Making Entities Tangent

Demo: Press the button below to view a short movie demonstrating the function:

Two Circles:

Demo: Press the button below to view a short movie demonstrating the function:

A Line and a Circle:

The Tangent tool in the Constraint toolbar enables you to make a line and a circle / arc / ellipse, or two circles / arcs / ellipses, tangent to each other.

First, select a line or a circle / arc.
Then, select an entity that will define the position of all the entities.
- If you chose a line first, now select a circle / arc.
- If you chose a circle / arc / ellipse first, now select either a line or another circle / arc / ellipse.
Finally, select the Tangent tool.

If none of the entities are restricted by pre-existing constraints, the entity that is selected first moves to be tangent to the entity that is selected second.

If entities are restricted by pre-existing constraints, whenever possible, the independent entity will move to be tangent to the constrained entity.

Note: If the line or the circle / arc / ellipse is not in the current sketch, you must add it to the sketch as a reference entity.

Make two entities tangental to each other

Select the Add Constraints button from the Sketcher toolbar.

The cursor will be a pointer-and-hand symbol.

Click the first entity.

Click the second entity.

Click the Tangent tool .

The entity selected first (in step 2) moves to be tangent with the entity selected second (in step 3).

In the example above, no entities were previously constrained. If entities are already constrained, whenever possible, the independent entity will move to be tangent to the constrained entity.

Notes:

You can also first pick the entities to constrain (while in Select mode), then select the Add Constraints option, then choose the desired constraint.
Edit functions are restricted by pre-existing constraints. An entity will not be edited if underlying constraints do not permit. If required, you can break an entity's constraints to make it independent of all other entities.