Home

CODE 339 (CADD 1011 - Engineering)

WEEK 2- Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO CADD

COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN AND

DRAFTING
Computer-Aided Design(CAD) or Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) can be defined as using computer systems to assist in the creation,
modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. (Narayan, 2008)
CAD software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and
create a database for manufacturing. (Narayan, 2008)
CAD is an important industrial art extensively used in many applications, including automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries, industrial and
architectural design, prosthetics, and many more. (Pottmann, and et al., 2007)
CAD, or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), is technology for design and technical documentation, which replaces manual drafting with an
automated process. (www. autodesk.com)

CADD encompasses all the fields and industries where CAD is being used to design and create products such as that from the aeronautical industry,
architectural industry, civil industry, electronic industry and just about any industry or field which requires detailed design of hardware and structures.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CAD SOFTWARE?

CAD software like AutoCAD provides many advantages including:

Increased accuracy for drawing precise dimensions

Automating common processes
 Access to libraries of routinely used items such as doors, windows, and manufacturing parts
Ability to quickly adjust parts of a drawing without needing to start over
Managing complex designs details all within one file
Creating blocks for frequently drawn items
Increased collaboration with colleagues through the ability to share and mark the same file

WHAT IS AUTOCAD?
AutoCAD is an industry-leading commercial CAD software.
AutoCAD is used by AEC(Architecture, Engineer, and Construction) to generate and optimize 2D and 3D designs. AutoCAD is a widely used software
program that can help you draft construction documentation, explore design ideas, visualize concepts through photorealistic renderings, and simulate
how a design performs in the real world. (Autodesk)
AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app for windows. AutoCAD Mac was first launched in June 1992. In 2010, AutoCAD was
released as a mobile- and web app, marketed as AutoCAD 360. (Autodesk and AutoCAD)

Four AutoCAD products for AEC

AutoCAD: the original version of AutoCAD. This version can use architects, project managers, engineers, graphic designers, city planners, and
other professionals.
AutoCAD Architecture: a version of Autodesk’s flagship product, AutoCAD, with tools and functions specially suited to architecture work. This
software supports dynamic elements (wall, door, windows, and other architectural elements) and automatically updating Spaces and Areas for
calculations of sqft.
AutoCAD LT: the lower-cost version of AutoCAD, with reduced capabilities (No 3D, No Network Licensing, No management tools, and more).
AutoCAD 360: an account-based mobile and web application enabling registered users to view, edit, and share AutoCAD files via a mobile
device and web using a limited AutoCAD feature set and using cloud-stored drawing files.

2-Dimensional CAD (2D CAD)

It is a pioneer of CAD software and was developed in the early 70s. At that time, major automobile, aerospace, and other engineering companies developed
in-house tools to automate repetitive drafting requirements. 2D CAD relies on basic geometric shapes like lines, rectangles, circles, etc. to produce flat
drawings. These types of software have been first developed way back in 1970’s.
3-Dimensional CAD (3D CAD)

3D CAD is a step up from the 2D CAD software of yesteryears. As the processing power of computers increased and the graphic display capabilities
improved, 3D CAD has become an increasingly popular design tool. 3D CAD allows creation of 3D images that are realistic. These images are called 3D
models as they can be viewed and rotated in any direction – X, Y or Z. You can also display views from a 3D model, such as isometrics or perspectives, from
any angle using 3D CAD. 3D CAD tools were introduced in 1980’s by a partnership between IBM-Dassults. 3D CAD quickly became popular because of
enhanced visual capability.

APPLICATIONS:
computer animation
design of tools and machineries
drafting and design of all types of buildings
detailed engineering of 3D models
2D drawings of physical components
engineering process from conceptual designs and layout of products
strength & dynamic analysis of assemblies
definition of manufacturing methods of components

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Project Manager

A project manager plans, directs, and oversees projects that include dispatching workers to meet labor requirements, reviewing building codes and
regulations and negotiating contracts with clients.

Project Engineer

A Project Engineer plans, directs, organizes, controls, and evaluates the activities of the engineering department, project, or firm. They are also responsible
for developing project objectives by reviewing project proposals and plans, conferring with management.

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineers apply knowledge in manufacturing and mechanical systems to develop, improve, and test new designs. They also communicate
proposals and assembly procedures with vendors, clients, and other professionals on the design team.

Electrical Engineer

An Electrical Engineer evaluates electrical systems, products, components, and applications by designing and conducting research programs. In addition to
assuring product quality by designing electrical testing methods.
Urban Planner

Urban Planners take into consideration a project’s purpose, size, and geographic data in their design recommendations. Working with private companies or
public agencies, urban planners may be responsible for surveying land for a new housing complex, expanding city infrastructure or developing highways.

Project Architect

The project architect is the senior team member responsible for the overall development and implementation of a specific architectural project. As the team
leader, they are in charge of overseeing timely and profitable completion of a project.

Architectural Technologist

Architectural technologists provide technical assistance to professional architects and civil design engineers in conducting research, preparing drawings,
architectural models, specifications, and contracts and in supervising construction projects.
Interior Designer

Interior designers work on everything from shopping malls to corporate offices by combining aesthetics with practical considerations. Designers also consult
with clients to perform feasibility tests and create detailed plans addressing color schemes, furnishing styles, materials, and placement of specific items.

Computer Aided Design (CAD) Drafter

CAD drafters create detailed schematics that are utilized in the manufacturing of products and the construction of buildings. These detailed technical
drawings incorporate the input of engineers, architects, and surveyors and specify dimensions, codes, materials, and production methods.

Computer Aided Design (CAD) Technician

A computer-aided design or CAD technician uses CAD systems to create design plans for buildings and machinery. Technicians work with both 3D and 2D
design and create 3D displays of a component or structure which engineers can utilize.

SAMPLE CAD DRAWINGS

 ----------------------------------------------------------
Hi, future ENGINEERS! Thank you for reaching this portion. As a prize, I am giving you a link where you can download the Autocad Installer. If you
need assistance installing the application, feel free to message me. Thank you!

https://mega.nz/folder/BQhUxSgY#Np72G7tXhBMW-yahIl1mJA
Home

CODE 339 (CADD 1011 - Engineering)

WEEK 2- Introduction

USER INTERFACE TOUR

USER INTERFACE TOUR

The AutoCAD user interface was designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Even if you are at the beginner’s level for AutoCAD, you should still be able to easily
navigate through the software.

Upon first opening the program, you can either do the following:

1. Start drawing from a template of your choice

2. Open a recent latest project you’re working on or search for it on your computer drive
3. You can also log into A360 Connect from this screen.
The Start tab contains the following pages:

a. Create Page
The following sections are displayed:

Get Started

Access common methods to start a file.

Start New Drawing

Creates a new drawing from the default drawing template file. You specify the default drawing template file from the Options dialog box, Files tab,
Templates, Default Template File Name for QNEW setting.

When a default drawing template file is set to None or is not specified, the new drawing is based on the most recently used drawing template file.

Templates

Lists all the available drawing template files.

Open Files

The Select File dialog box is displayed.

Open a Sheet Set

The Open Sheet Set dialog box is displayed.

Get More Templates Online

Download additional drawing template files when available.

Explore Sample Drawings

Access the installed sample files.

Recent Documents

View the most recently used files. You can keep a file listed by clicking the push pin button. A pinned document is displayed at the top of the list until you turn
off the push pin button. You can choose between image, image and text or text only as the display options.
Notifications

Displays all notifications with regards to product updates, hardware acceleration, trial period, and about the offline help file information. A notification badge
is displayed at the bottom of the page when there are two or more new notifications.

Connect

Sign in to your Autodesk account to access online services.

Feedback: Access to the online form to provide feedback and any improvements you would like to see.

b. Learn Page
The Learn page provides access to learning resources such as videos, tips and other relevant online content or services if available. For every new content
update, a notification badge is displayed at the bottom of the page.

Note: If no internet connection is available, the Learn page is not displayed.

AUTOCAD USER INTERFACE

1. Quick Access Toolbar

By default this window have some tabs like: New, Open, Save , Save All, Plot , Undo and Redo. You can Customize this QAT by pressing down key tab next
to Workspace list. Also, alternatively you can Right Click on Ribbon (8) tabs and Add any Tabs to QAT

2. Ribbon Tabs
Below QAT you will find all Ribbon Tabs available in this Workspace. Default Works Space is ‘Drafting and Annotation’. Different Ribbon tabs offers different
Ribbon panels depending on your work.

3. Search
You can search any commands or information by entering any keywords or Phrase

4. External Links
Which is also called INFORMATION CENTER which links to AutoCAD 360

5. Help
Help tabs link with help file you can search help content also other information as below. You can change setting for display Welcome Screen here. You may
also access this by pressing “F1”.

6. Title Bar
Here you will see your Drawing file name which is open currently
7. Application Menu Button (AutoCAD Logo)

Access common tools to start or publish a file in the Application menu.

Click the Application button to do the following:

Create, open, or save a file

Audit, recover, and purge a file
Print or publish a file
Access the Options dialog box
Close the application

Note: You can also close the application by double-clicking the Application button.

8. Ribbon Panel
 This is your main Toolbar area where you will find all Tabs in panel format arranged as per their use Ribbon is consists of panel. Some panel is
associated with Dialog boxes which can be used by pressing bottom right corner arrow tab of panel.

You can change ribbons Minimized to tabs, Panel Titles, Panel Buttons or |Cycle through all.

Floating Panels

You can pull a panel off a ribbon tab and into the drawing area or onto another monitor. The floating panel remains open until you return it to the ribbon,
even if you switch ribbon tabs.

Slide-out Panels

If you click the arrow in the middle of a panel title, , the panel will expand to display additional tools and controls. By default, slide-out panels
automatically close when you click another panel. To keep a panel expanded, click the push pin, , in the bottom-left corner of the slide-out panel.

Contextual Ribbon Tabs

When you select a certain type of object or start certain commands, a contextual ribbon tab is displayed instead of a toolbar or dialog box. The
contextual tab closes when you end the command.

9. File Tabs
 You can add new Drawing Files by pressing icon on File tabs or if you want to switch between Model and Layout tabs then hover mouse cursor over File
tab name and a preview will be shown as below then select correct Layout.

10. Viewport Controls

This is on Screen View port controls form where you can change AutoCAD views and Visual Styles to different options as below.

11. View Cube

Through view Cube you can see Drawing Elements from different view direction, and you can rotate view.
12. WCS
Below View Cube you can select WCS or Create new Co-coordinating system.

13. Navigation Bar

This Navigation bar you can locate on different side of AutoCAD window. This contains some additional tools like Pan
14. Drawing Area/ Graphics Area
This is main area of Model where you will create new Drawing elements. This is infinite space area.

15. Command Line

Another way to use AutoCAD features is o run command from Command line. This command line setting option are as below:

16. Model and Layout Tabs

 This tab used for Model and Layout tabs. You can Create, Rename and Delete Layout tabs from here. Also, you change location of Model and Layout
tabs to status bar by Right click and select option to hide.

17. Status Bar

The status bar displays the cursor location, drawing tools, and tools that affect your drawing environment.

The status bar provides quick access to some of the most commonly used drawing tools. You can toggle settings such as grid, snap, polar tracking, and
object snap. You can also access additional settings for some of these tools by clicking their drop down arrows.

19. Drawing Coordinates:

This shows current location of Mouse cursor in Drawing coordinates:

20. X & Y Axis

Shows the orientation of your Axes as seen in the drawing.
Home

CODE 339 (CADD 1011 - Engineering)

WEEK 3 - Guide to AutoCad basics

GUIDE TO AUTOCAD BASICS: Basics, Viewing, Geometry, and Precision

GUIDE TO AUTOCAD BASICS
In this section, you will find a comprehensive technical AutoCAD tutorial which includes all the basic commands you will need when creating 2D drawings
with AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT.

BASICS
This section reviews the basic AutoCAD controls.

VIEWING
Pan and zoom in a drawing and control the order of overlapping objects.

GEOMETRY
Create basic geometric objects such as lines, circles, and hatched areas.

PRECISION
Ensure the precision required for your models.

LAYERS
Organize your drawing by assigning objects to layers.

PROPERTIES
You can assign properties such as color and line type to individual objects, or as default properties assigned to layers.

MODIFYING
Perform editing operations such as erase, move, and trim on the objects in a drawing.

BLOCKS
Insert symbols and details into your drawings from commercial online sources or from your own designs.

LAYOUTS
Display one or more scaled views of your design on a standard size drawing sheet called a layout.

NOTES AND LABELS

Create notes, labels, bubbles, and callouts. Save and restore style settings by name.

DIMENSIONS
Create several types of dimensions and save dimension settings by name.

PRINTING
Output a drawing layout to a printer, a plotter, or a file. Save and restore the printer settings for each layout.

BASIC
After you launch AutoCAD, click the Start Drawing button to begin a new drawing.
AutoCAD includes a standard tabbed ribbon across the top of the drawing area. You can access nearly all the commands presented in this guide from the
Home tab. In addition, the Quick Access toolbar shown below includes familiar commands such as New, Open, Save, Print, Undo, and so on.

NOTE: If the Home tab is not the current tab, go ahead and click it.

Command Window

At the heart of AutoCAD is the Command window, which is normally docked at the bottom of the application window. The Command window displays
prompts, options, and messages.

You can enter commands directly in the Command window instead of using the ribbon, toolbars, and menus. Many long-time AutoCAD users prefer this

method.

Notice that as you start to type a command, an autocomplete menu appears. When several options are available, such as in the example below, make your
choice by clicking the correct option or using the arrow keys and then pressing Enter or the Spacebar to confirm your selection.

Mouse
Most people use a mouse as their pointing device, but other devices have equivalent controls.

Tip: When looking for a command or option, try right-clicking. Depending on where your cursor is located, different menus will display relevant commands
and options.

New Drawings

You can easily conform to industry or company standards by specifying settings for text, dimensions, line types, and several other features. For example, this
backyard deck design displays two different dimension styles.

All these settings can be saved in a drawing template file. Click New to choose from several drawing template files:

For imperial drawings that assume your units are inches, use dwt or acadlt.dwt.
For metric units that assume your units are millimeters, use dwt or acadltiso.dwt.

The “Tutorial” template files in the list are examples of the architectural or mechanical design templates using both imperial (i) and metric (m) measurements.
You might want to experiment with them.

Most companies use drawing template files that conform to company standards, and they will often use different drawing template files depending on the
project or client.
Create Your Own Drawing Template File

You can save any drawing (.dwg) file as a drawing template (.dwt) file. You can also open any existing drawing template file, modify it, and then save it again
with a different filename if needed.

If you work independently, you can develop your drawing template files to suit your working preferences, adding settings for additional features as you

become familiar with them.

To modify an existing drawing template file, click Open, specify Drawing Template (*.dwt) in the Select File dialog box, and choose the template file.

Important: If your company has already established a set of drawing template files, check with your CAD manager before modifying any of them.

Units

When you first start a drawing, you need to decide what the length of one unit represents—an inch, a foot, a centimeter, a kilometer, or some other unit of
length. For example, the objects below could represent two buildings that are each 125 feet long, or they could represent a section from a mechanical part
that is measured in millimeters.
Unit Display Settings

After you decide what unit of length that you want to use, the UNITS command lets you control several unit display settings including the following:

Format (or Type): For example, a decimal length of 6.5 can be set to display as a fractional length of 6-1/2 instead.

Precision: For example, a decimal length of 6.5 can be set to display as 6.50, 6.500, or 6.5000.

If you plan to work in feet and inches, use the UNITS command to set the unit type to Architectural, and then when you create objects, specify their lengths in
inches. If you plan to use metric units, leave the unit type set to Decimal. Changing the unit format and precision does not affect the internal precision of your
drawing, it affects only how lengths, angles, and coordinates are displayed in the user interface.

Tip: If you need to change the UNITS settings, make sure that you save the drawing as a drawing template file (.dwt). Otherwise, you will need to change the
UNITS settings for each new drawing.

VIEWING

Zoom in on a drawing to better control the order of overlapping objects.

The easiest way to change your view is by using the mouse wheel.

Zoom in or out by rolling the wheel.

Pan a view in any direction by holding the wheel down while moving your mouse.
Zoom in on a specific area for greater detail holding your mouse over the area and clicking the wheel twice.

Tip: When you zoom in or out, the location of the cursor is important. Think of your cursor as a magnifying glass. For example, if you position the cursor in
the upper-right area of the floor plan as shown below, zooming in magnifies the dressing room without shifting the view.

NOTE: If you cannot zoom or pan any more, type REGEN in the Command window and press Enter. This command regenerates the drawing display and
resets the extents available for panning and zooming.

Overlapping Objects

If you create objects that overlap, you might need to change which objects are displayed on top or in front of the others. For example, if you want the yellow
highway to cross the blue river rather than the other way around, use the DRAWORDER command to reorder the objects.

You can access several draw order options from the Modify panel on the ribbon. Click to expand the Modify panel, and then click the down-arrow as shown
below.

The draw order options that are listed include sending all hatches to the back, all text to the front, and so on.

GEOMETRY
Create basic geometric objects such as lines, circles, and hatched areas. You can create many different types of geometric objects in AutoCAD, but you only need to know a
few of them for most 2D drawings.

NOTE: If you want to simplify the display while creating geometric objects, press F12 to turn off dynamic input.

Lines

The line is the most basic and common object in AutoCAD drawings. To draw a line, click the Line tool. Alternatively, you can type LINE or just L in the
Command window, and then press Enter or the Spacebar.
Notice the prompt in the Command window for a point location.

To specify the starting point for this line, you would type in the coordinates 0,0. It is a good idea to locate one corner of your model at 0,0, which is called the
origin point. To locate additional points, you could specify additional X,Y coordinate locations in the drawing area, however more efficient methods for
specifying points are available, and will be presented in the Precision topic.

After you specify the next point, the LINE command automatically repeats itself, and it keeps prompting you for additional points. Press Enter or the
Spacebar to end the sequence.

The User Coordinate System

The user coordinate system (UCS) icon indicates the direction of the positive X and Y axis for any coordinates that you enter, and it also defines the
horizontal and vertical directions in a drawing. In some 2D drawings, it can be convenient to click, drag, and rotate the UCS to change the origin point, and
the horizontal and vertical directions.

Grid Display

Some people like working with grid lines as a reference, while others prefer working in a blank area. To turn off the grid display, press F7. Even with the grid
turned off, you can force your cursor to snap to grid increments by pressing F9.

Lines as Construction Aids

Lines can serve as reference and construction geometry such as:

 Property line setbacks
The mirror line of a symmetrical mechanical part
Clearance lines to avoid interferences
Traversal path lines

Circles

The default option of the CIRCLE command requires you to specify a center point and a radius.

The other circle options are available from the drop-down:

Alternatively, you can also enter CIRCLE or just C in the Command window and click to choose an option. If you do, you can specify a center point, or you
can click one of the highlighted command options as shown below.

Circles can be useful as reference geometry. For example, you can see that the two doors in the illustration can interfere with each other.
Polylines and Rectangles

A polyline is a connected sequence of line or arc segments that is created as a single object.

Use the PLINE command to create open or closed polylines for:

Geometry that requires fixed-width segments

Continuous paths for which you need to know the total length
Contour lines for topographic maps and isobaric data
Wiring diagrams and traces on printed circuit boards
Process and piping diagrams

Polylines can have a constant width, or they can have different starting and ending widths. After you specify the first point of the polyline, you can use the
Width option to specify the width of all subsequently created segments. You can change the width value at any time, even as you create new segments.

Rectangles

Polylines can have different starting and ending widths for each segment as shown here:

A fast way to create closed rectangular polylines is to use the RECTANG command (enter REC in the Command window).

Simply click two diagonal points for the rectangle as illustrated. If you use this method, turn on grid snap (F9) for precision.
Hatches and Fills

In AutoCAD, a hatch is a single, compound object that covers a specified area with a pattern of lines, dots, shapes, a solid fill color, or a gradient fill.

When you start the HATCH command, the ribbon temporarily displays the Hatch Creation tab. On this tab, you can choose from over 70 industry-standard
imperial and ISO hatch patterns along with many specialized options.

The simplest procedure is to choose a hatch pattern and scale from the ribbon and click within any area that is completely enclosed by objects. You must
specify the scale factor for the hatch to control its size and spacing.

After you create a hatch, you can move the bounding objects to adjust the hatch area, or you can delete one or more of the bounding objects to create
partially bounded hatches:
Tip: If you set a solid or gradient fill hatch pattern, also consider setting a transparency level on the Hatch Creation tab for interesting overlap effects.

Tip: If you need to align the pattern in a hatch, which might be the case with the decking boards above, use the Set Origin option to specify an alignment
point.

PRECISION
Ensure the precision required for your models.

There are several precision features available, including:

Polar tracking: Snap to the closest preset angle and specify a distance along that angle.
Locking angles: Lock to a single, specified angle and specify a distance along that angle.
Object snaps: Snap to precise locations on existing objects, such as an endpoint of a polyline, the midpoint of a line, or the center point of a circle.
Grid snaps: Snap to increments on a rectangular grid.
Coordinate entry: Specify a location by its Cartesian or polar coordinates, either absolute or relative.

The three most used features are polar tracking, locking angles, and object snaps.

Polar Tracking

When you need to specify a point, such as when you create a line, you can use polar tracking to guide the movement of your cursor in certain directions.

For example, after you specify the first point of the line below, move your cursor to the right, and then enter a distance in the Command window to specify a

precise horizontal length for the line.

By default, polar tracking is turned on and guides your cursor in a horizontal or vertical direction (0 or 90 degrees).

Locking Angles
If you need to draw a line at a specified angle, you can lock the angle for the next point. For example, if the second point of a line needs to be created at a
45-degree angle, you would enter ‘<45’ in the Command window.

After you move your cursor in the desired direction along the 45-degree angle, you can enter the length of the line.

Object Snaps

By far, the most important way for you to specify precise locations on objects is to use object snaps. In the following illustration, several different kinds of
object snaps are represented by markers.

Object snaps become available during a command whenever AutoCAD prompts you to specify a point. For example, if you start a new line and move your
cursor near the endpoint of an existing line, the cursor will automatically snap to it.

Default Object Snaps

Enter the OSNAP command to set the default object snaps, which are also called “running” object snaps. For example, you might find it useful to turn on the
Midpoint object snap by default.

Recommendations

At any prompt for a point, you can specify a single object snap that overrides all other object snap settings. Hold down Shift, right-click in the drawing area,
and choose an object snap from the Object Snap menu. Then move the cursor to select a location on an object.

Make sure that you zoom in close enough to avoid mistakes. In a densely populated model, snapping to the wrong object will result in an error that can
propagate throughout your model.

Object Snap Tracking

During a command, you can align points both horizontally and vertically from object snap locations. In the following illustration, you first hover over endpoint
1 and then hover over endpoint 2. When you move your cursor near location 3, the cursor locks into the horizontal and vertical location shown.
You can now finish creating the line, circle, or other object that you were creating from that location.

Verify Your Work

Recheck your geometry to catch mistakes early. Enter the DIST command (or just DI) to measure the distance between any two points in your model.

For example, you might need to find the clearance between two points shown, which might represent the corner of a wall and a small table, or perhaps a 2D
section of a plastic part and a wire.

After you enter DIST, click the endpoint on the corner (1). Next, hold down Shift as you right-click, and then choose Perpendicular from the object snap
menu. Finally, click the circle (2).

The number of decimal places and unit style displayed in the result is controlled by the UNITS command.

Function Key Reference

All keyboard function keys have assignments in AutoCAD. The ones that are most turned on and off are indicated with a key.

NOTE: F8 and F10 are mutually exclusive turning either one on will turn the other one off.
BASIC DATA ENTRY
1. CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM

A Cartesian coordinate system has three axes, X, Y, and Z. When you enter coordinate values, you indicate a point's distance and its direction (+ or -)
along the X, Y, and Z axes relative to the coordinate system origin (0,0,0).

Absolute Cartesian coordinate

Type the X and Y coordinates to locate the

point on the current coordinate system relative to the origin.
Example: 7,3

Relative Cartesian coordinate).

Type the X and Y coordinates relative to the last point.

Example: @7,3
2. POLAR COORDINATES

Polar coordinates use a distance and an angle to locate a point. With both Cartesian and polar coordinates, you can enter absolute coordinates based
on the origin (0,0) or relative coordinates based on the last point specified.

Absolute Polar Coordinate

Example: 6<45

Relative Polar Coordinate

Type a distance and angle relative to the last point.

Example: @6<45
3. DIRECT DISTANCE

Specifying a point is by moving the cursor to indicate a direction, and then entering a distance.

RECORDED LECTURE:
Home

code: 339
WEEK 4

AUTOCAD SHORTCUT KEYS

Home

code: 339
WEEK 4

GUIDE TO AUTOCAD BASICS: Layers. Properties, Modifying, and Blocks

GUIDE TO AUTOCAD BASICS
In this section, you will find a comprehensive technical AutoCAD tutorial which includes all the basic commands you will need when creating 2D drawings with AutoCAD or
AutoCAD LT.

BASICS
This section reviews the basic AutoCAD controls.

VIEWING
Pan and zoom in a drawing and control the order of overlapping objects.

GEOMETRY
Create basic geometric objects such as lines, circles, and hatched areas.

PRECISION
Ensure the precision required for your models.

LAYERS
Organize your drawing by assigning objects to layers.

PROPERTIES
You can assign properties such as color and line type to individual objects, or as default properties assigned to layers.

MODIFYING
Perform editing operations such as erase, move, and trim on the objects in a drawing.

BLOCKS
Insert symbols and details into your drawings from commercial online sources or from your own designs.

LAYOUTS
Display one or more scaled views of your design on a standard size drawing sheet called a layout.

NOTES AND LABELS

Create notes, labels, bubbles, and callouts. Save and restore style settings by name.

DIMENSIONS
Create several types of dimensions and save dimension settings by name.

PRINTING
Output a drawing layout to a printer, a plotter, or a file. Save and restore the printer settings for each layout.

LAYERS
Organize your drawing by assigning objects to layers. When a drawing becomes visually complex, you can hide objects that you currently do not need to see.

In the drawing below, the structural framing was temporarily hidden by hiding their layers.

You gain this level of control by organizing the objects in your drawing on layers that are associated with a specific function or purpose. It might be helpful to think of layers as clear
plastic sheets:

With layers, you can:

 Associate objects by their function or location
Display or hide all objects related to a single operation
Enforce line type, color, and other property standards for each layer

Important:

Resist the temptation to create everything on one layer. Layers are the most important organizing feature available in AutoCAD drawings.

Layer Controls

To see how a drawing is organized, use the LAYER command to open the Layer Properties Manager. You can either enter LAYER or LA in the Command window, or you can click
the Layer Properties tool on the ribbon.

Here is what the Layer Properties Manager displays for this drawing.

As indicated, layer 10 WALLS is the current layer. All new objects are automatically placed on that layer. In the list of layers, the green check next to layer 10 WALLS indicates that it
is the current layer.

In the column labeled On, notice that the light bulb icons for two layers are dark. This indicates that these layers were turned off to hide the doors and electrical wiring in the floor
plan.

Notice that each layer name starts with a two-digit number. This convention makes it easy to control the order of the layers because their order does not depend on the alphabet.

Tip: For complex drawings, you might want to consider a more elaborate layer naming standard. For example, layer names could begin with 3 digits followed by a naming code that
accommodates multiple floors in a building, project numbers, sets of survey and property data, and so on.

Practical Recommendations

Layer 0 is the default layer that exists in all drawings and has some esoteric properties. Instead of using this layer, it is best to create your own layers with meaningful names.
Any drawing that contains at least one dimension object automatically includes a reserved layer named Defpoints.
Create a layer for behind-the-scenes construction geometry, reference geometry, and notes that you usually do not need to see or print.
Create a layer for layout viewports. Information about layout viewports is covered in the Layouts topic.
Create a layer for all hatches and fills. This lets you to turn them all on or off in one action.

Layer Settings
The following are the most used layer settings in the Layer Properties Manager. Click the icon to turn the setting on and off.

Controls in the Layer Properties Manager

To create a new layer, click the button shown and enter the name of the new layer. To make a different layer the current one, click the layer and then click the indicated button.

Quick Access to Layer Settings

The Layer Properties Manager takes up a lot of space, and you may not always need to access all the options. For quick access to the most common layer controls, use the
controls on the ribbon. When no objects are selected, the Layers panel on the Home tab displays the name of the current layer as shown here.

Occasionally, check to make sure that the objects you create will be on the correct layer. It’s easy to forget to do this, but it’s also easy to set. Click the drop-down arrow to display a
list of layers, and then click a layer on the list to make it the current layer. You can also click on any layer setting icon in the list to change its setting.

Maintain Your Standards

It is important to either establish or conform to a company-wide layer standard. With a layer standard, drawing organization will be more logical, consistent, compatible, and
maintainable over time and across departments. Layer standards are essential for team projects.

If you create a standard set of layers and save them in a drawing template file, those layers will be available when you start a new drawing, and you can start working immediately.
Additional information about drawing template files is presented in the Basics topic.
NOTE: Some experienced AutoCAD users set properties only with layers, while others set properties independently of layers or in combination with layers. Assigning properties to
objects is covered in the Properties topic.

Summary

Layers organize your drawing, enabling you to temporarily hide unneeded graphical data. You can also assign default properties such as color and linetype to each layer.

PROPERTIES
You can assign properties such as color and linetype to individual objects, or as default properties assigned to layers.

The Properties Palette

The Properties palette is an essential tool. You can open it with the PROPERTIES command (enter PR in the Command window), you can press Ctrl + 1, or you can click the tiny
arrow in the Properties panel on the Home tab—whichever you prefer.

The Properties palette displays a list of all the important property settings. You can click any of the available fields to change the current settings. In the following example, if no
objects are selected, the current color will be changed from ByLayer to Red and the UCS icon will be turned off.

Verify and Change Object Properties

You can use the Properties palette to verify and change property settings for selected objects. If you click an object in your drawing to select it, here is what you might see in the
Properties palette.

Notice that the current properties for the selected object are displayed in the palette. You can change any of these properties by clicking and changing the setting.

A property that is set to “ByLayer” inherits its setting from the layer. In the previous example, the objects that were created on the 20 ELECTRICAL layer are purple because that is
the default color of the objects on that layer.

If you select several objects, only their common properties are listed in the Properties palette. If you change one of these properties, all the selected objects will change in one
operation. Selecting objects is covered in more detail in the Modifying topic.
NOTE: To clear the current selection, press Esc.

Quick Access to Property Settings

The Properties palette can take up a lot of space. For quick access to the most common properties, use the Properties panel. As you can see in this example, the listed properties
will all be determined by the current layer.

The Properties panel works the same way as the Properties palette. When you select an object, the current property settings are replaced by the properties assigned to the selected
object, and you can use this panel to easily change the properties of one or more selected objects.

Match the Properties of Objects

For a fast way to copy the properties of a selected object to other objects, use the Match Properties tool, or enter MATCHPROP or MA in the Command window.

Select the source object, and then select all the objects that you want to modify.

LINETYPES

Dashed and other non-continuous linetypes are assigned from the Properties panel. You must first load a linetype before you can assign it.

In the Linetype drop-down list, click Other.

This action displays the Linetype Manager dialog box.

Perform the following steps in order:

 1.Click Load. Choose one or more linetypes that you want to use. Notice that dashed (non-continuous) linetypes come in several preset sizes.
2. Click Show/Hide details to display additional settings.
3. Specify a different “global scale factor” for all linetypes—the larger the value, the longer the dashes and spaces. Click OK.
4.Once you’ve loaded the linetypes that you plan to use, you can select any object and specify a linetype from the Properties panel or the Properties palette. Alternatively,
you can specify a default linetype for any layer in the Layer Properties Manager.

LINEWEIGHTS

The Lineweight property provides a way to display different thicknesses for selected objects. The thickness of the lines remains constant regardless of the scale of the view. In a
layout, lineweights are always displayed and printed in real-world units. Lineweights can also be assigned from the Properties panel.

You can leave the lineweight set to ByLayer, or you can specify a value that overrides the layer’s lineweight. In some cases, the lineweight previews look the same because they are
displayed in approximated pixel widths on a monitor. However, they will print at the correct thickness.

To control the display of lineweights, click the Lineweight Settings button at the bottom of the lineweight list. In the Lineweight Settings dialog box, you can choose whether you want
to display or hide lineweights.

Regardless of the display setting, lineweights will always be printed at the correct scale.

Tip: It is usually best to leave lineweights turned off while you work. Heavy lineweights can obscure nearby objects when you use object snaps. You might want to turn them on for
checking purposes just before you print.

MODIFYING
Perform editing operations such as erase, move, and trim on the objects in a drawing.

The most common modifying tools are located on the Modify panel of the Home tab. Take a minute to look through them.

Erase

To erase an object, use the ERASE command. You can enter E in the Command window, or click the Erase tool. When you see the cursor change to a square pickbox, click each
object that you want to erase, and then press Enter or the Spacebar.

NOTE: Alternatively, before you enter any command, you can select several objects and then press the Delete key. Experienced users often use this method as well.

Select Multiple Objects

Sometimes you may need to select many objects. Instead of selecting each object individually, you can select the objects in an area by clicking an empty location (1), moving your
cursor right or left, and then clicking a second time (2).

With a crossing selection, any objects within or touching the green area are selected.
With a window selection, only the objects completely contained within the blue area are selected.

The result is called the selection set, which is the set of objects that will be processed by a command.

Tip: You can easily remove objects from the selection set. For example, if you select 42 objects, and two of them should not have been selected, hold down Shift and then select the
two that you want to remove. Then, press Enter or the Spacebar, or right click to end the selection process.

NOTE: Clicking and dragging results in a different selection method called lasso selection.

Move and Copy

Here is how you would use the COPY command to lay out a row of decorative tiles. Starting with a polyline that represents its shape, you need to make copies that are 1/8” apart.

Click the Copy tool or enter CP in the Command window to start the command. From here, you can choose between two methods, depending on which is more convenient. You will
use these two methods frequently.

The Distance Method

The second tile needs to be a total of 9-7/8” + 1/8” = 10” to the right of the original tile. Start by selecting the tile, pressing Enter or the Spacebar to end your selection, and clicking
anywhere in the drawing area (1). This point does not have to be located on the tile.

Next, move your cursor to the right, relying on the polar tracking angle to keep the direction horizontal, and then enter 10 for the distance. Press Enter or the Spacebar a second
time to end the command.

The specified distance and a direction from a point (1) is applied to the tile that you selected.

The Two Points Method

Another method, one that you will often use when you don’t want to add numbers together, requires two steps. Enter the COPY command and select the tile as before, but this time
click the two endpoints as shown. These two points also define a distance and direction.

Next, to add the 1/8” space between the tiles, click the Move tool or enter M in the Command window. The MOVE command is like the COPY command. Select the newly copied
tile, and press Enter or the Spacebar. As before, click anywhere in the drawing area and move your cursor to the right. Enter 1/8 or .125 for the distance.

Tip: The two points that define the distance and direction do not need to be located on the object that you want to copy. You can use two points specified anywhere in your model.

Create Multiple Copies

You can use the two-point method as a repeating sequence. Let us say that you want to make more copies of the circle at the same horizontal distance. Enter the COPY command
and select the circle as shown.
Then, using the Center object snap, click the center of circle 1, followed by the center of circle 2, and so on.

For larger numbers of copies, try experimenting with the Array option of the COPY command. For example, here is a linear arrangement of deep foundation piles. From a base
point, you specify number of copies and the center-to-center distance.

Offset

Most models include a lot of parallel lines and curves. Creating them is easy and efficient with the OFFSET command. Click the OFFSET tool or enter O in the Command window.

Select the object (1), specify the offset distance, and click to indicate on which side of the original that you want the result (2). Here is an example of offsetting a polyline.

Tip: A fast way to create concentric circles is to offset them.

Trim and Extend

A popular technique is to use the OFFSET command in combination with the TRIM and EXTEND commands. In the Command window, you can enter TR for TRIM or EX for
EXTEND. Trimming and extending are some of the most used operations.

In the following illustration, you want to extend the lines that represent the steps for this deck. Enter the EXTEND command, select the boundary, and then press Enter or the
Spacebar.

Pressing Enter or the Spacebar indicates that you’ve finished selecting the boundaries, and that you’re now ready to select the objects to be extended.
Tip: A faster method is to press Enter or the Spacebar right away instead of selecting any boundary objects. The result is that all objects are available as possible boundaries.

Next, select the objects to be extended (near the ends to be extended), and then press Enter or the Spacebar to end the command.

As you can see, the selected lines are extended to the boundary.

The TRIM command follows the same steps, except that when you select the objects to trim, you select the portions to trim away.

Mirror

The following illustration comes from a tile project. The walls in this residential bathroom are flattened out to be able to lay out the tile pattern and estimate the number of tiles
needed.
You can save a lot of work by taking advantage of the symmetry between the left and right walls. All you need to do is create the tiles on one wall and then mirror the wall across the
center of the room.

In the example below, begin the MIRROR command (or enter MI in the Command window), use window selection (1 and 2) to select the geometry on the right wall, press Enter or
the Spacebar, and then specify a mirror line (3 and 4) corresponding to the centerline of the bathroom.

Finally, decline the option to “Erase source objects” by pressing Enter or the Spacebar.

Tip: Always look for symmetry to save yourself extra work, even if the symmetry is not 100% identical.

Stretch

You can stretch most geometric objects. This lets you lengthen and shorten parts of your model. For example, this model might be a gasket or the design for a public park.

Use the STRETCH command (or enter S in the Command window) and select the objects with a crossing selection as shown below (1 and 2). The crossing selection is mandatory
— only the geometry that is crossed by the crossing selection is stretched. Then click anywhere in the drawing area (3), move the cursor to the right, and enter 50 as the distance.
This distance might represent millimeters or feet.
To shorten the model by a specified amount, you’d move your cursor to the left instead.

Fillet

The FILLET command (enter F in the Command window) creates a rounded corner by creating an arc that is tangent to two selected objects. Notice that the fillet is created relative
to where you select the objects.

You can create a fillet between most types of geometric objects, including lines, arcs, and polyline segments.

Tip: If you specify 0 (zero) as the radius of the fillet (imagine a circle shrinking to a radius of 0), the result trims or extends the selected objects to a sharp corner.

Explode

The EXPLODE command (enter X in the Command window) disassociates a compound object into its component parts. You can explode objects such as polylines, hatches, and
blocks (symbols).

After you explode a compound object, you can modify each resulting individual object.

Edit Polylines

You can choose from several useful options when you want to modify a polyline. The PEDIT command (enter PE in the Command window) is located on the drop-down list of the
Modify panel.

With this command, you can:

Join two polylines into a single polyline if they share a common endpoint
Convert lines and arcs into a polyline—simply enter PEDIT and select the line or arc
Change the width of a polyline

Tip: In some cases, the easiest method to modify a polyline is to explode it, make the modifications, and then turn the objects back into a polyline using the Join option of the PEDIT
command.

Grips

Grips are displayed when you select an object without starting a command.

Grips are often handy for light editing. For example, the line below accidentally snapped to the wrong endpoint. You can select the misaligned line, click on a grip and then click to
specify the correct location.

By default, when you click a grip, you automatically start in **STRETCH** mode as indicated in the Command window. If you want to explore other ways of editing objects with
grips, press Enter or the Spacebar to cycle through several other editing modes. Some people perform most editing operations using grips.

Blocks

Insert symbols and details into your drawings from commercial online sources or from your own designs.

In AutoCAD, a block is a collection of objects that are combined into a single named object. The following are some sample blocks at various scales.
Some of these blocks are realistic representations of objects, some are symbols, and one of them is an architectural title block for a D-size drawing.

Insert a Block

Typically, each of these blocks is an individual drawing file, perhaps saved in a folder with similar drawing files. When you need to insert one into your current drawing file, use the
INSERT command (or enter I in the Command window).

The first time you insert the drawing as a block, you must click Browse to locate the drawing file. Make sure you organize your blocks into easy-to-find folders.

Once inserted, the block definition is stored in your current drawing. From then on, you can choose it from the Name drop-down list without needing to click the Browse button.

Tip: The default settings in the Insert dialog box are usually acceptable. After you choose the block name, click OK, and then specify its location in your drawing. You can rotate it
later, if necessary

Notice that when you insert a block, it is attached to your cursor at the point indicated. This location is called the insertion point. By default, the insertion point is the origin point (0,0)
of the original drawing.

After inserting the block, you can select it and a grip appears. You can easily move and rotate this block using this grip.
In the following example, a drawing file is inserted into the current drawing to provide a standard detail view.

NOTE: Inserting a drawing file as a block provides a static reference to the specified drawing. For a reference that automatically updates, you can attach the drawing with the
External References palette (XREF command) instead.

Create a Block Definition

Instead of creating a drawing file to be inserted as a block, you might want to create a block definition directly in your current drawing. Use this method if you do not plan to insert
the block into any other drawing. In that case, use the BLOCK command to create the block definition.

For example, this is how you could create a module for a cubicle design.

1. Create the objects for the block.

2. Start the BLOCK command.
3. Enter a name for the block, in this case Quad-Cube.
4. Select the objects that you created for the block (click 1 and 2).
5. Specify the block insertion point.

You can enter the information for steps 3, 4, and 5 into the Block Definition dialog box in any order.
After creating the block definition, you can insert, copy, and rotate the block as needed.

Using the EXPLODE command, you can explode a block into its component objects if you need to make changes. In the illustration below, the cubicle on the right was exploded
and modified.

In this example, you would probably create a new block definition from the objects in the exploded block.

Recommendations

There are several different schemes for saving and retrieving block definitions.

You can create an individual drawing file for each block that you intend to use. You save these drawing files in folders, each of which would contain a family of related drawing
files.
You can include the block definitions for title blocks and common symbols in your drawing template files to make them available immediately when starting a new drawing.
You can create several drawing files, which are sometimes called block library drawings. Each of these drawings contains a family of related block definitions. When you insert a
block library drawing into your current drawing, all the blocks that are defined in that drawing become available.

Tip: With online access, you can download AutoCAD drawing files from the web sites of commercial vendors and suppliers. This can save you time, but always check to make sure
that they are drawn correctly and to scale. Autodesk Seek (http:// seek.autodesk.com/) is a convenient way of accessing BIM (building information modeling) libraries.

NOTE: You can create block definitions that include one or more attributes that store and display information. The command that you would use is ATTDEF. Typically, attributes
include data such as part number, name, cost, and date. You can export block attribute information to a table or to an external file.

RECORDED LECTURE: