Guides / Pro

Draw a plate freehand with your finger and turn it into a cutting file.

What it is for

For shapes that do not fit a pattern. You draw with your finger on a grid; lines snap and you type every size exactly. The largest closed shape is the plate, anything inside it is a hole. In the app it is still called Drawing board for now.

Where to find it

Calculator → Drawing board.

Step by step

1. Draw the outline

   With LINE or RECTANGLE. Lines snap to 0°, 45° and 90° and to points on other parts. Draw with one finger, zoom and pan with two.

2. Make the sizes exact

   Tap a dimension and type the right value. SIZES shows or hides the dimension labels.

3. Place the holes

   With CIRCLE, HOLE or SLOT inside the outline.

4. Edit

   SELECT a part and open EDIT: copy, paste, duplicate, rotate, mirror, offset, trim, extend, fillet or chamfer a corner. ERASE deletes, UNDO steps back.

5. Make the cutting file

   When it says "Ready to cut", tap CUTTING FILE. You get the same DXF as in Plate → DXF, with net area and cut length.

Tips for the best result

• Pick the grid size under GRID. With the lock on it stays the same as you zoom.
• Drag a box from left to right to select what lies inside it, from right to left to also select what it touches.
• Draw one plate per sheet. A shape outside the plate gives a warning.

Questions

Goes with

Plate → DXFQuote request

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