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Parametric Modeling
Create 2D sketches, surfaces, and solids.
Sketching
Create and edit 2D parametric sketch geometry.
New Sketch
Start a new sketch (S) and select a sketch plane.

Welcome
Inspire Form Release Notes
Discover new features and enhancements in Inspire Form.
Get Started
New to Inspire Form? Learn the basics here.
Tutorials
Start using Inspire Form with our interactive tutorials.
Variables
Create and assign variables to parametrize a model. This allows you to quickly iterate and compare design concepts by tweaking the values of the variables.
Parametric Modeling
Create 2D sketches, surfaces, and solids.
- Construction History
  View and edit the construction history of your model.
- Global References
  Global references are the global origin, axes, and planes shown in the modeling window. They can be helpful when creating and defining your model.
- Sketching
  Create and edit 2D parametric sketch geometry.
  - Introduction to Sketching
    Learn about sketching basics including the sketch plane, legend, constraints, context menu options, and construction geometry.
  - New Sketch
    Start a new sketch (S) and select a sketch plane.
  - Project
    Project selected geometry onto the sketch plane as construction geometry.
  - Intersect
    Extract curves resulting from the intersection of the sketch plane with selected parts or surfaces.
  - Point/Lines
    Sketch and edit a point, line, polyline (L), or line-arc.
  - Rectangles
    Sketch and edit a rectangle (R).
  - Polygons
    Sketch and edit a parallelogram or a regular polygon.
  - Circles
    Sketch and edit a circle (C).
  - Ellipses
    Sketch and edit an ellipse or an elliptical arc.
  - Slots
    Sketch and edit slots.
  - Arcs
    Sketch and edit an arc (A).
  - Splines
    Sketch and edit a spline (S).
  - Dimension
    Use the Dimension tool (D) to define and/or constrain the dimensions of a sketch.
  - Image Plane
    Create an image plane that you can use as a background reference image, so you can trace lines and curves to start your design.
  - Transform
    Translate or rotate sketch entities.
  - Trim/Break
    Trim (B) or split a sketch curve.
  - Extend
    Extend or shorten an entity of a sketch curve.
  - Fillet
    Round the corners of 2D sketch curves to create fillets (F) with the same radius or different radii.
  - Offset/Mirror
    Offset (O) or mirror (M) a sketch curve.
  - Pattern
    Create a linear or circular pattern of sketch entities.
  - Export DXF/DWG
    Export the current sketch as a .dxf or .dwg file.
  - Break External Sketch References
    Break sketch constraints or relationships to other features.
- Geometry
  Create and modify parametric surfaces and solids.
Feasibility Setup and Simulation
Perform Feasibility, Blank Fit, and Blank Nesting analyses.
Die Design
Use the Die Design ribbon to design and generate die surfaces.
Tryout Setup and Simulation
Perform tryout analyses to validate die designs.
Design Explorer
Evaluate designs by using geometric variables and applying a design-of-experiments (DOE) or optimization method. We recommend fully constraining your sketch when sketch variables are used in the design exploration.
Rendering
Adjust the materials, environment, and properties of objects in the scene to create a photorealistic image.
Geometric Analysis
Analyze the object geometry for negative draft, trim angle, and shortest distance between parts.
Reference
View the glossary or frequently asked questions.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.

New Sketch

Start a new sketch (S) and select a sketch plane.

On the Sketch ribbon, select the New Sketch tool.

Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
Select a face or plane as the sketch plane. A sketch plane can be a global plane, a user-created construction plane, a user-defined coordinate system, or a planar face of an existing part.
When you hover over a user-defined coordinate system, planes are displayed. Click a plane to select the sketch normal. A microdialog is displayed to allow you to change the sketch direction or click Apply to create the sketch.
By default, the view is rotated along the sketch normal. When using a user-created coordinate system, the origin of the sketch is the user coordinate system.
Tip: If you don’t want the view to be rotated along the sketch normal, you can do one of the following:
- Press Shift+S while selecting the sketch plane.
- From the File menu, select the Preferences button. Under Sketching, turn off View Along Sketch Normal, then click OK.

Note: To create a sketch on a reference or global plane:

Right-click the reference or global plane.
From the context menu, select Create Sketch.