Chapter 5: Multi View Drawings in AutoCAD

In this chapter, you will learn concept of drawing views. The drawing views are generated to show accurate shape
and size of the object that can be dimensioning properly.

In this chapter, you will learn about:

❖ Orthographic Views
❖ Auxiliary Views
❖ Named Views

Multi View Drawings

To manufacture a component, you must create its engineering drawing. The engineering drawing includes various
views of the object, showing its accurate shape and size that can be clearly dimensioned. This can be done by
creating the orthographic views of the object.

In the first section of this chapter, you will learn how to create orthographic views of an object. The second section
introduces you to auxiliary views. The auxiliary views describe the features of a component, which are located on
an inclined plane or surface.

Creating Orthographic Views

Orthographic Views are standard representations of an object on a drawing sheet. It is the method to generate
information related all the hidden and visible features of an object. These views are generated by projecting an
object onto three different planes (top plane, front plane, and side plane). These three views are projected and
aligned with each other. You can project an object by using two different methods:
- First Angle Projection

- Third Angle Projection.

First Angle Projection

Orthographic views created while projecting an object using the First Angle Projection method.
 ➢ The object is kept in the first quadrant.
➢ The object lies between the observer and plane of projection.
➢ The plane of projection is assumed to be non-transparent.
➢ When views are drawn in their relative position; Top view comes below Front View and Right View drawn
to the left side of the elevation.
Below is the figure in which orthographic views are created while projecting an object using the First Angle
Projection method.

Note: In AutoCAD, you can generate these projection view by activating the ORTHO mode, by pressing the F8
key. The projected lines are either horizontal or vertical.

Third Angle Projection

Orthographic views created while projecting an object using the Third Angle Projection method.

➢ The object is kept in the third quadrant.

➢ The plane of projection lies between the observer and object.
➢ The plane of projection is assumed to be transparent.
➢ When views are drawn in their relative position, Top view comes above Front View and Right View drawn
to the right side of the elevation.

Below is the figure in which orthographic views are created while projecting an object using the Third Angle
Projection method.
Example:
In this example, you will create the orthographic views of the part shown below. The views will be created by
using the Third Angle Projection method.
➢ Open a new drawing.
➢ Click the Layer Properties button on the Layer panel; the Layer Properties Manager appears.
➢ Click the New Layer button on the Layer Properties Manager to create new layers.
➢ Create two new layers with the following properties.

Layer Name Linetype Lineweight

Construction Continuous 0.00 mm

Object Continuous 0.30 mm

➢ Right-click on the Construction layer and select Set current, as shown.

➢ Close the Layer Properties Manager.

➢ Activate the Ortho Mode on the status bar.
➢ Click Zoom > Zoom All on the Navigation Bar.

Next, you need to draw construction lines. They are used as references to create actual drawings. You will
create these construction lines on the Construction layer so that you can hide them when required.

➢ Click Home > Draw > Construction Line on the ribbon or enter XLINE in the command line.

➢ Click anywhere in the lower left corner of the drawing window.

➢ Move the cursor upward and click to create a vertical construction line.
➢ Move the cursor toward right and click to create a horizontal construction line.
➢ Press ENTER to exit the tool.
➢ Click the Offset button on the Modify panel.
➢ Type 100 as the offset distance and press ENTER.
➢ Select the vertical construction line.
➢ Move the cursor toward and click to create an offset line.
➢ Right-click and select Enter to exit the Offset tool.
➢ Press the SPACEBAR on the keyboard to start the Offset tool again.
➢ Type 75 as the offset distance and press ENTER.
➢ Select the horizontal construction line.
➢ Move the cursor above and click to create the offset line.
➢ Press ENTER to exit the Offset tool.
➢ Similarly, create other offset lines as shown below.
➢ Set the current layer to Object.

Now, you need to create object lines.

➢ Click the Line button on the Draw panel.

➢ Create an outline of the front view by selecting the intersection points between the construction lines.

➢ Right-click and select Enter to exit the Line tool.

➢ Activate the Show/Hide Lineweight button on the status bar.
➢ Similarly, create the outlines of the top and side views.
 Next, you need to turn off the Construction layer.

➢ Click on the Layer drop-down in the Layer panel.

➢ Click the light-bulb of the Construction layer; the layer will be turned off.

➢ Use the Offset tool and create two parallel lines on the front view, as shown below.

➢ Use the Trim tool and trim the unwanted lines of the front view as shown below.
➢ Use the Offset tool to create the parallel line as shown below.

• Use the Offset tool and create offset lines in the Top view as shown below.

• Use the Trim tool and trim the unwanted objects.

• Create other offset lines and trim the unwanted portions as shown below.
• Click the Line button on the Draw panel.
• Press and hold the SHIFT key and right-click. Select the From option.

• Select the endpoint of the line in the front view as shown below.

• Move the cursor on the vertical line and enter 40 in the command line; the first point of the line is specified
at a point 40 mm away from the endpoint. Also, a rubber band line will be attached to the cursor.
• Move the cursor onto the endpoint on the top view as shown below.
 • Move the cursor vertically downward; you will notice that track lines are displayed.
• Move the cursor near the horizontal line of the front view and click at the intersection point as shown
below. Press ENTER to exit the tool.

Next, you need to create the right-side view. To do so, you need to draw a 45- degree miter line and project the
measurements of the top view onto the side view.

➢ Click on the Layer drop-down in the Layer panel.

➢ Click the light-bulb icon of the Construction layer; the Construction layer is turned on.
➢ Select the Construction layer from the Layer drop-down to set it as the current layer.
➢ Draw an inclined line by connecting the intersection points of the construction lines as shown below.

➢ Click the Construction Line button on the Draw panel.

➢ Select the Hor option from the command line and create the projection lines as shown below.
➢ Right-click to exit the Construction Line tool.
➢ Press ENTER and select the Ver option from the command line.
➢ Create the vertical projection lines as shown below.
➢ Use the Trim tool trim the extend portions of the construction lines.

➢ Set the Object layer as current.

➢ Click the Offset button on the Modify panel.
➢ Select the Through option from the command line. ➢ Select the lower horizontal line of the side view.
➢ Select the end point on the front view as shown below.

➢ Right-click and select Enter.

➢ Use the Line tool and create the objects in the side view as shown below.

➢ Turn off the Construction layer by clicking on the light-bulb of the Construction layer.
➢ Trim the unwanted portions on the right-side view.

The drawing after creating all the views is shown below.

 ➢ Save the file as ortho_views.dwg. Close the file.

Creating Auxiliary Views

Most of the objects are represented by using orthographic views (front, top and/or side views). But many objects
have features located on inclined faces. You cannot get the true shape and size for these features by using the
orthographic views. To see an accurate size and shape of the inclined features, you need to create an auxiliary
view. An auxiliary view is created by projecting the object onto a plane other than horizontal, front or side planes.
The following figure shows an object with an inclines face. When you create orthographic views of the object, you
will not be able to get the true shape of the hole on the inclined face.

To get the actual shape of the hole, you need to create an auxiliary view of the object as shown below.
Example:
In this example, you will create an auxiliary view of the object shown below.

➢ Open a new AutoCAD file.

➢ Create four new layers with the following properties.

Layer Name Linetype Lineweight

Construction Continuous 0.00 mm

Object Continuous 0.50 mm

Hidden HIDDEN CENTER 0.30 mm

Centerline 0.30 mm

➢ Select the Construction layer from the Layer drop-down in the Layer panel.
➢ Create a rectangle at the lower left corner of the drawing window, as shown in figure.

➢ Select the rectangle and click the Copy button from the Modify panel.
➢ Select the lower left corner of the rectangle as the base point.
➢ Make sure that the Ortho mode is activated.
➢ Move the cursor upward and type 25 in the command line. Next, press ENTER. ➢ Press ESC to exit the Copy
tool.

➢ Click the Rotate button on the Modify panel and select the copied rectangle. Press ENTER to accept.
➢ Select the lower right corner of the rectangle as the base point.
➢ Type 45 as the angle and press ENTER.

➢ Create another rectangle approximately 60 mm above the previous one, as shown.

The rectangle located at the top is considered as top view and the below it is the front view.

➢ Click the Explode button on the Modify panel and select the newly created rectangle. Next, right-click to
explode the rectangle.
➢ Use the Offset tool and offset the vertical lines of the rectangle.
➢ Select the Object layer from the Layer drop-down in the Layer panel.
➢ Create the object lines in the front and top views as shown below.

➢ Select the Construction layer from the Layer panel.

➢ Click the Construction Line button on the Draw panel.
➢ Select the Offset option from the command line. Next, select the Through option.
➢ Select the inclined line on the front view. Next, select the intersection point as shown below.

➢ Similarly, create other construction lines as shown below.

➢ Create other construction lines as shown below.

➢ Set the Object layer as current layer. Next, create the object lines using the intersection points between the
construction lines.
➢ Use the Circle tool and create a circle of the 35 mm.

➢ Set the Construction layer as current layer. Create projection lines from the circle.
➢ On your own, create the other object lines, hidden lines, and center lines, as shown below.
➢ Drawing after hiding the Construction layer is shown below.

Creating Named views

While working with a drawing, you may need to perform numerous zoom and pan operations to view key portions
of a drawing. Instead of doing this, you can save these portions with a name. Then, restore the named view and
start working on them.

➢ Open the ortho_views.dwg file.

➢ Click on the View tab from the Ribbon.
➢ Right click on the Ribbon and click Show Panels > Named Views, to display Named Views panel on the
Ribbon, if not displayed by default.
➢ To create a named view, click View > Named Views > View Manager on the ribbon; the View Manager
dialog box appears, as shown.
➢ Click the New button on the View Manager dialog box; the New View/Shot Properties dialog box appears.
➢ Select the Define Window radio button from the Boundary section of the New View/Shot Properties dialog
box.
➢ Create a window on the front view, as shown below.

➢ Press ENTER to accept.

➢ Enter Front in the View name box.

➢ Click OK on the New View/Shot Properties dialog box.

➢ Similarly, create the named views for the top and right views of the drawing.
➢ To set the Top view to current, select it from the Views tree and click the Set Current button on the dialog
box. Next, click OK on the View Manager dialog box; the Top view will be zoomed and fitted to the screen.