Curves used in Engineering Practices

In Engineering practice, we come across various types of Non- Circular curves.These are used in finding the path of space vehicles (aircrafts,missiles,etc), machine components (elliptical gears,etc.), civil structures (bridges, arches,etc), electrical equipment (reflectors,etc), electronic transmitters and receivers (radar antenna, etc), solar concentrators, etc.

These non-circular curves cannot be drawn by compass alone. Sufficient number of points are first located and then a smooth curve passing through them are drawn freehand or by using the french curve. Example: Construction of Ellipse , Construction of Parabola and Construction of Hyperbola by eccentricity method – Construction of cycloid, etc.

The various Curves used in Engineering Practices are

• Construction of Ellipse 
• Construction of Parabola
• Construction of Hyperbola
• Construction of cycloid 
• Construction of Epicycloid
• Construction of Hypocycloid
• construction of involutes of square
• construction of involutes of circle