Reference Section > Shape Library > Other Shapes

The Slot shape is a straight slot (obround): two parallel straight sides joined by a semicircle at each end. Use it as a slotted hole inside a part, for example an adjustment slot for a bolt, or on its own as a small obround part. It is one closed profile.

It appears in the shapes library under Other Shapes.

Insert point and direction

The slot lies along X. The insert point (Base X, Base Y) is the bottom of the left end arc, where it meets the bottom straight side. The centre of the left end arc is therefore Width/2 above the insert point, and the centre of the right end arc is Center Dist to the right of it, at the same height.

With positive values the shape extends Width/2 to the left of the insert point (the left end arc), Center Dist + Width/2 to the right of it (the right end arc), and Width upward. Overall it is Center Dist + Width long and Width wide.

The profile is built clockwise: from the insert point round the left end arc to the top side, along the top side to the right, round the right end arc to the bottom side, and back along the bottom side to the insert point.

The Width dimension runs across the left end arc through its centre, and the Center Dist dimension runs between the two arc centres.

Properties

Property	Description	Default
Center Dist	Distance between the centres of the two end arcs, which is also the length of each straight side (mm or inch). The overall length of the slot is Center Dist + Width.	75 mm (3 in)
Width	Width of the slot across the two straight sides, which is also the diameter of the end arcs (mm or inch).	25 mm (1 in)

Limits

The Slot does not range-check its values. A slot needs Width greater than 0 and Center Dist greater than 0. Other values give these results:

•Center Dist 0 – both end arcs share the same centre, so the outline is a full circle of diameter Width.

•Width 0 – the end arcs have zero radius, so there is no slot. The shape does not check for this; the build may fail and show the warning below.

•Negative Width – both end arcs turn inward, into the shape, so both ends are concave.

•Negative Center Dist – both end arcs turn inward, into the shape, so both ends are concave.

If the shape cannot be built, the property page shows the red warning Warning: Cannot build shape from these parameters.

To make a slot at an angle, set Rotation in the Transform properties; to make a curved slot, use the Curved Slot shape.

Every 2D shape also has the Transform properties (Base X, Base Y, Rotation, Scale, Mirroring X) and the Polar Array properties, listed after the shape's own properties.