9/16/2015

Chapter 1
Geometric Constructions

• Many of construction used in technical design drawings are

based upon plane geometry, and every drafter , technician, or
engineer should be sufficiently familiar with them to be able
to apply them to the solution of problems
• In drawing these constructions, accuracy is most important.
Use sharp medium-hard lead in your pencil and compass.
Draw construction lines extremely light. Draw all final and
required lines medium to thin but dark.
1- To Bisect a Line or a Circular Arc
Given line or arc AB, as shown in the figure , to be bisected.

1
 9/16/2015

(i) From A and B draw equal arcs with radius greater than half AB
(ii) and (iii) Join intersections D and E with a straight line to locate
center C
2- To Bisect an Angle
(i) Strike large arc R
(ii) Strike equal arcs r with radius slightly larger than half BC, to
intersect at D.
(iii) Draw line AD, which bisects angle

(i) From A and B draw equal arcs with radius greater than half AB
(ii) and (iii) Join intersections D and E with a straight line to locate
center C
3- To Draw a line Passing Through point P and Tangent to a Given
Circle
(i) Join OP and find the
midpoint A of it.
(ii) Draw an auxiliary circle of
diameter OP.
(iii) Tangent point T is the point
of intersection between the
given circle and the auxiliary
circle.
(iv) Join PT to get the required
tangent. There are two tangent
points and so two tangent lines 4

2
 9/16/2015

4- To Draw a Tangent to Two circles

Case (1) Open Belt
(i) Join the two centers AB.
(ii) Draw an auxiliary circle
center A and radius equal to R2-
R1.
(iii) Find the midpoint O of AB to
draw a tangent BC from B to
the auxiliary circle.
(iv) Join AC to get the first
tangent point D.
(v) Draw a parallel line to AD
through B to get point E.
(vi) Join DE to get the required
tangent line. There are two
5
external tangents.

Case (2) Crossed Belt

(i) Join the two centers AB.
(ii) Draw an auxiliary circle center A and radius equal to R2+R1.
(iii) Find the midpoint O of AB to draw a circle with radius OA.
(iv) The two circles intersect at C, join AC to intersect the larger of
the given circles at D.
(v) Draw a parallel line to AD through B to get point E.
(vi) Join DE to get the required tangent line. There are two external
tangents.

3
 9/16/2015

5- To Draw an Arc Tangent to Two Circles

Case (1) External Tangent
(i) Draw two arcs, the first with
center A and radius R1+R . The
second with center B and
radius R2+R .
(ii) These two arcs interest each
other at point O, which is the
center of required arc.
(iii) Join the centers AO and BO
to find the tangent points T1
and T2.
(iv) Draw the required arc.

5- To Draw an Arc Tangent to Two Circles

Case (2) Internal Tangent

To get the internal tangent, do the same steps except using

radii R-R1 and R-R2 instead of R+R1 and R+R2

4
 9/16/2015

5- To Draw an Arc Tangent to Two Circles

Case (3) Skew Tangent

To get skew tangent, carry out the previous procedure with

drawing two arcs. The first with center B and radius R+R1
while the other with center A and radius R-R2

6- To Draw an Arc Passing Through a Given Point and Tangent to a

Given Circle

In this case, it is required to draw an

arc passing through a given point P
and tangent to a given circle (A, R1).
Thus, one of the two radii of the
given circles is zero (i.e. R2 =0).
Steps are similar to those of case (1)
and case (2) with considering R2 =0
as shown in the attached figure.

10

5
 9/16/2015

7- To Draw an Arc Tangent to Tow Lines

(i) Draw two lines L3 and L4

parallel to L1 and L2
respectively with spacing equal
to R.
(ii) Find the points of
intersection of L3 and L4 to get
the center of the required arc.
(iii) Find the tangent points and
then draw arc with radius R.

11

8- To Draw an Arc Tangent to Line and a Circle

Case (1)
The center of the required arc is
obtained as the point of
intersection of a construction arc
(A, R1+R2) and straight line
parallel to the given line with
spacing R2.

Case (2)
It is the same previous case
except for the radius of
construction arc is R2-R1. The
the given line with spacing R2.
12

6
 9/16/2015

9- To Draw a Reverse Curve

Case (1) reverse curve tangent to two parallel lines
The tangent points T1, T2 and the
reverse points P are known.

(i) Draw a perpendicular line to

the tangent line through point T1.
(ii) Join T1 P and then draw a
perpendicular from the midpoint
to it. The two perpendiculars
intersect at O1.
(iii) Draw the arc (O1, O1T1).
(iv) In a similar way, one can get
the center O2.

13

Case (2) reverse curve tangent to three non-parallel lines

The tangent points T1, T2 are not

given while the reverse points P
is known.

(i) Find points T1 and T2 where PA

= A T1 and CP =CT2.
(ii) The two centers O1 and O2 are
easy to be obtained by doing
three redial perpendicular lines
through the three points Join T1,
T2 and P.

14

7
 9/16/2015

10- To Draw a Line Through a Point and Parallel to a Line

Move the triangle and T-square as a unit until the triangle lines up
with given line AB; then strike the triangle until its edge passes
through the given point P. Draw CD, the required parallel line.

15

11- To Divide a Line into Equal Parts

(i) Draw a light construction line at any convenient angle from

one end of line.
(ii) With dividers or scale, set off from intersection of lines as
many equal divisions as needed, in this case three.
(iii) Connect the last division point to other end of line, using
triangle and T-square as shown in the attached figure.
(iv) Slide triangle along T-square and draw parallel lines through
other division points as shown.

16

8
 9/16/2015

12- To Find the Center of a Circle

(i) Draw any cord AB, preferably

horizontal as shown.
(ii) Draw perpendiculars from A
and B cutting circle at D and E.
(iii) Draw diagonals DB and EA
whose intersection C will be the
center of the circle.

17

Example

R2.5

18

9
 9/16/2015

19

R1 = ?

20

10
 9/16/2015

21

22

11
9/16/2015

12