when sketching use "equal" or parameters?

[maker9876]

When sketching is it good practice to use "equal" to set holes to the same diameter or lines to the same length? Or is it better to use parameters to make all subsequent instances equal to the first?

(There seems to be a tradeoff in clarity / clutter: using "equal" reduces clutter, using parameters is clearer.)

[JDMather]

I prefer = rather than dimension unless there is a good chance that a future design change might call for unequal dimensions.  Same for Perpendicular rather than 90 deg and Coincident rather than zero magnitude dimension.

Geometric Constraints - then dimensions.  

BTW + might be better to use Hole features rather than Extrude-Cut of circles.

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

I think that cannot be answered in general. Consider that you want to communicate design intent even just to yourself. Can you go back a month or two from the day you created the sketch and still "read" it ? 

You'll have to find a balance between being overly verbose and being too brief.

Having that said, Fusion 360 generally does better if you keep sketches simple and relatively small so I prefer to use equal. However, if a sketch gets more complicated and cluttered with constraints it might be better to use a parameter reference in order to highlight specifically important dimensions or features.

[jeff_strater]

my experience is somewhat different than @JDMather - In Fusion, at least, I've found using dimensions, and setting them to an equal value via parameter to be more efficient (faster solve) and more reliable (less small differences), but that is not based on any deep understanding of the solver or objective study of lots of examples.  Certainly lots of dimensions can lead to a messy sketch, and equal constraints are much cleaner.

[ALE.REAL3D]

I usually use parameters for all my hollow structural sections  frames

They always "change from the original idea" and the parameters can control them a lot better