlighted. Construction
geometry
Construction geometry is created using the
same techniques as standard sketched
geometry, and is distinguished from standard
elements by its dashed format.
In this example, the construction of

a symmetrical shapes was aided by
the use of construction geometry.

Student Notes:
Recommendations for Sketching

In this section, you will be given some recommendations that may help when
creating sketches.

Student Notes:
Creating a Profile: What are the best tools to use?
When creating a sketched profile, many tools
can be used.
Two frequently asked questions are: 1

• What are the best tools to use?
• How complex should sketches be? You could create
individual lines,
then use the trim
It is often more efficient to create the shape tool to create the
final shape desired.
using the Profile tool (or the Predefined Profile
tools).
Consider using individual points or only lines

when you need to complete or modify a shape. 2
Click
Click Click
Click
Click
Click

Student Notes:
How Complex Should Sketches Be? (1/2)
You can create rounded or chamfered edges
on features in one of the following two ways:
A
A. Create a complex sketch including the
corners and chamfers – this kind of feature
updates faster; however, complex
sketches are harder to edit and modify.
B. Create simple sketches and add the

corners and chamfers afterward – it takes B
more time to update this kind of feature;
however, corners and chamfers can be
easily reordered, deactivated, or
suppressed if necessary.
Including the corners and chamfers in the
sketch or adding them afterwards depends on
the design intent of the model. Downstream
applications and company standards must also
be considered.

Student Notes:
How Complex Should Sketches Be? (2/2)
Sketches can contain multiple domains. Inside
closed profiles represent pockets in the
material.
Although this is a valid method of constructing

the geometry, it is often good design practice to
create the pocket as a separate feature. This
allows for greater flexibility in the model and Multi domain Sketch
makes modification simpler.
Design intent and company standards will

dictate which practice you will choose.
Two single domain sketches

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A
15 min
In this exercise, you will construct various geometric elements in the Sketcher
workbench. This exercise will help you understand the sketcher tools and get a
better feel for the Sketcher workbench. Sketches will be created without any
consideration to constraints. Detailed instruction for this exercise is provided.

Open a new part
Access the Sketcher workbench
Create lines, pre-defined profiles, user-defined profiles, and chamfers.
Close a file without saving.
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (1/9)
1. Create new part.
• Select Part from the New dialog box to create a
new part file. 1b
a. Click File > New.
b. Choose Part from the New dialog box.
c. Select OK. 1d
1c
d. Leave the default name and select OK.
2. Launch the Sketcher workbench. 2b

• Sketches are created in the Sketcher
workbench. It is accessed by choosing a sketch 2a
support and selecting the Sketcher icon.
a. Select plane XY as the sketch support.
b. Select the Sketcher icon.
3. Turn off Automatic constraints.

• Constraints will be taught in the next section; 3a 3b
disable them for now.
a. Ensure the Geometrical constraint icon
is not highlighted. If it is, select it again
Ensure Geometrical and

to disable it. Dimensional constraints are
b. Ensure the Dimensional constraint icon not highlighted, as shown.
is not highlighted. If it is, select it again
to disable it.
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (2/9)
4. Create a rectangle.
4a
• The first shape is a rectangle. Create the
sketch using the pre-defined profile tool for
rectangles.
a. Select the Rectangle icon from the
Profile toolbar.
b. Click anywhere on the screen to
4b
locate the top left corner of the
rectangle.
c. Drag the cursor down and to the right
to locate the bottom right corner of
the rectangle.
4c
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (3/9)
5a
5. Create a chamfer.
• A chamfer is added to the profile using a
relimitation tool.
a. Select the Chamfer icon from the
5b
Operation toolbar. Notice the Sketch
Tools toolbar expands to display the
options available for chamfer
creation.
b. Select the left edge of the rectangle.
c. Select the top edge of the rectangle. 5c
d. Place the chamfer by dragging the

curser to the desired location and
clicking the left mouse to place it.
5d
Exercise 2A

6a Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (4/9)
6. Create a circle.
• Sketch the next shape using the circle icon.
a. Select the Circle icon from the Profile
toolbar. 6b
b. Click a point on the screen that
defines the center of the circle.
c. Drag the cursor outwards to define
the radius of the circle. 6c
7a
7. Create a line profile.
• A horizontal line is sketched using the Line
icon.
a. Select the Line icon from the Profile
toolbar.
7b
b. Click on the screen to define the
starting point of the line and drag the
cursor.
c. Select another point on the screen to
define the end of the line.
7c
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (5/9)
8. Create a keyhole profile.
• A pre-defined keyhole profile is added using
8b
the Keyhole Profile icon.
a. Select the Keyhole Profile icon from 8a
the Profile toolbar. Review the
message bar and notice that it
prompts you for the required inputs to
create the feature. 8c
b. Click anywhere on the screen to

define the center of the larger circle
and drag the cursor downwards.
c. Click on the screen to define the
center of the small radius.
d. Drag the cursor horizontally outwards
to define the radius of the small circle,
then click the left mouse button to
accept the size.
e. Drag the cursor horizontally again to
define the radius of the large circle, 8e
then click the left mouse button to

accept the size. 8d
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (6/9) 9a
9. Create a user-defined profile.

• Create a user-defined profile using the Profile
tool. 9b
a. Select the Profile icon from the Profile

toolbar.
b. Notice that the default icon selected in
the Sketch Tools toolbar is Line. Click
anywhere on the screen to define the
starting point of the line and drag the
cursor.
c. Pick another point on the screen that
defines the end of the line. 9c
d. Create an arc that is tangent to the line
by selecting the Tangent Arc icon.
e. Drag the cursor out to define the radius
of the arc and click the left mouse
button to complete the arc. Notice that
the profile toolbar defaults back to the
Line tool.
9e
9d
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (7/9)
9. Create a user-defined profile
(continued). 9f
f. Create another line, as shown.

g. Close the profile by selecting the
Three Point Arc icon.
h. Click the left mouse button to define a
point on the arc.
i. Click on the start of the profile to act 9h
as the end point of the arc. Notice
that the Profile tool automatically
completes.
9i
9g
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (8/9)
10a
10. Create a construction line.
• Convert existing geometry into construction
elements using the Construction/Standard
Element icon.
a. Highlight on the four segments of the
profile (press and hold the <Ctrl> key
to select multiple items).
b. Select the Construction/Standard
10b
Element icon from the Sketcher
Tools toolbar.
c. Click anywhere on the screen to
deselect the geometry.
d. Select the Construction/Standard 10c
Element icon again to disable to the
tool.
10d
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A (9/9)
11. Create additional geometry.
• Try creating the geometry shown using the appropriate tools.
12. Close the sketch.

a. Click File > Close.
b. Select No to the Close warning dialog box.
11
12b
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2A: Recap
Create a new part file

Select the XY plane as sketch support
Create sketch geometry
Close the document without saving
Exercise 2A

Student Notes:
Exercise 2B
15 min
In this exercise, you will create a sketched profile. High-level instruction for this
exercise is provided.
By the end of the exercise you will be able to:

Create a new part
Access the sketcher workbench
Create geometry using the profile tool
Create a corner
Exercise 2B

Student Notes:
Exercise 2B (1/2)
1. Create new part.
2. Use the YZ reference plane as the 2
sketch support and access the Sketcher

workbench.
3. Ensure the automatic constraints

(located on the Sketcher Tools toolbar)
are not highlighted. 3
4. Create Profile shown using the Profile

icon.
4
Exercise 2B

Student Notes:
Exercise 2B (2/2)
5. Create the corner.
5
6. Close the document without saving.

Exercise 2B

Student Notes:
Exercise 2B: Recap

Select the YZ plane as sketch support
Create sketched geometry
Close the document without saving The sketch created in this exercise could
be used to create a revolved feature, as
shown below. You will learn how to
create revolved features in Lesson 4.
Exercise 2B

Student Notes:
Exercise 2C
10 min
In this exercise, you will create a profile consisting of several shapes. You will
use the tools from previous exercises to complete the exercise.

Create a new part
Access the sketcher workbench
Create geometry
CAUTION: Due to the exercise purpose, the sketch used represents a part with all in one profile (fillets, holes,
pockets). In a general manner, for complex parts, it may be recommended to simplify the sketches and use
more dedicated 3D features like fillets, chamfers, holes, drafts (etc.) in order to fit better with the design and
manufacturing intents.
Exercise 2C

Student Notes:
Exercise 2C
1. Create the profile shown, using the ZX
plane as the sketch support.
Exercise 2C

Student Notes:
Exercise 2C: Recap

Select the ZX plane as sketch support
You can create the outside profile

using a number of ways:
• Create the profile using a series of
lines and arcs.
• Create the basic shape using the
Profile tool, then add corners and
chamfers as separate operations.
• Create the whole profile using the
profile tool.
Exercise 2C

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
Step 4: Constrain the Use the following steps to create

sketch. the Support Plaque:

constrain the sketch using geometrical 2.
3.
Select an appropriate sketch support.
Create sketched geometry.
and dimensional constraints.
Step 4 – Constrain the Sketch

Student Notes:
Constraining the Sketch
Once the sketched geometry is created, dimensions
and geometric constraints can be added.
Constraints serve to mathematically fix geometry in

space. Without constraints, geometry can be moved
using the mouse. If the sketched profile is moved,
the solids that are supported by them are also
moved. In the context of an assembly, if one part
moves, another part that is related to it may also
move.
Movement of four
Unconstrained Lines
Without constraints, feature creation becomes
unpredictable and modifications to a model may
adversely affect form, fit, and function of entire
assemblies. Constraints are used to specifically
relate one element to another, and to itself, in a
logical way.
After Constraints are created, they can be modified

by changing their values or placement. From the
ease at which constraints may be modified and from
the inherent downstream associativity of CATIA V5,
the user can quickly explore alternative designs

while still maintaining design intent.

Student Notes:
Geometric and Dimensional Constraints
Constraints are added to sketched geometry in
the Sketcher workbench. Two types of
constraints can be added to sketched
geometry:
A
A. Geometric constraints, which specify how
sketched elements are positioned with
respect to each other and existing 3D
geometry.
Geometric constraint
(here concentricity)
B. Dimensional constraints, which specify the
distance between two elements. This
distance can be linear, angular, or radial,
depending on the type of geometric B
elements involved.
These constraints can be set using the icons

on the Constraint toolbar:
Dimensional constraint
(here distance)
C. Constraint Define in Dialog Box
D. Quick Constraint
C D

Student Notes:
Fully Constrained Sketches
The constrained status of a sketch is indicated
by its color:
• Green indicates that the sketch is fully The sketch for the cut is
constrained. The geometry is fixed and cannot be not constrained. When
moved without changing dimensional values. modifications are made to
the solid, the cut does not
• White indicates that the sketch is under stay in the correct location.
constrained. Some degrees of freedom still
remain.
• Purple indicates that the sketch is over
constrained. There are too many constraints.
• Red indicates that the constraints of the sketch
are inconsistent. The sketch cannot be updated
using the current constraints.
Ideally, a completed sketch should be fully

constrained. The size and location of the
sketch should be clearly defined. An under The sketch for the cut is
constrained sketch may not maintain design fully constrained. When
intent when modifications are made to the modifications are made
model. to the solid, the cut stays
in the correct location.
Constrained sketches allow you to fully utilize

the associative and parametric capabilities of
CATIA.

Student Notes:
Geometric Constraints (1/2)
Representation Description
Fix A fix element cannot be modified.
Coincidence Makes a point of an element coincident with another

element.
Concentricity Makes two arcs concentric.
Tangency Set tangency continuity between two elements.
Parallelism Makes two lines parallel. Select the line to remain fixed first
and then select the line to be made parallel to the first.

Student Notes:
Geometric Constraints (2/2)
Perpendicularity Makes two lines perpendicular.
Horizontal Makes a line horizontal (parallel to the H axis of the sketch).
Vertical Makes a line vertical (parallel to the V axis of the sketch).
Symmetry Makes two lines symmetric about a selected element.

Select the two outer lines first and then the element they are
to be symmetric about.

Student Notes:
Dimensional Constraints
Distance The distance between two elements is calculated.
Length The length of the constrained element is calculated.
Angle Calculates the angle between two non parallel lines.
Radius/Diameter Gives the radius or the diameter of a circle or an arc.


Student Notes:
Recommendations for Constraining

In this section, you will give you some recommendations that may help when
constraining sketches.

Student Notes:
Sketch in Context
To sketch in context means to use existing

geometry to create new geometry. When
sketching, always keep in mind your design
intent and dimension and constrain your sketch
accordingly. Use existing model elements to
constrain your current sketch. For instance,
the pocket shown below needs to stay 15 mm
away from the right side of the base feature.
By dimensioning the sketch to the right side of
3D geometry used to
the base feature this design intent can be sketch and constrain
maintained even when the base feature’s profiles
dimensions are changed.

Student Notes:
Sketcher Orientation (1/2)
It is recommended that the screen be oriented
parallel to the sketching plane you are in while
creating sketched geometry. By default, this
will happen automatically. When you exit the
Sketcher workbench, the screen will
immediately return to the previous 3D
orientation.
All geometry in 3D space is available while you

are in the Sketcher workbench. This means it
is possible to constrain 2D sketcher geometry
to features not in the same sketch or even the
same sketch plane.
When constraining sketched geometry to

existing 3D elements it is a good idea to rotate
the model into a 3D view. By rotating the
model you can ensure the correct 3D element
is selected. Once the 3D element is
highlighted select the Normal View icon to
return the orientation parallel to the sketching

plane.

Student Notes:
Sketcher Orientation (2/2)
When constraining to the edge of the part,
while viewing the sketch in a normal view,
Original Part
CATIA creates the constraint to the “first” edge.
This could be the edge of a fillet or chamfer as
shown below. A better alternative is to rotate
the sketch and select a more stable feature
(such as the face of the part), and not the
edge.
Constraint created in
Normal view uses the
edge and not the face
as intended.
Rotate the model to

ensure the top surface
is selected and not the

Once you have finished selecting
edge of the fillet.
references, use the Normal View
icon to orient the screen parallel to
the sketch support again.

Student Notes:
Tips on Initial Sketch Geometry (1/2)
Initial Size of Sketch:
• As you begin to create geometry, try to

create it reasonably close in shape and
size to the final constrained sketch. A
sketch that greatly differs from the desired
profile will become distorted when the final Initial Sketch
dimensional constraints are applied. This
will make it difficult to fully constrain the
sketch.
• Consider using the grid to help maintain

proper scale for sketched elements.
Final Sketch
Observing the values in the

Sketch Tools toolbar will
help you understand the real
size of the elements being
sketched.

Student Notes:
Tips on Initial Sketch Geometry (2/2)
The Geometrical Constraints icon (located in

the Sketch Tools toolbar) controls whether or
not geometric constraints are automatically
created during the development of the initial
sketch.
This tool is useful to use with simple geometry,

because it helps speed up the finalization of
the shape. With more complex geometry,
however, using this tool selected may lead to
the creation of unwanted constraints.

Student Notes:
Tips on Constraint Creation
You can use two tools to define the constraints
on a sketch, as shown on the right. Both create
geometric and dimensional types of Geometric Constraints
constraints.
Dimensional Constraints
As you become more skilled, it is more efficient
to use the process below to create constraints:
Double click on
this ICON.
Selecting geometry creates dimensional

constraints.
Selecting geometry, then right-clicking

creates geometric constraints.

Student Notes:
Controlling the Constraint Dimension Direction
When creating a dimensional constraint on a
profile, the dimension direction is determined
by the type of element selected. If the elements
are points or circles, the default dimension
direction is parallel to the line between the
points or circle centers.
When creating a dimension constraint between

two circles or points, you can force a horizontal
or vertical dimension orientation by right mouse
clicking and choosing the desired orientation.

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
Step 5: Create the pad Use the following steps to create

feature. the Support Plaque:

create a simple base feature. You will 2.
3.
gain more feature creation skills in the 4. Constrain the sketch.
upcoming lessons. 5. Create the pad feature.

Step 5 – Create the Pad Feature

Student Notes:
Completing the Feature
Once the sketched profile has been created, solid 3D geometry can be generated from it.
2D profile (sketch)
Extruded pad

Student Notes:
Using a Pad to Create the First Feature
Use the following steps to create a pad that
will be used as the first feature in a model: 1
1. Select the profile sketch to be used for

the Pad.
2. Select the Pad icon.
2
3. Enter length.
4. Complete the feature.
3

Student Notes:
Profile Creation
Step 6: Save and close the Use the following steps to create
document. the Support Plaque:
In this section, you will learn how to save 1. Create a new part.
and close the model. 2.
3.

Step 6 – Save and Close the Document

Student Notes:
Saving Documents
Documents need to be saved so that work is
not lost.
There are different ways to save CATIA

documents:
• Save
• Save As
• Save All
• Save Management
Documents are saved:

• After modifying them.
• To create new ones.
Documents can be saved:

• With the same name (to replace the initial
document).
• Under a new name (to create a new document).

Student Notes:
Saving a Document with the Same Name
Use one of the following methods to save a part with the same name in the same folder:
A. Click File > Save.

B. Select the Save icon from the Standard toolbar.
C. Press the <Ctrl> and <s> keys simultaneously.
A C

Student Notes:
Saving a Document with a New Name
The Save As command is used to save an
existing document under a new name. The
Save As command creates copy of the existing
document with a new name; it does not
remove the original document.
The first time a document is saved, CATIA will

open the Save As dialog box regardless of 1
which tool is used to save the document.
To save a part with a new name:

1. Click File > Save As.
2
2. From the Save As dialog box, browse to
the directory where the file is to be saved.
3. Enter a name for the documents.
4. Select Save.
3 4
Here, the document is stored
in the same folder as the
original with a new name.

Student Notes:
Closing a Document
When you are finished with the document, you 2
can close it. Use the following steps to close a
document:
1
1. Click File > Close or select the Close icon.
2. If changes have been made but not saved,
a pop-up window asks you if you want to
save changes. Your options are:
A. Select Yes to save the changes.
B. Select No to close the document without
saving the changes.
C. Select Cancel to keep the document
open.
3
A B C

Student Notes:
To Sum Up…
Using the knowledge learned in this lesson,
you should be able to create the support
plaque.
The support plaque will require the following:
The creation of a new part

Proper sketch support selection
Proper choices for the profile
Proper constraint selection to meet design
requirements
The creation of a pad feature
Saving the model with the correct name
and closing the document
To Sum Up...

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D
15 min
In this exercise, you will construct various geometric elements in the Sketcher
workbench. This exercise will help you to understand how to constrain and
dimension these sketched entities. Detailed instruction for this exercise is
provided.

Constrain a sketch
Dimension a sketch
Save and close a model
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (1/10)
• To begin modeling, create a new part and save it using 1d
the Save option.
a. Click File > New. 1b
c. Select OK.
1c 1e
d. Change the filename to [Exercise_2d].
e. Select OK.
2. Launch the Sketcher workbench.

• To create a sketch, choose the sketch support and 2a
access the Sketcher workbench.
2b
a. Select plane XY as the sketch support.
3. Turn on Automatic constraints.

• Constraints were turned off in an earlier exercise to
concentrate on using the sketching tools. By default, 3a
the Geometric and Dimensional constraint icons are
active.
a. Ensure both Geometrical Constraints and Ensure Geometrical and Dimensional

Dimensional Constraints are highlighted. If constraints are highlighted, as shown.
they are not, left mouse click on the icons to
activate the options.
Exercise 2D

Exercise 2D (2/10)
Student Notes:
5. Sketch a profile.
• To begin the sketch, create a profile using the 5a
profile tool that is the general shape and size
the final sketch will be.
a. Select the Profile icon.
b. Click a point to define the starting
point.
c. Draw a horizontal line.
d. Select the Tangent Arc icon. 5h
e. Create the arc shown. 5g

5f
f. The profile tool will default back to 5i
5e
Line. Create another horizontal line.
g. Create the vertical line. 5c 5b
h. Create the third horizontal line.
i. Complete the profile by adding a line
that connects back to the beginning
of the profile.
5d
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (3/10) 6a
6. Create the overall horizontal dimension.

• Create the overall horizontal dimension for the
created profile using the Constraint tool.
a. Select the Constraint icon.
b. Select the line segment
6b
c. Drag the mouse to place the dimension.
Left mouse click to complete the
dimension.
d. Double-click the dimension.
e. Modify the value to [340].
f. Select OK to close the dialog box and
update the dimension.
6d
6e
6f
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (4/10)
7. Create a diameter dimension.
• Dimension the arc using the constraint tool and 7a
change the dimension type to Diameter.
b. Select the arc.
c. Drag the mouse to place the dimension.
7b
Left mouse click to complete the
dimension.
d. Double-click the value and change its
value to [25].
e. Select the Dimension pull-down menu
and change the option from Radius to
Diameter.
f. Select OK to update the dimension.
7c
7d
7e 7f
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
8. Create a vertical dimension.

• Create the overall vertical length of the profile 8b
using the constraint tool.
b. Select the top horizontal line.
c. Select the bottom horizontal line.
d. Drag the mouse to place the
dimension and left mouse click to
complete it.
e. Double-click the dimension and enter
[85].
8c
8e
8d
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (6/10)
9a
9. Create a horizontal dimension.
• Create the top horizontal dimension using the
Constraint tool.
b. Select the top horizontal line. 9b
c. Drag the mouse to the place the

dimension and left mouse click to
complete its placement.
d. Double-click the dimension and
change its value to [100].
9c
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
10. Create an angular dimension.

• Create an angular dimension between the
bottom horizontal line and the adjacent line
using the constraint tool.
10b
b. Select the angled line
c. Select the bottom horizontal line.
d. Place the dimension.
e. Edit the angular value to [30]
degrees.
10c
10e
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (8/10)
11. Create a horizontal constraint.
• Constrain a line horizontally using the 11a
Constraints Defined in Dialog Box tool.
a. Select the horizontal line.
b. Select the Constraints Defined in
Dialog box icon.
c. Select the Horizontal option in the 11b
Constraint Definition dialog box.
d. Select OK to apply the constraint to
the sketch.
11c
11d
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (9/10)
12. Create a circle and constrain it.
• Create a circle using the Circle tool. 12a
Constrain Its center to the center of the arc
using the Constraints Defined in Dialog Box
tool.
a. Sketch a circle.
b. Select center point of the arc. Press
and hold the <Ctrl> key and select
the center of the circle.
c. Select the Constraints Defined in
Dialog Box icon.
d. Select the Coincidence option.
e. Select OK to apply the constraint.
12b
Highlight both the center point

12d of the arc and the circle.
12c
12e
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D (10/10)
13. Verify the coincidence constraint.
• Move the center of the circle and ensure it
cannot move on its own. If the circle can
move without moving the entire sketch, this
indicates that the sketch is not constrained
properly. 13a
a. Select the center of the point of the
arc and circle.
b. Press and hold the left mouse
button, and try moving the point to
the left or right. The entire sketch
should move.
c. Select the Coincidence constraint
and press the <Delete> key.
13c
d. Select the center of the circle and
now try to move it. Only the circle
should move.
e. Delete the sketched circle.
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2D: Recap
Constrain a sketch
Dimension a sketch
Exercise 2D

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E
15 min
In this exercise, you will fully constrain an existing sketch using the tools from
previous exercise. This exercise will help you understand how to constrain and
dimension sketched entities. High-level instruction for this exercise is provided.

Open an existing sketch
Constrain a sketch
Dimension a sketch
Utilize problem solving skills
Save and close a model
CAUTION: Due to the exercise purpose, the sketch used represents a part with all in one profile (fillets, holes).
In a general manner, for complex parts, it may be recommended to simplify the sketches and use more
dedicated 3D features like fillets, chamfers, holes, drafts (etc.) in order to fit better with the design and
manufacturing intents.
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E (1/4)
1
1. Open Ex2E_1.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file using the Open
tool. Once opened, notice that a sketch has
already been created for you. 3
2. Edit the sketch.

• Modify the sketch in the Sketcher workbench
by double-clicking on the sketch directly in
the model or on the specification tree.
3. Add Horizontal constraints
3
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E (2/4)
4. Add a Concentricity constraint.
• Make the circles concentric.
4
5. Add Tangency constraint.
• Apply a tangency constraint between the 4
bottom horizontal line and the arc.
6. Remove useless coincidence constraint.
6
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E (3/4)
7. Add dimensional constraints.
• Using proper techniques, add dimensional
constraints to the sketch. Once all
dimensional constraints have been applied, 7
the sketch will turn green, indicating that the
sketch is fully constrained.
8. Exit the Sketcher workbench and save

the file.
• Return to the Part Design workbench and
use the Save tool to save your changes to
the sketch.
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E (4/4)
10
9. Open Ex2E_2.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file using the Open
tool. Once opened, notice that a sketch has
already been created for you.
10. Edit the sketch.

• Modify the sketch in the Sketcher
workbench by double-clicking on the sketch
directly in the model or on the specification
tree.
11. Geometrically and dimensionally 11

constrain the sketch.
• Fully constrain this sketch using the same
process as use for the last sketch.
12. Compare sketches.

• Was this sketch as easy to constrain as the
last sketch? Why?
13. Save and close both documents.
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2E: Recap
Constrain a sketch
Dimension a sketch
Understand proper sketching
techniques
Exercise 2E

Student Notes:
Exercise 2F
10 min
In this exercise, you will fully constrain an existing sketch. You will use the tools
learned in this lesson to complete the exercise with no detailed instruction.

Open an existing model
Edit a sketch
Constrain existing sketched geometry
Save and close the document
CAUTION: Due to the exercise purpose, the sketch used represents a part with all in one profile. In a general
manner, for complex parts, it may be recommended to simplify the sketches and use more dedicated 3D
features like fillets, chamfers, holes, drafts (etc.) in order to fit better with the design and manufacturing intents.
Exercise 2F

Student Notes:
Exercise 2F
1. Open Ex_2F.CATPart and fully constrain the sketch.
Exercise 2F

Student Notes:
Exercise 2F: Recap
Constrain a sketch
Dimension a sketch
Exercise 2F

Student Notes:

You will practice what you learned by completing the case study model using
only a detailed drawing as guidance.
10 min
In this exercise, you will create the case study model. Recall the design intent of
this model:
The model must be created in one feature.
The model must be centered along the YZ and ZX planes.
The smaller holes must be 30mm away from the center hole.
The center hole must remain in the center of the support.
The model must be saved with the name Support_Plaque.
Using the techniques you have learned in this and previous lessons, create the
model without detailed instruction.

Student Notes:
Do It Yourself: Drawing of the Support Plaque

Student Notes:
Case Study: Support Plaque Recap

Select the YZ plane as sketch support
Constrain sketch according to design intent
Create pad feature
Save and close document

CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Lesson 3: Basic Features
Student Notes:
Lesson 3: Basic Features
In this lesson, you will learn how to create basic CATIA features.
Lesson content:
Case Study: Basic Features
Design Intent
Access the Part Design Workbench
Creating a Base Feature
Creating Pads and Pockets
Creating Holes
Creating Fillets and Chamfers
Model View Options

Lesson Content

Student Notes:
Basic Features in Part Design
Part design includes many features that help the user create a model. The most common of these
features will be introduced in this lesson:
A. Pad
B. Pocket
C. Hole
D. Fillet A
E. Chamfer
B
E
C
D
Introduction

Student Notes:
The case study for this lesson is the engine support used in the drill support assembly and
shown below. The engine support is part of the Block Engine sub-assembly. The focus of
this case study is the creation of a features that incorporate the design intent for the part.
The engine support will consists of a pad, pockets, a hole, fillets, and a chamfer which can
all be accessed through the Part Design Workbench.

Student Notes:
Design Intent
The engine support must meet the following
There must be no internal loops created in
a sketch.
• Each element on this model must be
created as separate features. By creating
each element separately, future
modifications will be easier.
The four center holes must be created as

one feature.
• Typically, one hole is created first, then
patterned to create the other three holes.
Since the requirement is to have them
created as one feature, a pocket will need to
be used.
The fillets and the chamfer may need to

be removed in downstream applications.
• The fillets and the chamfer cannot be
created within the sketched profile; they

must be created as separate features.

Student Notes:
Use the following steps to create the engine support:
1. Determine a suitable base feature.

2. Create pad and pocket features.
3. Create holes.
4. Create fillets and chamfers.
5. Hide reference planes and deactivate holes.

Student Notes:
Step 1: Determine a Use the following steps to create

suitable base feature. the engine support:
In this section, you will learn how to

1. Determine a suitable base
create the base feature in a model. feature.
2. Create pad and pocket features.
3. Create holes.
Step 1 - Determine a Suitable Base Feature

Student Notes:
Part Design Terminology
Term Description
A. Part The document containing the model. The
document can consist of one or more features
and bodies.
A
B. Feature Elements that make up a part. They can be
based on sketches (sketch-based) or features
that build on existing elements (dress-up and
transformation). They can also be generated
from surfaces (surface-based).
C. Pad A solid feature created by extruding a
sketched profile. C
D. Pocket A feature that removes material by extruding a

sketched profile. D
E. Hole A feature that removes material through the

extrusion of a circular profile. E
F. Fillet A curved surface of a constant or variable B

radius that is tangent to, and that joins two
surfaces. Together, these three surfaces form

an inside corner or outside corner.
F
G. Chamfer A cut through the thickness of the feature at
G
an angle, giving a sloping edge.

Student Notes:
Creating a Base Feature
It is important to begin with a strong base
feature. Typically, this feature represents the
primary shape or foundation, to and from
which all the part geometry can be added or
removed.
The base feature usually starts from a sketch

or surface element. This lesson describes how
to create the base feature from a sketch.

Student Notes:
Selecting a Base Feature
When selecting a base feature, it is recommended to select the basic elements that convey the
primary shape or function of the part. This does not mean the level of detail for a base feature
must be completely defined. For example, fillets, holes, pockets, or other features do not need to
be originally created as part of the base feature sketch; these can be created later using another
feature.
Use the following steps to select a base feature:

1. Identify the part features.
2. Select one feature to represent the base element.
3. Identify the CATIA tools (features) needed to create it.
4. Create the feature.
For example, what would be the base feature for the part?

Student Notes:
Selecting a Base Feature - Exercise
What would be the base feature for the following parts?

Student Notes:
Selecting a Base Feature - Answers
Here are some possible base features:


Student Notes:
Features that Add or Remove Material (1/2)
Once the base feature is selected, it needs to

be defined by adding or removing material to
complete the design. The following is a list of
features that add material:
• Pad (material added by extruding a sketch)

• Shaft (material added by revolving a sketch)
Pad
• Rib
Not covered in
• Loft
this course
• Stiffener
Shaft

Student Notes:
Features that Add or Remove Material (2/2)
The following is a list of features that remove material:
• Hole
• Pocket (material removed by extruding a sketch)
• Groove (material removed by rotating a sketch)
• Slot Not covered in
• Remove Loft this course Pocket
Hole
Groove

Student Notes:
Step 2: Create pad and Use the following steps to create

pocket features. the engine support:
In this section, you will learn how to 1. Determine a suitable base feature.
create simple pads and pockets from a 2. Create pad and pocket
2D profile (or sketch). features.
3. Create holes.
Step 2 - Create Pad and Pocket Features

Student Notes:
Pad and Pocket Limits
The length of a pad or pocket can be defined
by dimensions or with respect to existing 3D Example
limiting elements. If defined by a limiting
element, the pad/pocket is associative to the
element.
The following are types of depth options:

A. Dimension
B. Up to Next
C. Up to Last
D. Up to Surface
E. Up to Plane
A B C D E

Student Notes:
Creating Pads
A pad is a sketched-based feature that adds 1
material to a model.
Use the following steps to create a pad

feature:
2
1. Select the profile sketch.
2. Select the Pad icon.
3. Modify the pad definition.
4. Select OK to complete the feature. The 3
pad feature is added to the specification
tree. The profile sketch is moved under
the pad in the tree.
5
4

Student Notes:
Creating a Simple Pocket
1
A pocket is a sketched-based feature that

removes material from a model. Use the
following steps to create a pocket feature:
1. Select the profile sketch.

2. Select the Pocket icon.
3. Modify the pocket definition.
4. Select OK to complete the feature. The 2
pocket feature is added to the
specification tree. The profile sketch is
moved under the pocket in the tree. 3
5
4

Student Notes:
Restrictions for Pad/Pocket Profile Sketches
In general, the profile sketch should consist of connecting entities that form a closed loop.
Open loop profile sketches can only be used with the Thick option.
Valid Sketch Invalid Sketch Notes

Multiple profiles are
acceptable, but cannot
intersect each other when
creating the base feature.
Open profiles are not

allowed as the base feature
Closed Multiple in a part, unless the Thick
Open Open
Profile Profile option is used.
Profile

Student Notes:
Open Profiles
Open profile
Open profiles can be used to create pads,

pockets, or groove features. Consider using an
open profile when existing geometry is
available to limit the new feature.
Pocket created with
the open profile
Using existing geometry to re-limit a feature
eliminates the need to create and constrain
additional sketched geometry. Always ensure
that the re-limiting feature is stable. Major
modifications or removal of the re-limiting
feature will cause the profile to fail.
Open profile Groove created with

the open profile

Student Notes:
Step 3: Create holes. Use the following steps to create

In this section, you will learn how to the engine support:
create different types of holes and locate
1. Determine a suitable base feature.
them on existing features. 2. Create pad and pocket features.
3. Create holes.
Step 3 - Create Holes

Student Notes:
What is a Hole?
A hole removes circular material from an
existing solid feature. A hole does not require
a profile sketch. Like a pocket, its length can
be defined using dimensions or with respect to
existing 3D elements.
The hole type is defined using the Type tab of

the Hole Definition dialog box. Several types of
holes are available:
A. Simple
B. Tapered A C
E
C. Counterbored
D. Countersink
E. Counterdrilled
B D
Hole placement is typically defined using one
of two methods:
F. Placement using a positioning sketch.

G. Placement using pre-defined references.

Student Notes:
Hole Creation using a Positioning Sketch
Use the following steps to define the hole
1
placement using a positioning sketch:
1. Highlight a planar face where the hole will

start.
2. Select the Hole icon.
3. Locate the center of the hole precisely
inside the sketching workbench by
selecting the Positioning Sketch icon. 2
4. Select OK to complete the feature. A
sketch of the center point for the hole is
automatically created under the hole
feature in the specification tree.
3

Student Notes:
Hole Creation using Pre-defined References (1/2)
placement using pre-defined references: 1
1. Multi-select two edges as linear

positioning references. For a concentric
hole, pre-select a circular edge as the
reference.
2. Select the Hole icon.
3. Select the face where the hole will start.
4. Modify the hole definition. 2
3
The dialog box
will appear the
same for a linear
or concentric
hole.

Student Notes:
Hole Creation using Pre-defined References (2/2)
5
placement using pre-defined references
(continued):
5. Modify the reference dimensions by

double-clicking on the dimensions from
the model. References can also be
modified by selecting the Positioning
Sketch icon and editing the dimensions
inside the Sketcher workbench.
6. Select OK to complete the feature. The
hole feature is added to the specification
tree.
The specification 6
tree will appear the
same for a linear or
concentric hole.

Student Notes:
Using Pockets or Holes
A hole can be created using the Pocket or Threaded Holes
Hole tool. A benefit of creating a hole using the
Hole tool is you to not need to create a sketch
because it is automatically created for you.
The Hole tool also allows you to include

technological information, such as thread,
angle bottom, and counter bore.
Consider using a pocket instead of a hole, if it

is possible that the profile for the cutout may
change from circular to another shape.

Student Notes:
Step 4: Create fillets and Use the following steps to create

chamfers. the engine support:
In this section, you will learn how to 1. Determine a suitable base feature.
create fillets and chamfers. 2. Create pad and pocket features.
3. Create holes.

Step 4 - Create Fillets and Chamfers

Student Notes:
What is a Fillet?
A fillet is a curved face of a constant or variable radius that is tangent to, and that joins, two
surfaces. Together, these three surfaces form either an inside corner (fillet) or an outside corner
(round). Several different types of fillets are available in CATIA:
Type Description
Edge • Smooth transitional surfaces between
two adjacent faces
Face Face • Used when there is no intersection

between the faces or when there are
more than two sharp edges between the
faces
Variable • Curved surfaces defined according to a
variable radius
Tritangent • Involves the removal of one of the three

faces selected

Student Notes:
Selection and Propagation Modes
Edge Selection
Edges to be filleted can be selected using A
two different methods:
A. Select individual edges.

B. Select surfaces – Edges associated with
the surface will be filleted (including
internal edges).
B
Propagation modes
When creating a fillet, you can use two
different propagation modes: C
C. With the Tangency mode, the fillet is

applied to the selected edge and all
edges tangent to the selected edge.
D. With the Minimal mode, the fillet is

applied only to the selected edge. D

Student Notes:
Filleting an Edge
An edge fillet is a constant radius fillet that
1
creates a smooth transitional surface between
two adjacent faces. Use the following steps to
create an edge fillet:
1. Select the Edge Fillet icon.

2. Specify the fillet radius.
3. Select the objects to fillet.
4. Select OK to complete the feature. The
edge fillet is added to the specification
tree as a separate feature.
2
4

Face-Face Fillets (1/2)

Student Notes:
A face-face fillet is used when no intersection

exists between the faces, or when more than 1
two sharp edges exist between the faces. Use
the following steps to create a face-face fillet:
1. Multi-select faces to be filleted.
2. Select Face-Face Fillet icon.
3. Specify the fillet radius.
4. Select OK to complete. The edge fillet is
added to the specification tree as a
separate feature. 2
3

Student Notes:
Face-Face Fillets (2/2)
Instead of entering the radius value, the fillet
radius can also be defined using a hold curve:
5. Expand the Dialog box to access to the 6

Hold Curve option. 5 8
6. Select inside the Hold Curve field.
7. Select the curve.
8. Select inside the Spine field.
9. Select the curve.
Result:
9

Student Notes:
Variable Radius Fillets (1/2)
1
A variable radius fillet creates a curved surface
defined according to a variable radius. Use the
following steps to create a variable radius fillet:
1. Select the edge(s) to be filleted.

2. Select the Variable Radius Fillet icon
3. If required, select in the Points field and
click on additional variation points 2
between the start and end point.
3

Student Notes:
Variable Radius Fillets (2/2)
Use the following steps to create a variable
radius fillet (continued): 4
4. Modify the radius at the points by double-

clicking on the dimensions.
5. Select OK to complete. The edge fillet is
added to the specification tree as a
separate feature.

Student Notes:
What is a Chamfer?
A chamfer removes or adds a flat section from
a selected edge to create a beveled surface
between the two original faces common to that
edge. Selected Edge.
Like fillets, chamfers have two types of

propagation options:
A
A. With the Tangency mode, the chamfer is
applied to the selected edge and all edges
tangent to the selected edge.
B. With the Minimal mode, the chamfer is
applied only to the selected edge.
B

Student Notes:
Chamfer Dimensioning Mode
There are two dimensioning schemes available
when creating a chamfer:
A
A. For Length1/Angle, the length is the
Length1
Angle
distance along the selected edge to the
edge of the bevel. The angle is measure
with respect to Length1.
B. For Length1/Length2, the lengths are
measured along the edges to be
chamfered to the edge of the bevel.
Length2
Length1

Student Notes:
Creating a Chamfer
Use the following steps to create a chamfer:
1
1. Select the edge(s) to chamfer.

2. Select the Chamfer icon.
3. Select dimensioning scheme from the
mode pull-down menu.
4. Enter dimensional values.
5. Select OK to complete the chamfer. The
chamfer is added to the specification tree
as a separate feature. 2
4

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A
15 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part that contains two sketched
profiles. You will use the tools learned in this lesson to create a pad, pocket,
coaxial hole, and a fillet. Detailed instruction for this exercise is provided.

Create a pad
Create a pocket
Create a coaxial hole
Create an edge fillet
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (1/7)
1. Open the part.

• Open an existing part file. This file has been created
with two sketches. Use these sketches to create a
3D model.
1a
a. Click File > Open.
b. Browse to Ex3A.CATPart.
c. Select Open.
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (2/7)
2a
2. Create a pad.
• The first feature in a model must add material. Add
a pad feature using Sketch.1 as the profile.
a. Select Sketch.1
b. Select the Pad icon.
c. Select Dimension from the Type pull-down
menu.
d. Enter [5] for the length .
2b
e. Select OK to complete the feature.
2c
2d
2e
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (3/7) 3a
3. Create a pocket.
• Create a pocket using Sketch.2 as its profile.
a. Select the Pocket icon.
b. Select Sketch2. 3b
c. Ensure the arrow in the preview is

pointing up. This means that the
material will be removed in this
direction. If the arrow points down,
select Reverse Direction.
d. Select Up to Next from the Type pull-
down menu.
e. Select OK to complete the feature.
3d
3c
3e
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (4/7)
4a
4. Create a coaxial hole.
• Create a coaxial hole. Using the Positional
Sketch method. The hole could also be
create using the pre-defined references
method.
4b
a. Select the Hole icon.
b. Select the top surface of the pad feature.
c. Select the Positioning Sketch icon.
4c
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (5/7)
4. Create a Coaxial Hole (continued).
d. Select the hole center.

4e
e. Press and hold the <Ctrl> key and select 4d
the edge of the arc.
f. Select the Constraints Defined in Dialog
box icon.
g. Select Concentricity constraint.
h. Select OK. 4f
i. Exit Sketcher.
4g
4h
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (6/7)
4. Create a Coaxial Hole (continued).
j. Change the depth of hole from Blind to Up 4j

to Last. 4k
k. Enter a diameter of [10].
l. Select the Type Tab.
m. Change the hole type from Simple to
Countersunk.
n. Enter Mode Depth and Angle values as
shown.
o. Select OK to complete the feature.
4l
4m
4n
4o
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A (7/7)
5a
5. Create an edge fillet.

• Finally, apply an edge fillet to the outer
edges of the pad feature using the Edge
Fillet tool.
a. Select the Edge Fillet icon. 5c
b. Select the edge as shown. Because
of the tangency propagation type, all
tangent edges are selected.
c. Enter [1.5] for the radius value.
d. Select OK to complete the feature.
6. Save and close the file.
5c
5d
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3A: Recap
Create a pad
Create a pocket
Create a coaxial hole
Exercise 3A

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B
15 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part that contains a base pad feature.
You will build onto the base feature a pocket, a face face fillet, and a chamfer.
High-level instruction for this exercise is provided.

Create a hole
Create a pocket
Create a face face fillet
Create a chamfer
Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B (1/4)
1
1. Open up the part Ex3B.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file using the Open tool.
The part file constrains two pad features.
2. Create four chamfers.

• Create chamfers on the four vertical edges of
Pad.1.
2
Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B (2/4) 3
3. Create a simple hole.

• Create a simple hole using the pre-defined
references method.
Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B (3/4)
4. Create a pocket.
4
• Create an Up to Last pocket using the
dimension shown.
Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B (4/4)
5
5. Create a face-face fillet.
• Create a face-face fillet between surfaces on
pad.1 and pad.2.

Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3B: Recap
Create a hole
Create a pocket
Create a face to face fillet
Create a chamfer
Exercise 3B

Student Notes:
Exercise 3C
10 min
In this exercise, you will create a part that contains features taught in this and
previous lessons. You will use the tools you have learned to complete the
exercise with no detailed instruction.

Create a pocket
Create a pad
Create a countersunk hole
Exercise 3C

Student Notes:
Exercise 3C
1. Create the following part.
Exercise 3C

Student Notes:
Exercise 3C: Recap
Create a pocket
Create a pad
Create a countersunk hole
Exercise 3C

Student Notes:
Exercise 3D
10 min
In this exercise, you will create a part that contains features taught in this lesson
and previous lessons. You will use the tools you have learned to complete the

Create a face-face fillet
Create the necessary additional fillet in order to enable face-face fillet creation
Exercise 3D

Student Notes:
Exercise 3D
1. Add edge fillets to the top faces of the following parts.
2. Add face-face fillets by determining the radius yourself. Afterwards add bottom edge
fillets.
3. Change the distance between the cylindrical / drafted pads and the preliminary edge
fillet’s radius and examine the impact on the face-face fillet
Ex3D_A.CATPart Ex3D_B.CATPart
Exercise 3D

Student Notes:
Exercise 3D: Recap
Create edge fillets in order to

enable face-face fillet creation
Create face-face fillets
Exercise 3D

Student Notes:
Step 5: Hide reference Use the following steps to create

planes and deactivate the engine support:
holes. 1.
2.
Determine a suitable base feature.
Create pad and pocket features.
In this section, you will learn how 3. Create holes.
simplify the display of items in the
5. Hide reference planes and
model.
deactivate holes.
Step 5 - Hide Reference Planes and Deactivate Holes

Student Notes:
Model View Options
Several options are available in CATIA to simplify your display. Two of the most common methods
of simplification are Hide/Show and Deactivate/Activate.
Hide reference planes Deactivate hole

and sketches features
Deactivate Activate
Hide Show

Student Notes:
Hide/Show (1/2)
Wireframe and and surface geometry (such as
sketches, and reference planes) can be
removed from display to help clarify the
screen.
A
You can hide/show elements using a number

of methods:
B
A. Right mouse click on the element(s) in the
specification tree or directly on the model
and click Hide/Show from the contextual
menu.
B. Highlight the element(s) and and select

the Hide/Show icon.
C
C. To hide/show all elements of the same
type you can also use the Tools > Hide or
Tools > Show menu.

Student Notes:
Hide/Show (2/2)
CATIA has two visual spaces: visible and
invisible. Shown objects are in visible space, A
while hidden objects are in invisible space.
You can determine what visual space an

element is in by using one of the following
methods:
A. Hidden elements are displayed in the

specification tree dimmed.
B. Select the Swap Space icon. This places

you in the invisible working space. All
hidden elements are shown and all shown
elements are hidden. To return to visible
space, select the Swap Space icon again.
B

Student Notes:
Deactivate/Activate
The Deactivate option temporarily removes
features from the update of cycle of the model.
The feature can be activated again when
needed. You can deactivate features by right
mouse clicking on the feature in the
specification tree or directly on the model and
clicking X.Object > Deactivate.
When you deactivate a feature, children of that

feature must also be deactivated. Children are
defined as features that depend on another
feature (the parent) to exist. For example, if the
pad feature shown below is deactivated, the
fillet and the hole must also be deactivated.
The hole requires the face of the pad to exist,
while the fillet requires the edge of the pad to
exist.

Student Notes:
Investigating the Model (1/3)
CATIA has tools available to help you
investigate a model. These tools can be used
to help determine how a model was made, and
what parent/child relationships exist.
The Specification tree
As you create features, the specification tree is

populated. Use the specification tree to help
determine how a model was made. Features
are added to the tree in the order of creation.
Children cannot exist in the tree before their
parents. For example, the first feature in the
specification tree on the right is a pad. Move
your curser over the pad in the tree to highlight
the pad in the model.
The specification tree is also useful when

making selections. Rather then highlighting
features directly on the model (which can
sometimes be difficult), you can use the
specification tree.

Student Notes:
Model Scan
Model scan helps you review the creation of a

model, one feature at a time. This tool is
helpful to review how models made by others
where created. To use the Model scan, click
Edit > Scan or Define in Work Object.
Parent/Child
The parent/child tools displays all parents and

children of a selected feature. This tool is
useful to help determine what relationships
exist in a model. To use the Parent/Child tool,
right mouse click on the feature and click
Parent/Children from the right mouse button
contextual menu.

Student Notes:
When modeling in CATIA, it is important to understand that the steps you take to achieve the
creation of the model are as important as the end result.
You should carefully consider choosing the best base feature, what parent/child relationships
should or should not exist, and what dimensions and feature order best reflect the intended design
intent.
Many design practices are derived from company standards and need to be considered before
modeling is started. Some common design practices are:
Always choose the most stable feature in the model as the base feature.
Try to avoid creating references to dress-up features such as fillets and chamfers. These
features many be removed in downstream applications.
Choose the best depth option for the application. For example, decide if a pocket is required
to always cut through the entire model. Creating the pocket with a dimensional depth is not
recommended, because the depth of the feature it is cutting through may change; instead,
create the pocket with an Up to Last depth.

Student Notes:
To Sum Up ...
you should now be able to create the engine
support.
The engine support will require you to:
Select the base feature of a part.

Create the sketch based features to add
material:
• Pads
Create the sketch based features to
remove material:
• Pockets
• Holes
Create edge fillets and chamfers.
Manage feature display:
• Hide/Show
• Activate/Deactivate
Investigate the model.
To Sum Up...

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E
10 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part that contains a completed model.
You will use the tools learned in this lesson to investigate how the model was
created, and simplify the model display. Detailed instruction for this exercise is
provided.

Read a specification tree
Scan a model history
Hide/show elements
Swap visual workspace
Investigate parent/child relationships
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (1/6)
1. Open the part.

• Open an existing part file. This file contains
a completed model.
a. Click File > Open. 1a
b. Browse to Ex3E.CATPart
c. Select Open.
2. Review the specification tree.

• The first step in understanding how a model
was created is to expand the model tree and
2a
review the features. 2b
a. Click the + symbol beside the Part
Body to expand the Part Body node.
b. Move your curser over the features
in the tree. Notice the features
highlight on the model and in the
tree.
c. Review the order in which the
features were created.
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (2/6)
3. Review the construction history of the
model.
• To help understand the design intent of the
model, use the Scan tool to review its 3b 3d 3f
development.
a. Click Edit > Scan or Define in
Work Object.
b. Select the First icon to rewind the
construction to the beginning.
c. Notice the first feature in the model
is now underlined in the
Specification tree. This indicates
that it is the active feature. None of
the features below the underlined 3c
feature are currently active.
d. Select the Next icon to review the
development of the model. Notice
the next feature in the model is now
underlined in the specification tree.
e. Continue selecting the Next icon
until the model is complete.
f. Select the Exit icon to close the

scan.
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (3/6)
4. Hide the default reference planes.
• To simplify the screen, hide all wireframe
and reference geometry.
a. From the specification tree select all
three default reference planes.
b. Right mouse click and click 4b
Hide/Show from the contextual
menu.
5. Hide all sketches from display.

• To simplify the display, hide all sketches.
a. Click Tools > Hide > All Sketches.
5a
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (4/6)
6. Change the visual space.
6a
• Verify which elements have been hidden
from display by temporarily swapping the
visual space.
a. Select the Swap Visible Space icon 6b
to view the invisible space.
b. Notice all sketches and the default
reference planes are the only
features now displayed.
c. Select the Swap Visible Space icon
again to return to visible space.
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (5/6)
7. Deactivate a feature.
• A co-worker is unable to deactivate an
edge fillet from the model without
deactivating other features that are
required. Determine why the required
feature is being affected. 7a
a. Right mouse click on EdgeFillet.7

and click Deactivate.
b. Review the Deactivate dialog box.
Notice that two hole features will
also be deactivated.
c. Select Cancel.
d. Right mouse click on Hole.11 and
click Parent/Children. 7c
7d
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E (6/6)
7. Deactivate a feature (continued).
e. Hole.11 has no children; however, 7e

its parent is Hole.10. Double-click on
Hole.10 in the window to explore its
parents.
f. Notice that Hole.10 is dependent on
a number of features. One of
Hole.10’s parents is the edge fillet
that needs to be deactivated. This
relationship will need to be broken
before the edge fillet can be
deactivated.
g. Select OK.
7f
8. Save and close the model.

7g
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3E: Recap
Review a specification tree

Scan a model history
Hide features
Swap visual workspace
Investigate parent/child relationships
Exercise 3E

Student Notes:
Exercise 3F
10 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part and investigate how it was
modeled. High-level instruction for this exercise is provided.

Review specification tree
Hide features
Activate features
Exercise 3F

Student Notes:
Exercise 3F (1/2)
1. Open up the part Ex3F.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file using the Open 1
tool. The file contains a completed model.
2. Review the specification tree.

• Review the specification tree and note the
hidden and deactivated features.
3
3. Hide the default reference planes.
• The reference planes are no longer
required to simplify the display. Hide them
from visible space.
Exercise 3F

Student Notes:
Exercise 3F (2/2)
4. Activate the edge fillets.
• The last three features in the specification
tree have been deactivated. Activate these
features.

Exercise 3F

Student Notes:
Exercise 3F: Recap
Review a specification tree

Hide features
Activate features
Exercise 3F

Student Notes:
20 min
this model:
The sketch must contain no internal loops.
• Each element on this model will need to be created as separate features. By creating each element
separately, later modifications will be easier.
The four center holes must be created as one feature.
• Typically, one hole would be created first and then patterned to create the other three holes. Since the
requirement is to have them created as one feature, a pocket will need to be used.
The fillets and the chamfer may need to be removed in downstream applications.
• The fillets and the chamfer cannot be created within the sketched profile; they will need to be created as
separate features.

Student Notes:
Do It Yourself: Drawing of the Engine Support (1/3)
You will be required to create the following
features:
1
1. Pad
2. Pocket 4
3. Co-Axial hole
4. Pocket
5. Fillets
6. Chamfer
5
2

Student Notes:

Student Notes:
• Use the Model view options to change the display of the Engine Support to appear as
shown.

Student Notes:
Case Study: Engine Support Recap
Select base feature

Create pad
Create pocket
Create hole
Create edge fillet
Create chamfer
Change model display

CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Lesson 4: Additional Features
Student Notes:
Lesson 4: Additional Features

In this lesson, you will learn how to create additional CATIA features.
Lesson content:
Case Study: Additional Features
Design Intent
Advanced Sketcher Tools
Multi-profile Pads and Sketches
Reference Elements
Revolved Features
Shelling
Thin Features
Lesson Content

Student Notes:
The case study for this lesson is the Handle Block used in the Drill Press assembly shown
below. The Handle Block is part of the Handle Mechanism sub-assembly. This case study
focuses on creating features that incorporate the design intent of the part. The Handle
Block will consist of shafts, grooves, multi-profiles, fillets, chamfers, and a shell feature.

Student Notes:
Design Intent (1/2)
The Handle Block must meet the following
The top portion and bottom portions of the
model must be created as separate
features.
XY plane
• The top portion of the model will be created
as a shaft, the bottom section will be
created as a multi-pad.
The holes must created at an angle to the

XY plane.
• Create the holes on the shaft surface and
aligned to a user-defined plane. The plane
is created at an angle to the XY plane.
Creating the holes on a user-defined plane
allows the angle to be changed as required.
This gives more flexibility in the hole
placement.

Student Notes:
Design Intent (2/2)
The Handle Block must meet the following
design intent requirements (continued):
The model must be hollow and have a
uniform thickness of 3mm, except the end,
which must have a thickness of 1mm.
• The Shell option will hollow out the model
as required.
The holes are normal to the sides of the

handle block.
• The holes must be created on the surface of
the handle block. The holes will then be
extruded normal to the handle block
surface.
X-section of handle block


Student Notes:
Use the following steps to create the handle block:
1. Create feature profiles.

2. Create multi-profile sketch features.
3. Create reference geometry.
4. Create shaft and groove features.
5. Shell the model.

Student Notes:
Additional Features
Step 1: Create feature Use the following steps to create

profiles. the handle block:
In this section, you will learn about 1. Create feature profiles.

additional sketch tools. 2. Create multi-profile sketch features.
5. Shell the model.
Step 1 – Create Feature Profiles

Student Notes:
Additional Sketcher Tools
Lesson 2 introduced basic Sketcher tools and
the Sketcher environment. This lesson will Axis Creation
introduce advanced Sketcher tools.
Sketcher includes the following additional

tools:
• Axis creation tool

• Re-limitation tools
• Transformation tools
• Project 3D element tools
As well, you will learn how to analyze a sketch

using the Sketch Analysis tool.
Project 3D elements
Re-limitation
Trans-formations

Student Notes:
Creating an Axis
1
An axis can be used as a reference to create
revolved features, such as shafts and grooves
(discussed later in this lesson). The sketched
profile is revolved about it. 2 3
An axis can also be used to create

symmetrical sketched elements inside the
Sketcher workbench.
Use the following steps to create an axis:

1. Select the Axis icon.
2. Left mouse click to create the start point
for the axis.
3. Left mouse click again to create the end
point.
4. Using the shaft command on the profile 4
sketch, CATIA produces a shaft using the
defined axis.

Student Notes:
Dimensioning to an Axis
1
You can define diameter and radius
dimensions to an axis. This is useful when
creating the profile sketches for revolved
features (discussed later in this lesson). 3
Use the following steps to create a
2
Radius/Diameter dimension to an axis:
1. Select the Constraint icon.

2. Select the sketched element.
3. Select the axis.
4. Right mouse click and click
Radius/Diameter.
5. Left mouse click to place the dimension.
5 4

Student Notes:
Re-Limitation Tools
Re-limitation tools trim or extend existing
sketched geometry. They can be found in the
Re-limitation toolbar, which is a flyout menu in
the Operation toolbar.
Available re-limitation tools include the

following:
A. Trim
B. Break
C. Quick Trim A
D. Close B
E. Complimentary Angle C
D
E

Student Notes:
Re-limitations
Tool Geometry Description

Trim Trims two curves. Keep the part of the
curves you selected. This option can
also be used to extend to elements.
Break Breaks a curve at a selected break

point.
Quick Trim Trims an intersected element.
Close Closes the selected arc.
Complement Creates the complementary arc.


Student Notes:
Trim Options Before
Once the Trim tool is selected, the Sketch

Tools toolbar expands to display two modes First
Element
for trim:
A. The Trim All Elements mode trims both Second

selected elements. Element
B. The Trim First Element mode trims only
the first selected element; the second
element is left unchanged.
A
B

Before
Student Notes:
Quick Trim Options
Once the Quick Trim tool is selected, the
Sketch Tools toolbar expands to display
several modes for quick trim:
A. The Break and Rubber In mode removes

a selected portion of an element up to its
intersection with other elements.
B. The Break and Rubber Out mode keeps
the selected portion of an element up to
its intersection with other elements.
C. The Break and Keep mode keeps the A
entire elements but breaks the element at
the intersection with other elements.
C B

Student Notes:
Transformation Tools
Transformation tools are used to modify
existing sketcher geometry. They can also be
used to create a duplicate of the existing
sketcher geometry.
Transformation tools are found in the

Transformation toolbar, which is a flyout menu
in the Operation toolbar. Available
Transformation tools include the following:
A
A. Mirror
B
B. Symmetry
C
C. Translate
D. Rotate D
E. Scale E
F. Offset F

Student Notes:
Mirror and Symmetry Options
Both the Mirror and Symmetry options
mirror geometry about an axis. The Mirror
option creates a mirrored copy of the
1 2a 2b
selected geometry, while the Symmetry
option simply mirrors the original
geometry without creating a copy.
3
Use the following steps to use the Mirror
and Symmetry tools:
1. Select the geometry to mirror.

Use the <Ctrl> key to select multiple
items.
2. Select the tool.
a. Mirror
b. Symmetry
3. Select the symmetry axis.
Result of Mirror Result of Symmetry

Student Notes:
Translation (1/2)
The Translation tool moves the selected
geometry along a translation vector.
1
Use the following steps to translate geometry:
3
1. Select the entities to move. 4

2. Select the Translate tool.
3. Select the Duplication mode option.
When the Duplication mode option is
selected, the original geometry is 2
unchanged and a copy of the geometry is
created in the new location. You can also
create multiple instances, which will have
an equal distance between them. In this
example, two instances are created.
4. If in duplicate mode, specify constraint
conditions.
You may choose to keep all internal
constraints, and/or all external constraints.
5. Select a point on the screen to act as the
start point. 5

Student Notes:
Translation (2/2)
Use the following steps to translate geometry
(continued):
6. Optionally, enter a distance value in the

6
length field, and select OK.
7. Move the start point on the screen. If no
distance has been entered (step 6), you
can place the selected elements
anywhere. If a distance has been applied
and OK selected, you are only defining
the direction.
8. Left mouse click to place the geometry.
7

Student Notes:
Rotation (1/2) 1
The Rotate tool lets you rotate selected 2

sketched element(s) about a point.
Use the following steps to rotate geometry:
1. Select the entities to rotate. 3

2. Select the Rotate tool.
4
selected, the original geometry is
unchanged and a copy of the geometry is
created in the new location. You can
create multiple instances, which will have
an equal distance between them. In this
example, one instance is created.
4. If in duplicate mode, specify Constraint
Conservation. If selected, all internal 5
constraints will be maintained.

center of rotation.

Student Notes:
Rotation (2/2)
Use the following steps to rotate geometry
6
(continued):
6. Select a point on the screen to define a

reference line for the angle.
7. Enter a value in the length field or move
the mouse to rotate the elements.
8. Select OK or left click on the screen to
complete the rotation.
7

Student Notes:
Scale (1/2) 1
The Scale tool lets you resize the selected

2
sketched element(s).
Use the following steps to scale sketched

element(s):
1. Select the entities to scale.

2. Select the Scale tool.
3
selected, the original geometry is
unchanged and a copy of the geometry is 4
created in the new location.
4. If in duplicate mode, specify Conservation
of the constraints. If selected, all
constraints will be maintained, but
converted into reference dimensions.

Student Notes:
Scale (2/2)
Use the following steps to scale sketched
element(s) (continued):

scaling center point.
6. Enter a value in the length field or move 5
the mouse to scale the elements.
7. Select OK or left mouse click on the
screen to complete the scaling.
6

Student Notes:
Offset Propagation Modes A
The Offset tool lets you offset one or more

sketched elements. Once the Offset tool is
selected, three propagation modes become
available from the Sketch Tools toolbar:
A. In No Propagation mode, only the

B
selected element(s) is offset.
B. In Tangent Propagation mode, the
selected element(s) and all elements
tangent to it are offset.
C. In Point Propagation mode, the selected
element(s) and all elements that form a
chain with it are offset.
C

Student Notes:
Offset (1/2)
The Offset tool lets you offset sketched
element(s).
1
Use the following steps to offset sketched
element(s):
1. Select the sketched element(s) to offset.

2. Select the Offset icon.
3. Select the Propagation mode.
4. Select the Both sides icon if you would
like the element offset on both sides of
the original. 2
5. Enter number of instances. Each instance

will be an equal distance from each other.
In this example, two instances are
created.
3 4

Student Notes:
Offset (2/2)
6
Use the following steps to offset sketched
element(s) (continued):
6. Move your curser to the side on which

you want to create the offset.
7. Press the <Tab> key until the Offset field
highlights. Enter the offset distance.
8. Press the <Enter> key to place the offset.
8

Student Notes:
Project 3D Elements
Several tools are available to project existing
3D elements onto the sketch plane. These
projected elements can be used as standard
sketch geometry, or converted into
construction geometry.
3D Projection tools are found in the 3D

Geometry toolbar, which is a flyout menu in
the Operation toolbar. Available Projection
tools include the following:
A. Project 3D Elements A
B. Intersect 3D Elements B
C. Project 3D Silhouette Edges
C

Student Notes:
3D Geometry Elements
Tool Geometry Description

Project 3D 1 2 3 Project 3D elements onto the
Elements sketch plane.
Intersect Intersect 3D elements with the

1 2 3
3D sketch plane. The selected 3D
Elements. elements must intersect the
sketch plane.
Project 3D Project the silhouette of a

Silhouette 1 2 3 cylindrical element onto the
Edges. sketch plane. The axis of
revolution for the projected
element must be parallel to the
screen.

Student Notes:
Isolate Projected Elements
By default, projected elements are linked to the
3D geometry from which they were created.
You can break this link by right mouse clicking
on the projected element and clicking Mark.x
object > Isolate from the pop-up menu. Once
the element is isolated, it will no longer be
associative with the 3D geometry from which it
was projected. This means that modifications to
the 3D geometry will not impact the sketched
elements created from it. Once isolated, the
projected geometry converts into standard
sketched elements (e.g., lines, points, arcs).

Student Notes:
Sketch Analysis
The Sketch analysis tool can be used to help
resolve any problems with the sketch.
This tool can be used to determine a sketch’s

constraint status (i.e., Under-constrained, Iso-
constrained, Over-constrained, or
Inconsistent), and where degrees of freedom
still exist in the sketch.
The Sketch Analysis tool can also be used to

help determine if a profile is open or closed.
This is useful if you receive an error when
trying to create sketched-based features.

Student Notes:
Sketch Analysis Window (1/3)
The sketch analysis window has three tabs.
Each tab contains information to help
analyze the sketch.
The Geometry tab is used to determine if

the sketch geometry is valid:
A. The General Status area analyzes A

several elements in the context of the
entire sketch.
B. The Detailed Information area provides B
a status and comment on each
geometric element in the sketch.
C. The Corrective Actions area lets you C
correct geometry. You can: a b c d e
a. Convert an element into a
construction element.
b. Close an open profile.
c. Erase unwanted geometry.
d. Hide all constraints.

e. Hide all construction geometry.

Student Notes:
The Projections/Intersections tab is used to
determine the status of all projected
elements:
A. The Detailed Information area provides

a status and comment on each
projected or intersected element in the
sketch.
B. The Corrective Action area lets you
A
correct geometry. You can:
a. Isolate geometry.
b. Activate or Deactivate a constraint.
c. Erase geometry. B
d. Replace 3D geometry. a b c d e f
e. Hide all constraints.
f. Hide all construction geometry.

Student Notes:
The Diagnostics tab displays a full diagnosis
of all sketched geometry. It provides an
analysis of the sketch as well as information
on individual geometrical elements:
A. The Solving Status area provides an

overall analysis of the sketched
geometry. A
B. The Detailed Information area provides

a description and status on each B
constraint and geometric element in the
sketch.
C. The Action area enables you to: C
a. Hide all constraints. a b
b. Hide all construction geometry.

Student Notes:
Performing a Quick Geometry Diagnosis (1/2)
Use the following steps to analyze a sketch:
1. Select the Sketch Solving Status icon. 1

2. The Sketch Status Definition window
appears. It indicates the overall status of
the Sketch Geometry. In this case, the 2
sketch is under-constrained, even though
the sketch appears to be all green (iso-
constrained).
3. Under- and over-constrained geometrical
elements are highlighted on the sketch
and in the specification tree.
3

Student Notes:
Performing a Quick Geometry Diagnosis (2/2)
Use the following steps to analyze a sketch
(continued):
4
4. Select the Sketch Analysis icon in the

window or in the toolbar.
5. The Sketch Analysis window appears. In
this example, the profile needs to be
closed and the point needs to be changed
to a construction element.
6. Select Close to close the Sketch Analysis 5
window.
6

Student Notes:
Additional Features
Step 2: Create multi- Use the following steps to create

profile sketch features. the handle block:
In this section, you will learn how to 1. Create feature profiles.

create several features using one sketch. 2. Create multi-profile sketch
features.
5. Shell the model.
Step 2 – Create Multi-Profile Sketch Features

Student Notes:
Multiple Profiles
Multi-profile sketches are sketches that contain
more then one closed profile. This gives the
benefit of quickly creating multiple features
Sketch
using only one sketch. Therefore, if the sketch
is removed, the corresponding features are
also removed. This method is not
recommended if the sketched profiles are
complicated, because editing all the individual
profiles can be difficult when they are within
one sketch.
Until now, you have used multi-profile sketches A B

to create multiple pockets using a single pocket
feature. Multi-profile sketches can also be used
to create the following:
A. Multi-pads/pockets
B. Sub-Elements of a Sketch

Student Notes:
Multi-Pads/Pockets (1/2) 1
Multi-pads and pockets are features that

create several pads/pockets in one operation.
These tools require a sketch with at least two
closed profiles that do not intersect. Consider
using these tools as a fast way to create
multiple features.
2
Use the following steps to create a multi-pad:

1. Create a sketch containing at least two 3
closed profiles.
2. Highlight the sketch and select the Multi-
pad or Multi-Pocket icon. In this example,
Multi-Pad is selected.
3. Highlight the first extrusion domain. Enter 4
a depth value for the closed profile.
4. Repeat step 3 for each extrusion domain.
5. Select OK to create the Multi-pad.
5
6. The Multi-pad is one feature in the
6
specification tree.

Student Notes:
Multi-Pads/Pockets (2/2)
Like standard pads and pockets, multi-
pad/pockets can be extruded in two directions.
Use the following steps to extrude the multi-

pad in a second direction: 3
1. Select More>>.
2. Highlight extrusion domain. In this
2
example, Extrusion domain.5 is extruded
in two directions.
1
3. Enter the second depth for the profile.
5
4. Repeat step 2 for each extrusion domain.
In this example, only Extrusion domain.5
is extruded in two directions.
5. Select OK to complete the feature.

Student Notes:
Solving Ambiguity for Multi-Pads/Pockets
Careful thought should be given to the profiles created in the sketch when they are used to define a
Multi-Pad/Pocket. The profiles cannot intersect and must form a closed loop; otherwise, you will
receive a feature definition error. Use the Break tool in the Sketcher workbench to create proper
profiles if necessary.
For example, two profiles are created as shown within the same sketch. If the shared line between
the two profiles is created as one geometric element, the multi-feature fails. The top profile does
not form a closed loop. By breaking the shared line into two separate segments, the top profile is
now closed.

Student Notes:
Sub-Elements of a Sketch (1/2) 1
In some cases, you may need to create a

feature that uses only one profile of a multi-
profile sketch. This is done through the Sub-
2
Elements option. This tool lets you extract only
the profile you need from the sketch. Because
several features can be based on the same
sketch, deleting or modifying the sketch will
affect all features associated with it.
Use the following steps to use a sub-element

of a sketch:
3
1. Access the feature creation window (in
this example, a Pad feature). Do not
highlight the sketch before selecting the
icon.
2. Right mouse click on the Profile Selection
field and click Go to Profile Definition.
3. Select Sub-elements.

Student Notes:
Sub-Elements of a Sketch (2/2)
Use the following steps to use a sub-element
of a sketch (continued):
4
4. Select an element on the required profile.

All entities that are part of the same loop
as the selected geometry highlight.
5. Select OK to return to the feature
definition window.
6. Notice the Profile field now says
“complex”. Complete the feature
definition.
5
6
7

Student Notes:
Solving Ambiguity for Sub-Elements (1/2)
If you select a multi-profile sketch before
selecting the feature tool, an error appears,
indicating profile ambiguity. This is because 1
multiple profiles are contained within the
sketch and CATIA is unsure how to create the
feature.
Use the following steps to solve the error:
1. Select Yes to the error window.

2. Right mouse click on the Profile field and
click Go to Profile definition.
3. Highlight the geometry in the selection
window
4. Select Remove.
2

Student Notes:
Solving Ambiguity for Sub-Elements (2/2)
Use the following steps to solve the error
(continued):
5. Select Add.
6. Add the correct profile.
7. Select OK to return to the feature
definition window. 5
8. Complete the definition and select OK. 7
6

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A
15 min
In this exercise, you will create create a multi-pad feature and two pocket
features using only sub-elements of a sketch. You will use some of the additional
sketcher tools you have learned in this lesson to complete the exercise. Detailed
instruction for this exercise is provided.

Create a multi-profile sketch
Create a multi-pad feature
Create a pocket using a sub-element of a sketch
Use the Re-limitation, Projection, and Transformation
tools in the Sketcher workbench
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (1/16)

1d
• Create a new part named Ex4A.CATPart.
b. Select Part.
c. Select OK.
d. Enter [Ex4A] as the part name.
1e
e. Select OK.
2. Create a multi-profile sketch.

• Create a sketch that contains more than one
closed profile. You will use this sketch to create a
Multi-pad in a later step.
a. Select the YZ plane.
c. Create the rectangle as shown. Make it
2c
symmetric about the ZX plane.
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (2/16)
2. Create a multi-profile sketch (continued).
d. Create a profile as shown. The profile 2d

contains two lines and a tangent arc.
Ensure the lines are coincident with the top
line of the rectangle and symmetric about
the ZX plane. Make the center of the arc
coincident with the ZX plane.
e. Create a circle with the center coincident
with the center of the arc.
2e
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (3/16)
2. Create a multi-profile sketch (continued).
f. Dimension the sketch as shown.

g. Exit Sketcher.
2f
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (4/16)
3. Create a multi-pad feature. 3b
• Create a multi-pad feature using the sketch
created in the last step.
a. Highlight the sketch.
b. Select the Multi-Pad icon.
c. Read the error and select OK.
d. The error indicates that the sketch is
not valid. What is the problem?
3c
e. Cancel the multi-pad creation by
selecting the Multi-Pad icon again.
4. Correct the sketch. 4b

• The sketch is not valid because the the top
line of the rectangle is one piece and needs
to be shared by two profiles. It is not
possible to create the top profile using this
sketch as it is.
a. Double-click on the sketch to edit.
b. Select the Break icon.
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (5/16)
4. Correct sketch (continued).
c. Select the top line of the rectangle

as the line to break.
d. Select one of the angled lines as
4e
the breaking element.
e. Select the Break icon again.
f. Select the top line of the rectangle
near the other angled line.
g. Select the other angled line as the
breaking element.
4d 4g
h. The line now consists of three
separate entities. The top profile 4c 4f
can now be constructed.
i. Exit the Sketcher workbench.
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (6/16)
5. Create multi-pad.
• Now that the sketch is correct. Create the
multi-pad feature.
a. Highlight the sketch. 5b
b. Select the Multi-Pad icon.
c. Select the first domain. The circle
highlights on the model.
d. Enter a depth of [20mm].
5d
5c
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (7/16)
5. Create multi-pad (continued).
e. Select the next profile in the window. The top profile highlights on the screen.
f. Enter a depth of [10mm].
5f
5e
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (8/16)
5. Create multi-pad (continued).
g. Select the final profile in the window.

The rectangular profile highlights.
h. Enter a depth of [20mm].
i. Select OK to complete the feature.
6. Create a multi-profile sketch.

• Create a multi-profile sketch that will be
used to create separate pocket features.
a. Select the top face of the rectangle
and access the Sketcher workbench. 5h
6a
5g
5i
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (9/16)
6. Create a multi-profile sketch
(continued).
b. Create an elongated hole as shown. 6b
c. Select the 3D geometry edge as

shown.
d. Select the Offset icon.
e. Move the curser toward the center of
6d
the model. This indicates the
direction of the offset.
f. Press the <Tab> key several times
until the Offset field is highlighted in
the Sketch Tools toolbar. Enter an
offset of [5mm].
6c 6e
6e
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (10/16)
(continued).
g. Press the <Enter> key to create the

offset geometry. Notice that the offset
line is yellow. This indicates that it is 6g 6h
projected from 3D geometry.
h. Offset the other 3D geometry edges
as shown.
i. Offset the edge of the circular pad
[3mm].
6i
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (11/16)
6j

(continued).
j. Select the Trim icon.

k. Select Trim All Elements from the
Sketch tools toolbar.
l. Select the first edge in the area to be 6k
kept.
m. Select the second edge in the area to
be kept. The entities are trimmed.
6l
6m
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (12/16)
6n

(continued).
n. Repeat the trim for the other

elements.
o. Create a circle that is concentric with
the circular pad.
p. Exit the Sketcher workbench.
6o
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (13/16)
7. Create pockets.
• Use the sketch created in the last step to
create two pocket features that cut through
all material. The third profile will be used in a
separate feature. 7a
a. Select the sketch created in step 6.
b. Select the Pocket icon.
c. All of the profiles highlight. In this
7d
exercise, two of the profiles are to
have different depths then the third.
d. Right mouse click on the Profile
Selection field and click Go to
Profile.
e. Highlight Sketch.2 in the window.
f. Select Remove.
7e
7f
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (14/16)
7. Create pockets (continued).
g. Select Add.
h. Select the elongated hole profile. 7g
7i
i. Select the circle profile.
j. Select OK.
k. Select a depth of Up to Last.
l. Select OK.
7h
7k
7l 7j
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (15/16)
8. Create pocket.
• Use the sketch created in step 6 to create
the final pocket feature.
a. Show Sketch.2 but do not select it. 8c
b. Select the Pocket icon.

c. Right mouse click on the Profile
Selection field and click Go to
Profile.
d. Select the center profile.
e. Select OK to the Profile Definition
window.
8g
8h
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A (16/16)
8c
8. Create pocket (continued).

8g
e. Select a depth of Up To Surface.

f. Select the surface shown.
g. Enter an offset of [5mm].
h. Select OK.
i. Hide Sketch.2 again.
8h
8f
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4A: Recap
Create a multi-profile sketch

Create a multi-pad
Create pockets using a sub-
elements of a sketch
Use re-limitation and
transformation tools in the
Sketcher workbench
Exercise 4A

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B
15 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part that contains a multi-profile
sketch. You will use this sketch to create several features. High-level instruction
for this exercise is provided.

Problem-solve a sketch
Use the Sketch Analysis tool
Create a pad using a sub-element of a sketch
Create a multi-pocket
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (1/7) 1
1. Open Ex4B.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file.
2. Create multi-pad feature.

• Create the multi-pad feature using the sketch
given. An error message appears, indicating
that the sketch is not valid. Cancel the Multi-
Pad creation. 2
3. Edit the sketch.

• Access the Sketcher workbench for Sketch.1
to investigate the sketch.
3
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (2/7)
4. Use the Sketch Solving Status Tool.
• Use the Sketch Analysis tool to investigate
what is wrong with the sketch. Al though the
sketch appears to be all green (Iso-
4
constrained), the status of the sketch is
actually under-constrained. Note the 5
highlighted points.
5. Access the Sketch Analysis tool.

• Use the Sketch Analysis tool to further
investigate the sketch.
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (3/7)
6
6. Review the geometry.
• Select the Geometry tab. The sketch
contains two open profiles and an isolated
line.
7. Remove the constraints from the

display.
• To simplify the display, select the Hide 8 7
Constraints icon.
8. Resolve the open profile.

• Select the inside open profile and use the
Close Opened Profile icon to resolve the
issue.
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (4/7)
9. Resolve the isolated line.
• Highlight the isolated line in the window. Note where it is located in the model. This line should be a
construction element. Use the Set in Construction Mode icon to convert the point.
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (5/7)
10. Review the second open profile.
• Select the outer open profile from the 10
window. Notice the area in the center at the
top. Zoom in; notice the line is not a single
entity but two entities. This is not correct.
The Close Opened Profile option could be
used to resolve this issue; however, the line
would still be two separate entities. Instead,
exit the Sketch analysis tool and resolve the
issue using re-limitation tools.
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (6/7)
11. Resolve the second open profile.
• Delete one of the top lines. Use the Trim
tool to extend the remaining line. Remember
to add tangency between the line and the
arc.
12. Re-analyze the sketch.

• Return to the Sketch solving status window.
The sketch should now be iso-constrained.
11
12
Exercise 4B

13 Student Notes:
Exercise 4B (7/7)
13. Exit sketcher and create the multi-pad
feature as shown.

Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4B: Recap
Problem-solve a sketch
Use the Sketch Analysis tool
Use re-limitation tools
Exercise 4B

Student Notes:
Exercise 4C
15 min
In this exercise, you will create a part that contains two features, a multi-pad, and
a multi-pocket. You will use the tools learned in this lesson to complete the

Create a multi-pad
Exercise 4C

Student Notes:
Exercise 4C (1/2)
You need to create the following features:
1
1. Multi-pad
2. Multi-pocket
2
Exercise 4C

Student Notes:
Exercise 4C (2/2)
Exercise 4C

Student Notes:
Exercise 4C: Recap
Create a multi-pad
Exercise 4C

Student Notes:
Additional Features
Step 3: Create reference Use the following steps to create

geometry. the handle block:

create reference elements (i.e., points, 2. Create multi-profile sketch features.
lines, and planes). 3. Create reference geometry.

5. Shell the model.
Step 3 – Create Reference Geometry

Student Notes:
Reference Geometry
In the Part Design workbench, you have the
ability to create points, lines, and planes
outside of the Sketcher environment. These
elements are called reference (or 3D
wireframe) geometry.
Depending on how the part was initially

created, these elements can be represented
in the specification tree in two ways. If the
Enable hybrid design option is selected
CATIA will place these features within the
main PartBody. If the Enable hybrid design
option is cleared wireframe elements are
inserted under a group called a Geometrical
set. Geometrical sets contain only 3D
wireframe and surface elements, but no solid
geometry.

Student Notes:
Accessing the Reference Elements Toolbar
The toolbar is located at the bottom of the
toolbars on the right-hand side of the screen.
You may need to move other toolbars to view
it.
If you cannot locate the toolbar, it may be

turned off. To turn on the toolbar, click View >
Toolbars > Reference Elements (Extended).

Student Notes:
Power Input Line
Instead of selecting the icons, you can use the
power input line to access the 3D wireframe
tools.
Enter:
• [c:plane] to create a plane
• [c:point] to create a point
• [c:line] to create a line
The command can be used for many tools. It is

a good way to launch functions when you
cannot find the icon. To view the command,
hover the mouse cursor over the icon.
For example, placing the cursor over the Line

icon displays c:Line beside the power input
line.

Student Notes:
Points 2
Points are used to mark a location on a model.

1
They can be used as a basis for creating
additional features. Use the following steps to
create a point:
1. Select the Point icon.

2. Select the Point Type from the pull-down
menu.
• Many types of points can be created. The
required fields vary depending on the 3
selected type. In this example, you create a
Coordinates point type.
3. Enter values as required. For a co-
ordinate point, the X, Y, and Z distances
from the reference point are required. 4
4. Select OK to create the point.

5. The point is added to the specification
tree under the Geometrical set. 5

Student Notes:
Lines (1/2)
1
Lines are created for many purposes, they can
be used to define the direction for additional
geometry (solid and wireframe), or as an axis 2
for a revolved feature.
Use the following steps to create a line:
1. Select the Line icon.

2. Select the Line Type from the pull-down
menu.
• Many types of lines can be created. The
required fields vary depending on the
selected type. In this example, you create a
line point-point type.
3. Enter values as required. For a Point- 3
Point line, two points are required.

Student Notes:
Lines (2/2)
Use the following steps to create a line
(continued):
4. Select OK to create the line.

5. The line is added to the specification tree
under the Geometrical set.
5

Student Notes:
Planes (1/2) 1
Planes are used to create a planar reference

in a specific location. In the Part Design
workbench, they are typically used as sketch
supports in areas where there is no existing
sketch support. 2
Use the following steps to create a plane:
1. Select the Plane icon.

2. Select the Plane Type from the pull-down
menu.
• Many types of planes can be created. The
required fields vary depending on the
selected type. In this example, you create
the Offset from plane type.
3. Enter values as required. For an Offset 3
from plane type, a planar surface or an
existing reference plane is required.

Student Notes:
Planes (2/2)
Use the following steps to create a plane
(continued):
4. Select OK to create the plane.

5. The plane is added to the specification
tree under the Geometrical set.
5

Student Notes:
Additional Features
Step 4: Create shaft and Use the following steps to create

groove features. the handle block:

create revolved features that add and 2.
3.
Create multi-profile sketch features.
Create reference geometry.
remove material. 4. Create shaft and groove
features.
5. Shell the model.
Step 4 – Create Shaft and Groove Features

Student Notes:
Revolved Features (1/2)
A revolved feature is created by revolving a 2D
profile about an axis of revolution.
A
In the Part Design workbench, you can create

two types of revolved features:
A. A shaft, which adds material.

B. A groove , which removes material.
B

Student Notes:
Revolved Features (2/2)
Revolved features can be revolved between 0° A
and 360°. B
You can define the following limits:

A. The First angle limit defines the revolution
angle of the profile around the axis,
starting from the profile position and
orientated in the clockwise direction.
B. The Second angle limit defines the
revolution angle of the profile around the
axis, starting from the profile position and
oriented in the counterclockwise direction.
Profile

Student Notes:
Axis of Revolution
The axis of revolution for a revolved feature
can be defined by two methods. The axis can
be created inside the actual sketch containing
the profile using the Axis tool. If the axis is
created inside the sketch, it will be detected
automatically when defining the shaft or
groove.
If you did not create an axis in the sketch, or

want to use a different axis than that defined in
the sketch, you can define it from the
Shaft/Groove definition window in the Axis
selection field. Any linear element in the model
(e.g., an edge of existing geometry, a 3D
wireframe line, a line created in a sketch) can
be used.

Student Notes:
Shafts
A shaft is a revolved sketched based feature
that adds material to the model. 2
1
Use the following steps to create a shaft:
3
1. Select the profile.

2. Select the Shaft icon.
3. If no axis was created inside the sketch,
select an axis of revolution.
4. Define angle limits.
6. The shaft feature is added to the model. 4
6
5

Student Notes:
Creating Grooves
Grooves are revolved features that remove
2
material from existing features by rotating a 2D 1
profile around an axis. The axis and the profile
can be created in the same sketch or the axis
can reside outside of the sketch.
3
Use the following steps to create a Groove 4
feature:
1. Select the Profile.

2. Select the Groove icon.
3. If no axis was created inside the profile
sketch, select an axis of revolution. In this
example, the implicit axis of the cylindrical
feature is selected.
4. Define angle limits. 5
6. The Groove feature is added to the
model.

Student Notes:
Restrictions for Revolved Features (1/2)
Not every sketch can be used to create a shaft base feature. The examples shown display various
sketch solutions:
Axis on a profile edge:
Axis outside the profile:
Axis cutting the profile:

Error

Student Notes:
Restrictions for Revolved Features (2/2)
Not every sketch can be used to create a shaft
base feature. Below are some examples
showing various sketch solutions (continued):
Open profile:
Open profile and axis outside the profile:
Error

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D
15 min
In this exercise, you will create a new tool holder part by creating a revolved
feature using a point, line, and sketch. A reference plane will then be used to
create an additional feature.

Create reference geometry
Create a shaft feature
Create a groove feature
Use reference geometry to create new features
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (1/10)
1. Create a new part. 1d

• Create a new part file.
b. Select Part from the list of
document types.
c. Select OK.
1e
d. Leave the default name, clear the
Enable hybrid design option.
e. Select OK.
2a
2. Create a point.
• Create a point by entering coordinates.
This point will be used as a reference to
create a line The line is then used as
the axis of revolution for a shaft feature.
a. Select the Point icon. If you can’t
find the icon, enter [c:point] in the 2b
power input line.
b. Change the point type to 2c
Coordinates.
c. Enter [–4] for the Y value and

leave all other inputs as default.
d. Select OK to create the point. 2d
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (2/10)
3. Create a line.
• Create a line in the Z axis direction using
the created point.
a. Select the Line icon. If you can’t
find the icon, enter [c:line] in the 3a
power input line.
b. Change the Line type to Point-
Direction.
c. Select the Point.1 that was created 3b
previously.
d. Right click on Direction and click Z 3c
Axis.
e. Select the Infinite End Point option
for the Length Type.
f. Select OK to complete the line.
3d
3e
3f
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (3/10)
4b
4. Create a sketch.
• Create a sketch that will represent the profile
for a tool holder.
a. Right mouse click on the on the
PartBody and select Define in Work 4a
Object. This ensures that any
features that are created are added
to the part body and not the
geometrical set. 4e
4d
c. Select the YZ plane as the sketch
support.
d. Use the Profile icon in sketcher to
create the lines.
e. Create an axis vertically along the V
axis.
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (4/10)
4. Create a sketch (continued). 4h
4f
4i
f. Select the Constraint icon.
g. Select the top vertical line.
h. Select the axis. Right mouse click
and select Radius/ Diameter from
the pop-up menu.
4g
i. Left mouse click to place the
diameter dimension.
j. Finish dimensioning and
constraining the sketch as shown.
Ensure that the left edge of the 4j
sketch is aligned to the V axis.
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (5/10)
5. Create a shaft feature.
• Create a revolved feature using the sketch
and line created previously.
a. Select the Shaft icon. 5a
b. Select Sketch.1 previously created

as the profile selection.
c. Select inside the Axis Selection field
and select Line.1.
d. Make sure the first angle is [360deg]
and the second angle is [0deg]. 5d
e. Select OK to complete the shaft.
5b
5c
5e
5c
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (6/10)
6. Create a groove feature.
• Create a sketch that will be used as the
profile for a groove on the tool holder.
a. Select the Sketcher icon.
b. Select yz plane as the sketch
6c
support.
c. Use the Project Silhouette Edges
tool to project the side surface of the
shaft.
d. Select both projected edges and
convert them to construction 6d 6d
entities. 6c
Exercise 4D

6e Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (7/10)
6. Create a groove feature (continued).
e. Sketch and dimension a square as

shown.
f. Exit the sketch.
g. Select the Groove icon.
h. Select Sketch.2 as the profile and
Line.1 as the axis.
i. Select OK to complete the groove.
6g
6h
6i Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (8/10)
7a
7. Create a reference plane.

• Create an offset reference plane that will
be used as the sketch support for a new
sketch. 7b
a. Select the Plane icon. If you cannot
find the icon, enter [c:plane] in the 7d
power input line.
b. Select Offset from plane as the
Plane type.
7e
c. Select the yz plane as the reference
plane.
d. Enter [60mm] as the offset.
e. Select OK to complete the plane.
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (9/10)
8c
8. Create two pocket features.
Create two pocket features using Plane.1 as
the sketch support.
b. Select the Plane.1 as the sketch
support.
c. Sketch and constrain a rectangle as
shown.
d. Exit the Sketcher workbench.
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D (10/10)
8g
8. Create two pocket features (Continued).
e. Select the Pocket icon.

f. Select the sketch just created as the
profile.
g. Enter [16mm] as the pocket depth.
h. Select OK to complete the pocket.
i. Create another pocket with the
8h
same Sketch. Enter the First Limit
Depth as [104mm] and the Second
Limit as [-114mm] for the second 8i
pocket.
j. Select OK to complete the second
pocket.
9. Save and close the part.

8j
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4D: Recap
Create a reference point and line

Create a reference plane
Create features on reference plane
Exercise 4D

Student Notes:
Exercise 4E
15 min
In this exercise, you will create a new part. Using shafts, grooves, and multi-
pocket features, you will construct a pulley. High-level instruction for this

Create a shaft
Create a groove
Create a multi-pad
Exercise 4E

Student Notes:
Exercise 4E (1/3)
1. Create a new part file.
• Create a new part file called
[Ex4E.CATPart]. 2
2. Create a shaft feature.

• Use the dimension shown to
construct a shaft feature.
Exercise 4E

Student Notes:
Exercise 4E (2/3)
3. Create a groove feature.
• Use the dimensions shown to
create a groove feature.
Remember to use the
transformation tools when
creating several identical profiles
within one sketch. All profiles
have the same internal
dimensions.
Exercise 4E

Student Notes:
Exercise 4E (3/3)
4
4. Create a multi-pocket feature.

Use the dimensions shown to
create a multi-pocket feature.

Exercise 4E

Student Notes:
Exercise 4E: Recap

Create a multi-pocket feature
Exercise 4E

Student Notes:
Exercise 4F
15 min
previous lessons. You will use the tools learned in this lesson to complete the

Create edge fillets
Create internal and external groove features
Create a pocket feature

Create a cone-shaped groove feature
Exercise 4F

Student Notes:
Exercise 4F - Drawing
1. Create the following spool part.
Exercise 4F

Student Notes:
Exercise 4F: Recap

Create edge fillets
Create internal and external
groove features
Create a pocket feature
Create a cone-shaped groove
feature
Exercise 4F

Student Notes:
Additional Features
Step 5: Shell the model. Use the following steps to create

In this section, you will learn how to the handle block:
create hollow models by using the Thin
1. Create feature profiles.
and Shell operations. 2. Create multi-profile sketch features.
5. Shell the model.

Step 5 – Shell the Model

Student Notes:
Shelling
Shelling a feature hollows out solid geometry.
The shelling operation removes one or more
faces from the solid and applies a constant
thickness to the remaining faces. You can also
apply a different thickness to selected faces.
Shell
Faces to be removed Different thickness
applied

Student Notes:
Shelling a Part (1/2)
Use the following steps to shell a model where
the remaining faces have a different thickness:
1. Select the face(s) to be removed. 1
2. Select the Shell icon.

3. Specify a wall thickness.
4. Select in the Other Thickness Faces field.
5. Select the wall(s) that will have a different
thickness.
2
5
3

Student Notes:
Shelling a Part (2/2)
6
Use the following steps to shell a model where
the remaining faces have a different thickness
(continued): 7
6. To change the thickness of the Other

Thickness faces, double-click the
dimension directly on the model, and
enter the value. Take care to select the
dimension associated with the correct
direction.
7. Select OK to the Parameter definition
window. 8
8. Select OK to the Shell Definition window.
9. The shell feature is added to the model.

Student Notes:
Importance of Feature Order
When shelling a model, considering feature
order is important. The Shell operation hollows
all solid features in a model. If you do not want
a feature shelled, it should be created after the
shell operation.
For example, when a feature containing a hole

is shelled, a pipe is created. If a hole was the
design intent, the shell feature needs to be
created before the hole.

Student Notes:
Thin Features (1/2)
A thin feature is created by applying a constant
thickness to a profile. Pads, pockets, shafts,
and grooves can all be created as a thin
feature. Use the Pad Definition window to
define its properties:
• A thin feature can be created with a closed

or open profile.
• Thickness can be applied to one side or
both sides of the profile.

Student Notes:
Thin Features (2/2)
The definition windows for pads, pockets,
shafts, and grooves contain a section for
defining a thin feature. Use the following steps
to create a thin pad:
1. Select the Thick option.

2. The window expands to display additional
options.
3. Enter the thickness values. Thickness 1
defines the inside thickness, and
Thickness 2 defines the outside 2
thickness.
5. The feature is added to the model.
5 1

Student Notes:
To Sum Up ...
you should now be able to create the Handle
Block.
You must do the following to create the handle

block:
Create feature profiles.

Create a multi-profile sketch feature.
Create reference geometry.
Create shaft and groove features.
Shell the model.
To Sum Up...

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G
20 min
In this exercise, you will create a happy face stamp from a new part. You will use
the tools learned in this lesson to create a pad, a fillet, shell, and thin feature.
Detailed instructions for this exercise are provided.

Create a shell feature
Create a thin pad
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (1/6)

• Create a new part file.
a. Click File > New..
b. Select Part from the list of
document types.
c. Select OK. 1d
d. Accept the default name and
select OK. 2c
2. Create a sketch.
• Create a square profile.
a. Select the Sketch icon.
b. Select the xy plane to place the
sketch.
c. Select the Rectangle icon and 2f
sketch an approximate square as
shown.
d. Dimension the square to [100mm]
as shown.
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (2/6)
3b
3. Create a pad.
• Create a pad from the sketch. 3c
a. Select Sketch.1.
b. Select the Pad icon.
c. Enter [50mm] as the pad length.
d. Select OK to complete the feature.
3d
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (3/6)
4a

• Create an edge fillet on all edges of the pad
except for the bottom surface edges.
a. Select the Edge Fillet icon.
b. Select the top surface of the pad and 4b
the four vertical edges.
c. Enter [5mm] as the radius.
4c
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (4/6)
5a
5. Create a shell feature.

• The filleted pad will be shelled by removing
the bottom surface and specifying a
thickness to the rest of the surfaces.
a. Select the Shell icon.
b. Select the bottom surface of the
filleted pad.
c. Enter [10mm] as the default inside
thickness.
5b
d. Select OK to complete the shell.
5c
5d
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (5/6) 6b
6. Create a happy face sketch.

• Create a sketch on the top surface of the
pad with circles and arcs that resemble a
happy face.
a. Select the Sketch icon.
b. Select the top surface of the pad as the
sketch support.
c. Sketch three circles and an arc to
resemble a happy face. 6d
d. Dimension the sketch as shown.
e. Exit sketcher.
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G (6/6)
7. Create thin pad.
• Use the happy face sketch created in the 7a
previous step to create a thin pad.
a. Select the Pad icon.
b. Select the happy face sketch from the
specification tree.
c. A feature definition error window appears.
Select Yes to continue.
7c
d. When the Pad Definition window opens,
select the Thick option. The window
expands.
e. Enter [3mm] for Thickness1,
[1mm] for Thickness2, and [10mm] for the
Length.
f. Select OK to complete the pad.
8. Save and close the model. 7d
7e
4l
7f
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4G: Recap

Create a thin pad
Exercise 4G

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H
20 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part that contains a sketch. You will
use this sketch to create a pad, fillet, and shell feature. High-level instruction for
this exercise is provided.

Create a pad
Create a edge fillet
Create a hole
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H (1/4)
1
1. Open up the part Ex4H.CATPart.
• Open an existing part file using the Open tool.
The part file contains a sketch.
2. Create a pad.
• Create a pad with length of [175mm] using
the existing sketch.
2
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H (2/4)
3. Create edge fillets.
• Create an edge fillet feature. Select the top
surface and all six vertical edges.
3
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H (3/4)
4
4. Create holes.
• Create [50mm] diameter holes. Use the top of
the pad as the starting surface and make
them concentric to the two center radii. Set
the depth to cut through the entire pad.
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H (4/4) 5
5. Create a shell feature.

• Create a Shell and select the bottom surface
to be removed and specify a thickness of
[5mm] for the inside thickness.
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4H: Recap
Create a pad
Create a fillet
Create holes
Exercise 4H

Student Notes:
Exercise 4I
10 min
previous lessons. You will use the tools learned in this lesson to complete the

Create pads
Create a shell
Create a thick pad
Create holes
Create a chamfer
Exercise 4I

Student Notes:
Exercise 4I - Drawing
Exercise 4I

Student Notes:
Exercise 4I: Recap
Create pads
Create a shell
Create a thick pad
Create holes
Create a chamfer
Exercise 4I

Student Notes:
20 min
this model:
The top portion and bottom portions of the model must be created as separate features.
The holes must created at an angle to the XY plane.
The model must be hollow.
The holes must be drilled normal to the sides of the handle.

Student Notes:
Do It Yourself: Drawing of the Handle Block (1/4)
You will need to create the following features:
1
1. Create a multi-pad feature.

• Create the bottom section of the model with
the Multi-pad tool.
2. Create a revolve feature.

• Create the top section of the model using a
revolve feature.
2

Student Notes:
You will need to create the following features
(continued):
3. Create a groove.
• Create the cut using the groove tool. Use the 3
Project 3D tools to associate the cut to the
revolve feature.
4. Create a plane.
• Create a plane [45] degrees from the XY
plane.
5. Create holes.
• Create holes that are coincident with the
user-defined plane.
5
4

Student Notes:
You will need to create the following features
(continued):
6. Create a pocket.
8
• Create the sketch for the pocket by creating
one profile, then using the Rotate tool to
create the remaining three profiles.
7. Shell the model.

• Shell the model to a thickness of 2mm,
except at the bottom where the thickness
should be different (see the drawing).
8. Create dress-up features. 6

8
• Complete the model by adding a 5mm fillet
to the top edge and a 1mm x 45 degree
chamfer to the two edges shown. 8

Student Notes:
Use the dimensions shown to complete the Handle Block part.

Student Notes:
Case Study: Handle Block Recap

Create reference geometry
Create holes
Create a pocket
Shell the model
Create dress-up features

CATIA V5 Fundamentals - Lesson 5: Dress-up Features
Student Notes:
Lesson 5: Dress-up Features
In this lesson, you will learn how to place dress-up features on parts.
Lesson content:
Case Study: Casing
Design Intent
Apply a Draft
Create a Stiffener
Create Threads and Taps
Edit Features
Lesson Content

Student Notes:
Case Study: Dress-up Features
The case study for this lesson is the Casing used in the Drill Press assembly and shown below.
The focus of this case study is the creation of the part incorporating the design intent
requirements.

Student Notes:
Design Intent
The casing must meet the following design
intent requirements:
The inner ribs should be created using

stiffener features.
• Stiffener features provide the most efficient
method of creating this geometry.
The casing should contain a 4 degree draft.
• This part would most likely be manufactured
through a molding process, which requires
draft.
The casing should have taps defined for all
holes.
• Taps can be represented simply without
needing to create the complex geometry,
which can be time consuming and resource-
intensive during regeneration cycles.

Student Notes:
The following steps will be used to create the casing:
1. Apply a draft.
2. Create a stiffener.
3. Create threads and taps.
4. Edit features.

Student Notes:
Dress-up Features
Step 1: Apply a draft. To create the Casing, use the

In this section, you will understand what following steps:
a draft is and how to apply different
types to a part. 1. Apply a draft.
4. Edit features.
Step 1 - Apply a Draft

Student Notes:
What is a Draft? (1/2)
Draft features apply an angle to a part surface
relative to some reference. Material is added or
removed depending on the draft angle and pull A
direction applied during the operation.
The pull direction is a term used because this
functionality is primarily defined on molded parts.
The draft on a part is designed to allow these
molded parts to be easily removed from molds.
There are three types of drafts that can be B

created within CATIA:
A. Basic draft
B. Reflect draft
C. Variable draft A B C
C
Step1 - Apply a draft

Student Notes:
What is a Draft? (2/2) A c
A basic draft requires three criteria to be

defined:
A. Pulling direction: B
• The pulling direction defines the direction
from which the draft angle is measured. It
derives its name from the direction that the
sides of a mold are pulled to extract a
molding.
B. Draft angle:
• The draft angle is the angle that the draft
faces make with the pulling direction from
the neutral element. This angle may be
defined for each face.
C. Neutral element:
• The neutral element is used to define the
pivot hinge for the drafted surfaces. The
drafted surfaces pivot about a neutral
curve, the hinge, where it intersects the
neutral element. The neutral element,
usually a plane or face, can be the same
reference used to define the pulling
direction.
Step1 - Apply a draft

Student Notes:
Basic Drafts (1/2)
To create a basic draft, you need to define the
following:
1
• Faces to be drafted
• Neutral element
• Pulling direction
When you select a reference to be the Neutral
Element, CATIA automatically uses the same
reference for the Pulling Direction.
3
Use the following steps to apply a draft:
2
1. Select the Draft Angle icon.

2. Select the faces to which draft will be applied.
3. Enter an angle value.

Student Notes:
Basic Drafts (2/2)
Use the following steps to apply a draft (continued):
4
4. Specify the Neutral Element.

5. Specify the Pulling Direction.
6. Select OK.
5

Student Notes:
Reflect Draft (1/2)
Drafts can also be applied to surfaces that are
not planar, such as a cylinders. They can also 1
be created based on the reflect lines generated
for a surface in a particular direction.
Use the following steps to apply a reflect draft:
1. Select the Reflect draft icon.

2. Select the surface to which you want to
apply the draft.
3. CATIA automatically shows the default
pull direction. To specify another direction,
highlight the Pulling Direction field and
select a new reference.
4. CATIA calculates the reflect lines based 2
on the pull direction.

Student Notes:
Reflect Draft (2/2)
Use the following steps to apply a reflect draft
(continued):
5. In this particular example, the draft could

be created indefinitely, therefore a limit
needs to be set. Select the More button
and select the particular plane as a
5
parting element. 6
7
6. Select Preview.
5

Student Notes:
Variable Draft (1/2)
In certain situations, you may need to create a
1
draft that has different angles at transition
edges. This can be accomplished using a
variable draft.

draft:
1. Select the Variable Draft icon.

2. Select the face on which the draft should
be applied.
3. Select the neutral element.
3

Student Notes:
Variable Draft (2/2)
draft (continued):
4. CATIA determines the transition areas

that can have different draft angles.
They appear on the model and can be
edited by double-clicking the
dimension.

Student Notes:
Selecting Faces to Draft A
Draft features can be created on:
A. Multiple faces. In this example,

one draft feature is applied to the
four side faces.
B. Individual faces. In this example,
four separate draft features is
created for each of the four side
faces.
B

Student Notes:
Recommendations for Drafts

You will learn about specific methods and recommendations for draft features.

Student Notes:
Parting and Neutral Elements
Whenever possible, use the same reference for the parting and neutral elements. Doing so can
often avoid unexpected geometry. In the example below, two drafts are created using the
common parting element but different neutral elements, because of this their transition area
produces unsatisfactory geometry.
ORIGINAL PART DRAFTED PART

NEUTRAL
ELEMENT
PARTING
ELEMENT
NEUTRAL
ELEMENT
UNSATISFACTORY
GEOMETRY
Expanding the Draft panel enables you to use

the same reference for the Parting and Neutral
Elements.

Student Notes:
Dress-up Feature Order
Whenever possible, create parts in the following general order:
1. Main part features (e.g., pads, pockets, shafts)

2. Drafts
3. Fillets
4. Shells
5. Minor part features (i.e., features that affect only isolated portions of the model)
1 2 3
4 5 5

Student Notes:
Dress-up Features
Step 2: Create a stiffener. To create the Casing, use the

In this section, you will understand what following steps:
a stiffener feature is and how to create
1. Apply a draft.
one.
4. Edit features.
Step 2 - Create a Stiffener

Student Notes:
Introduction to Stiffeners
A
Stiffeners in CATIA are created by extruding
and thickening an open sketched profile.
They can be created in two ways:
A. From side
• The sketch is extruded in the profile
plane and thickened normal to it.
B. From Top
• The sketch is extruded normal to the
profile plane and thickened in the profile
plane.
B

Student Notes:
Create a Stiffener (1/2) 1
Use the following steps to create a stiffener:
1. Select the Stiffener icon. 2

3
2. Specify the type of mode.
4
3. Select the sketch to define the Profile.
4. Enter a thickness value into the
Thickness1 field.
5. Select OK.
3
The depth of the stiffener is defined as an up 5
to next definition. Therefore the distance
between the plane that the sketch is created
on and the surface of the part defines the
depth.

Student Notes:
Create a Stiffener (2/2)
The Stiffener Definition window contains two
thickness fields. Typically, the second field is
grayed out because the Neutral Fiber option
is set by default. Unselecting this option
enables you to customize the thickness of the
stiffener with respect to the left and right side Neutral Fiber
of the sketched lines.
Profile

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A
20 min
In this exercise, you will create a part that will contain stiffeners and a draft
feature. Detailed instruction for this exercise is provided.

Create stiffeners
Create a draft
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (1/6)
1d
• To create a new part file, select Part from the New
dialog box.
c. Select OK.
d. Create a hybrid design part with the default
name and select OK. 2b
2. Create a pad.
• You will create a sketch of the shown profile and
use that to create a pad feature.
a. Select plane YZ as the sketch support.
c. Sketch the profile.
d. Constrain the sketch.
e. Exit sketcher.
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (2/6)
3a
3. Shell the part.

b. Select the indicated face to remove.
c. Enter [5mm] as the inside thickness.
d. Select OK.
3b
3c
3d
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (3/6) 4c
4e
• The stiffener is created between two
perpendicular faces. The From Side mode is
used.
4g
a. Select the zx plane.
b. Select the sketcher icon.
c. Create the following sketch. 4h
d. Exit sketcher.
e. Select the Stiffener icon.
f. Select Sketch.2 as the profile reference.
g. Verify that the mode is From Side.
h. Enter [6mm] as the thickness1.
i. Select OK.
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (4/6)
5a
• The stiffener is created by offsetting from a
reference. The From Top mode is used.
a. Create an offset plane.
b. Create a sketch on the offset plane.
c. Create the following sketch.
d. Exit sketcher.
e. Select the Stiffener icon. 5c

g. Verify that the mode is From Top.
h. Enter [6mm] as the thickness1.
i. Select OK.
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (5/6)
6. Create a pad.
• This feature is created as a pad to demonstrate
that the stiffener geometry can be created by
other means. This however, usually involves
more steps.
a. Select the zx plane.
c. Create the following sketch.
d. Exit sketcher.
e. Select the Pad icon.
g. Enter [3mm] as the thickness1. 6c
h. Select the Mirrored extent option.
i. Select OK.
Exercise 5A

7b Student Notes:
Exercise 5A (6/6)
7a
7. Create a draft.
a. Select Draft icon.
b. Select the four outer faces to draft.
c. Select the top surface as the neutral
element.
d. Enter in [10deg] as the angle.
e. Select OK.
7c
7b
7d
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5A: Recap
Create stiffeners
Create a draft
Exercise 5A

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B
20 min
In this exercise, you will practice creating drafts. High level instruction for this

Create a basic draft
Create a reflect draft
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B (1/5)
1
a. Create a new part with a geometrical
2. Create a shaft.
• The initial geometry in the part is a cylindrical
shaft.
a. Create the sketch on the YZ plane.
b. Create a 360°shaft feature.
2 2
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B (2/5)
3. Create a basic draft.
a. Select the walls of the cylinder as the
faces to draft and the top surface as the
neutral and pulling direction. Enter a
[6deg] draft angle.
3
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B (3/5)
4. Create a Reflect draft.
a. Create an offset datum plane that is [100
mm] from the xy plane in the negative 4b
direction.
b. Select the face of the cylinder to apply the 4f
reflect draft.
c. Select OK to the Feature Definition Error.
d. Define the parting element as the offset
plane created earlier.
e. Define the pulling direction as the offset
plane created earlier.
f. Ensure the pull direction is correct. 4c
4d
4e
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B (4/5)
5. Create a pocket.
a. Select the top surface of the pad and sketch the following profile. Use the existing edge of the pad
to create a [10mm] offset.
b. Create a pocket that is [50mm] deep.
5b
5a
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B (5/5)
a. Select the edges around the entire top and
bottom profiles and specify a [5mm] radius
value.
7. Hide all references plane.
6a
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5B: Recap
Create a basic draft

Create a reflect draft
Exercise 5B

Student Notes:
Exercise 5C
10 min
In this exercise, you will use the new skills you have gained to create a part that
contains a draft and four stiffeners. You will use the tools used in previous
exercises to complete this exercise with no detailed instruction.

Create a new part
Apply draft to a part
Create stiffeners
Exercise 5C

Student Notes:
Exercise 5C
1. Create the part detailed below.
Exercise 5C

Student Notes:
Exercise 5C: Recap
Create a new part

Apply draft to a part
Create stiffeners
Exercise 5C

Student Notes:
Dress-up Features
Step 3: Create threads To create the Casing, use the

and taps. following steps:
In this section, you will learn how to 1. Apply a draft.

create threads and taps. 2. Create a stiffener.

4. Edit features.
Step 3 - Create Threads and Taps

Student Notes:
What are Threads and Taps? (1/2)
A thread is a helical groove inside a cylindrical
hole, while a tap is a helical groove on the
outside of a cylindrical shaft.
In CATIA, the actual geometry of threads and
taps is not displayed. It is represented on the
part cosmetically. The features contain
parameters that define the intended thread Tap CATIA representation
and tap geometry, such as diameter, pitch,
and depth.
CATIA representation
Thread
Step3 - Create Threads and Taps

Student Notes:
What are Threads and Taps? (2/2)
The Thread/Tap Definition dialog box
enables you to specify the following:
A. The surfaces on which the thread or A

tap is placed. B
B. The start surface of the thread or tap.
C. The type, which can be standard or no
standard. CATIA has two standards C
already setup. You may add a
customized one by selecting the Add
button and browsing to it.
D
D. Characteristics of the thread/tap that
may differ depending on the standard
that is applied.

Student Notes:
Thread and Tap (1/2) 1
Use the following steps to create a thread/tap:
2
1. Select the Thread/Tap icon.
2. Select the Lateral Face on which the
thread will be grooved.
3. Select the Reference Face from which 3
the thread will begin.
4. In this example, Metric Thin Pitch is
selected as the thread standard.
5. Select the thread diameter.
6. Enter a value in the Thread Depth field.
4
5
6

Student Notes:
Thread and Tap (2/2) 7
Use the following steps to create a thread/tap

(continued):
7. Select the Preview button in the dialog

box.
8. Select the OK button to complete the
thread.
8
The thread or tap geometry does not appear
on the model, but does in the specification
tree. It can also be displayed in a drawing
view.

Student Notes:
Dress-up Features
Step 4: Edit features. To create the Casing, use the

In this section, you will learn how to edit following steps:
features.
1. Apply a draft.
4. Edit features.
Step 4 - Edit Features

Student Notes:
Editing Features
Feature editing and manipulation, beyond
dimension changes, is often required as
design intent changes or modeling strategies
evolve. CATIA has several tools that enable
you to edit features, including the following:
• Reordering features
• Define in work object
• Properties
• Filters (Search)
• Parent-child relationships
• Resolving feature failures

Student Notes:
Why Reorder Features?
The order that features and operations appear in the specification tree affect the geometry of the
part. Changing the order is sometimes necessary because features have been created in the
wrong order or perhaps design intent has changed.
In the picture below on the left, a cylindrical pad was created after a mirror operation. Reordering
the pad to come before the mirror gives the result shown on the right.
One cylinder Two cylinders when moved before the

mirror operation

Student Notes:
Reordering Features (1/2)
Use the following steps to reorder a feature:
1. Select the feature(s) to be reordered and

right mouse click.
2. Click Reorder from the contextual menu.
2

Student Notes:
Reordering Features (2/2)
Use the following steps to reorder a feature

(continued):
3
3. Select the feature to reorder after.
4
4. Select OK.
3

Student Notes:
Limitations on using Reorder
When a feature is referenced by another during a design, a parent-child relationship is established
between the two. This means that the second feature (i.e., the child) is dependant on the first (i.e.,
the parent) for a part of its definition. In the example below, the sketch for the small pocket is
constrained to the large pocket. If you attempt to reorder the small pocket before the large pocket,
CATIA reminds you that this is not possible. If this feature was reordered, you would receive an
update cycle error due to the circular reference.

Student Notes:
Define in Work Object (1/2)
As shown previously, feature order can greatly
affect the outcome of a model. Feature
creation is not only dependent (in terms of
design intent) on the features created before it,
but also on the features created after it.
Therefore, it is necessary to sometimes create
features at earlier states of the model, instead
of where it currently is in the design phase.
This is accomplished by defining the correct
work object. When a feature is set as the work
object, all features that were created after it
are ignored and the model is in the state when
that particular feature was created initially.
To set a feature as the work object, select it

and right-click to open the contextual menu,
then select Define in Work Object.

Student Notes:
Define in Work Object (2/2)
The current work object is underlined in the
specification tree. In this example, Pocket.2 is
the work object and all features before it are
active. By setting the work object to particular
features, the model can be captured at various
stages of design.
A. The shaft feature is the work object. Only

the shaft feature exists because there are
no features before it.
Pocket.2 is the work object.

B. The hole feature is the work object. The All features exist.
shaft, pocket.1 and hole feature exist but
pocket.2 does not.
B A

Student Notes:
Properties (1/4)
Features can be individually customized in
both appearance and function by the
Properties menu option. This can be
accessed by selecting the feature and
selecting Edit > Properties or by accessing
the right mouse button contextual menu.
The properties of a feature are split into three

tabs:
• Mechanical
• Feature properties
• Graphic

Student Notes:
Properties (2/4)
Mechanical
• The Mechanical tab gives you information about the update status of the feature. The
Deactivated option is the only one you can set manually. This option essentially suppresses
the feature such that it does not get evaluated during regeneration. By setting this, you can
also apply this property to impacted elements.
• The Associate stop update option allows you to stop the update of this feature and show a
custom message. This is useful when you are modifying other areas of the part and wish for
this feature to update only in certain conditions.

Student Notes:
Properties (3/4)
Feature Properties
• The Feature Properties tab enables you
to give the feature a custom name.
• This tab displays information regarding
who created the part, what day it was
created, and when it was last modified.

Student Notes:
Properties (4/4)
Graphic
• Within the Graphic tab, you can
customize the color, thickness, and line
type of the various entities of the
feature.
• You can also specify the layer (used to
filter out graphics) properties and how
the feature behaves with respect to
them.

Student Notes:
Filters (1/4)
In a complex part with a large quantity of
features it can be challenging to locate
particular items to edit or modify them.
CATIA enables you to search for particular
items using a variety of criteria.
To access the functionality, click Edit >
Search.
The search window contains three tabs that

define three types of search methods:
• General
• Advanced
• Favorites

Student Notes:
Filters (2/4)
General
The general tab enables you to search using
one of three methods:
• Name
• Searches the model for the feature. You
may also use the asterisk (*) wildcard and
set the search to be case sensitive. For
example (Connector*) looks for all feature
names that begin with “Connector”.
• Type
• Searches the model for a particular
workbench to which the feature is
associated, as well as a particular feature
type. For example (Part Design – Pad).
• Color
• Searches the model for items that have a
particular color.

Student Notes:
Filters (3/4)
Advanced
• The advanced tab enables you to use the
same searching techniques that are found
in the General tab; however, you are able
to combine them into more complex
boolean expressions.
• To create the query shown, select the
workbench, type, and attribute. Then
select the And icon and select another set
of criteria. Also note that it is not
mandatory to fill out all three fields; you
can create the query using any
combination of the fields.

Student Notes:
Filters (4/4)
Favorites
• The searches conducted within the
General and the Advanced tabs can be
saved to a favorites list. Once a search is
run, the Add Favorites icon is selectable
and you have the option of giving it a
custom name. Once added, it appears in
the main window of the Favorites tab.

Student Notes:
Parent-Child Relationships
The references that exist between features
either through the process of creation or by
association are called parent-child
relationships.
To view a feature’s parent-child relationships,
select the feature in the specification tree,
right-click to open the contextual menu, and
select Parents/Children. The Parents and
Children window opens, showing the feature
and its references. Features to the left are
parents, while features to the right are its
children.

Student Notes:
Resolving Feature Failures (1/4)
Creating or modifying features can sometimes result in feature failures. The reasons for feature
failures are varied; however, they typically involve references being lost because of a modification,
or geometry that cannot be generated the way it is currently defined.
When a feature fails due to reasons other than the inability to create geometry, an Update
Diagnosis window appears that gives information on why the failure has occurred.
You have the option of editing the feature that has failed, deactivating it, isolating its references, or
deleting it.

Student Notes:
For example, the part shown requires you to
delete the edge fillet because it is no longer
necessary.
Use the following steps to resolve a feature

failure:
1. Select the Edgefillet feature, right-click

and click Delete.
2. In the delete window, make sure the
Delete all children option is not selected,
since you do not want to remove anything
except the edge fillet.
3. Select OK.
2
3

Student Notes:
Use the following steps to resolve a feature
failure (continued):
4. Once the feature is deleted, the Update

Diagnosis window appears, and the
model appears in red to show that it is not
fully updated
5. The Update Diagnosis indicates a
problem with Sketch.2, and that an edge
is no longer recognized.
6. Select the Edit icon.
5

Student Notes:
Use the following steps to resolve a feature Missing
failure (continued): reference
7. The sketcher environment is launched to

edit Sketch.2.
8. Review the sketch and notice that the
hole placement was dimensioned to the
previous edge fillet edge. The hole
placement reference was also deleted
when the edge fillet was deleted.
9. Delete and recreate the dimension to an
existing edge and exit sketcher. The
failure is resolved.

Student Notes:
To Sum Up…
Using the knowledge learned in this lesson, you will
create the Casing shown on the right.
The Casing will require the following:
Creation of a draft feature

Creation of stiffeners
Editing of feature properties
Creation of taps
To Sum Up...

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D
20 min
In this exercise, you will create a new part, create a thread/tap feature, reorder
some features according to design intent, and modify feature properties.
Detailed instructions for this exercise are provided.

Create a thread/tap
Reorder a feature
Change the properties of a feature
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (1/11)
• To create a new part file select Part from the
New dialog box. 1b
c. Select OK.
1c
d. Accept the default name by selecting
OK.
2b
2. Create a multi-pad.
• In order to create a multi-pad, you need to first
create a multi-profile sketch. A sketch is
created by choosing a sketch support and
selecting the Sketcher icon.
a. Select plane YZ as the sketch support.
c. Sketch the profile shown.
d. Exit sketcher.
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (2/11)
2. Create a multi-pad (continued). 2e
e. Select the Multi-pad icon.

f. Set the domain length values to the
values shown.
g. Select OK.
2f
2g
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (3/11)
3. Create a Shell. 3a
• In order to create a shell we need to define a
thickness and faces that are to be removed.
b. Enter [4mm] as the inside thickness. 3b
c. Select the surfaces to remove.
d. Select OK.
3d
3c
3c
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
4. Create a pocket.
• In order to create a pocket, you need to define
4b
a sketch to extrude.
b. Select the following surface.
c. Sketch and constrain the following
profile.
d. Exit sketcher.
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (5/11) 4e
4. Create a pocket (continued). 4f

e. Select the Pocket icon.
f. Specify the definition values shown.
g. Select OK.
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (6/11)
5a

• An edge fillet is created by defining edges and 5b
a radius value.
a. Select the Edge fillet icon.
b. Select the edges.
c. Enter [5mm] as the radius value.
d. Select OK.
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (7/11)
6. Create a thread/tap. 6a
• Threads and taps are not visually represented in
the 3D environment; however, the feature will
appear in the specification tree after creation.
a. Select the Thread/Tap icon.
b. Select the following surface as the lateral
face.
c. Select the following surface as the limit 6b
face.
6c
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (8/11)
6. Create a thread/tap (continued).
d. Enter in [15mm] as the thread depth
value.
e. Select Preview.
f. Select OK.
6d
6f 6e
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (9/11)
7. Reorder the shell feature.
• After reviewing the model, the pockets created
should extend to the back of the part.
Therefore, the pocket feature must occur
before the shell was applied to the model.
a. Select the shell feature in the tree, right-
click and select Reorder.
b. Select the Pocket.1 feature.
c. Select OK.
7a
7c
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (10/11)
8. Modify feature properties.
• To customize the display of the features
created, you can modify their individual
properties. 8a
a. Select the Multipad.1 feature from the
specification tree, right-click, and select
Properties.
b. Select the Feature Properties tab.
c. Enter [Base] as the Feature Name.
d. Select OK.
8c
8d
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D (11/11)
8. Modify feature properties (continued).
e. Select the Partbody feature and right-
click, right-click, and select Properties.
f. Select the Graphic tab.
8g
g. Change the fill color to the following.
h. Select OK.
8h
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5D: Recap
Create a thread/tap
Reorder a feature
Change the properties of a feature
Exercise 5D

Student Notes:
Exercise 5E
20 min
In this exercise, you will open an existing part file, update it and resolve any
feature failures that may occur. High level instruction for this exercise is
provided.

Troubleshoot a part that contains features that fail.
Exercise 5E

Student Notes:
Exercise 5E (1/3)
In this exercise, you will open an existing part
file, update the part and resolve any feature 1
failures.
1. Open Ex5e_error.CATPart.
a. Open an existing part file using the Open
tool and investigate the features in the
specification tree.
2. Update the model.

a. The current model needs to be updated as
seen through the icons of the features in the
model tree.
Exercise 5E

Student Notes:
Exercise 5E (2/3)
3. Resolve feature failures.
• Once CATIA tries to regenerate
Pad.3, sketch.3 fails. CATIA
3
prompts you to edit the sketch.
Review the sketch and notice the
missing references. Delete them
and exit the sketcher workbench.
Exercise 5E

Student Notes:
Exercise 5E (3/3)
4. Resolve feature failures (continued). 4
• The second feature failure occurs

because of an update cycle error
between features Pad.5 and Shell.1.
After reviewing the features, Shell.1
needs to be reordered to occur before
Pad.5.
a. Deactivate Pad.5 and then
reorder Shell.1 to occur before it.
b. Select Deactivate in the Update
Diagnosis window. Hole.2 and
Hole.3 also need to be
deactivated since they are
children of Pad.5.
c. Reorder Pad.5 to appear after
Shell.1 , since the Sketch for
Pad.5 needs a face from Shell.1
feature.
d. Activate the three features that
were deactivated.

Exercise 5E

Student Notes:
Exercise 5E: Recap
Troubleshoot a part that contains features that

fail.
Exercise 5E

Student Notes:
Exercise 5F
10 min
In this exercise, you will create a bolt using the techniques you have already
learned. You will use the tools you have learned in this lesson to complete the

Create a thread
Exercise 5F

Student Notes:
Exercise 5F
1. Create the bolt part with the dimensions given below.

Exercise 5F

Student Notes:
Exercise 5F: Recap
Create a thread.
Exercise 5F

Student Notes:

You will practice what you learned by completing the case study model using
only a detailed drawing and hints as guidance.
25 min
this model:
The inner ribs should be created using stiffener features.
The casing should contain a 4 degree draft.
The casing should have taps defined for any holes.
model without detailed instructions.

Student Notes:
Do It Yourself: Drawing of the Casing

Student Notes:
Case Study: Casing Recap
The inner ribs should

be created using
stiffener features.
The casing should
contain a 4 degree
draft.
The casing should
have taps defined for
any holes.

Catia Book - 1-Edu Cat en v5r16

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Catia Book - 1-Edu Cat en v5r16

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Student Guide

Show them what you know

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES

Lesson 1: Introduction to CATIA 1-1

The Workbench Concept 1-32

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-1

Lesson 2: Profile Creation 2-1

Geometry Creation: Lines 2-19

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-2

Recommendations for Constraining 2-57

Profile Creation – Step 5 2-65

Open Profiles 3-19

Case Study: Profile Creation 2-95

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-3

Basic Features – Step 3 3-20

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-4

Lesson 4: Additional Features 4-1

Project 3D Elements 4-25 Points 4-78

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-5

Additional Features – Step 3 4-83

Additional Features – Step 5 4-111

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-6

Lesson 5: Dress-Up Features 5-1

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-7

Lesson 6: Reusing Data 6-1

Inserting Catalog Items 6-67

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-8

Exercise 6D 6-71 Lesson 7: Finalizing Design Intent 7-1

Exercise 6E 6-82 Case Study: Finalizing Design Intent 7-2

Finalizing Design Intent – Step 2 7-11

Creating Measurement Geometry 7-25

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-9

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-10

Lesson 8: Assembly Design 8-1

Assembly Design – Step 3 8-17

Moving a Component Using the Compass 8-20

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-11

Defining a Coincidence Constraint 8-62

Assembly Design – Step 5 8-77

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-12

Lesson 9: Designing in Context 9-1

Component Properties Revisited 9-34

Case Study: Designing in Context 9-70

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-13

Lesson 10: Drafting 10-1

Using the Compass 10-21 Chain Dimensions 10-54

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-14

Drafting – Step 5 10-59

Drafting – Step 6 10-64 Master Project: Part Creation A-6

Master Project: Create an Assembly

Case Study: Drafting 10-91

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES i-15

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES

Lesson 1: Introduction to CATIA

Course Design Philosophy

Mechanical design experience

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES

Using the Student Guide

• Mail: Dassault Systemes

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES

1. Click Start > Mechanical Design >

Copyright DASSAULT SYSTEMES