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    AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced
    AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced
    AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced
    Ebook1,488 pages9 hours

    AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced

    By Sham Tickoo

    ()

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    About this ebook

    The AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced textbook contains detailed explanation of AutoCAD commands and their applications to solve design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with the help of examples and illustrations. This makes it easy for the users to understand the functions and applications of the tools and commands.
    After reading this textbook, you will be able to create 3D objects, apply materials to objects, generate drafting views of a model, create surface or mesh objects, and render and animate designs.
     
    The book covers designing concepts in detail as well as provides elaborative description of technical drawing in AutoCAD including orthographic projections, dimensioning principles, sectioning, auxiliary views, and assembly drawings. While going through this textbook, you will discover some new unique applications of AutoCAD that will have a significant effect on your drawings and designs. In addition, you will be able to understand why AutoCAD has become such a popular software package and an international standard in PC-CAD.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCADCIM Technologies
    Release dateAug 31, 2017
    ISBN9781386617488
    AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced
    Author

    Sham Tickoo

    Prof. Sham Tickoo is professor of Manufacturing Engineering at Purdue University Northwest, USA where he has taught design, drafting, CAD and other engineering courses for over nineteen years. Before joining Purdue University, Prof. Tickoo has worked as a machinist, quality control engineer, design engineer, engineering consultant, and software developer. He has received a US patent for his invention Self Adjusting Cargo Organizer for Vehicles. Professor Tickoo also leads the team of authors at CADCIM Technologies to develop world-class teaching and learning resources for Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and related technologies.

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      Book preview

      AutoCAD 2016 - Sham Tickoo

      AutoCAD 2016

      A Problem-Solving Approach,

      3D and Advanced

      (22nd Edition)

      CADCIM Technologies

      525 St. Andrews Drive

      Schererville, IN 46375, USA

      (www.cadcim.com)

      Contributing Author

      Sham Tickoo

      Professor

      Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology

      Purdue University Calumet

      Hammond, Indiana, USA

      LOGO01.PCX

      AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced

      Sham Tickoo

      CADCIM Technologies

      525 St Andrews Drive

      Schererville, Indiana 46375, USA

      www.cadcim.com

      Copyright © 2015 by CADCIM Technologies, USA. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in the database or retrieval system without the prior permission of CADCIM Technologies.

      ISBN 978-1-942689-01-0

      NOTICE TO THE READER

      Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described in the text or perform any independent analysis in connection with any of the product information contained in the text. Publisher does not assume, and expressly disclaims,any obligation to obtain and include information other than that provided to it by the manufacturer.

      The reader is expressly warned to consider and adopt all safety precautions that might be indicated by the activities herein and to avoid all potential hazards. By following the instructions contained herein, the reader willingly assumes all risks in connection with such instructions.

      The Publisher makes no representation or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for particular purpose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set forth herein, and the publisher takes no responsibility with respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the reader’s use of, or reliance upon, this material.

      www.cadcim.com

      LOGO01.PCX

      CADCIM Technologies

      DEDICATION

      To teachers, who make it possible to disseminate knowledge

      to enlighten the young and curious minds

      of our future generations

      To students, who are dedicated to learning new technologies

      and making the world a better place to live in

      SPECIAL RECOGNITION

      A special thanks to Mr. Denis Cadu and the ADN team of Autodesk Inc.

      for their valuable support and professional guidance to

      procure the software for writing this textbook

      THANKS

      To the faculty and students of the MET department of

      Purdue University Calumet for their cooperation

      To employees of CADCIM Technologies for their valuable help

      Online Training Program Offered by CADCIM Technologies

      CADCIM Technologies provides effective and affordable virtual online training on various software packages including Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), computer programming languages, animation, architecture, and GIS. The training is delivered ‘live’ via Internet at any time, any place, and at any pace to individuals as well as the students of colleges, universities, and CAD/CAM training centers. The main features of this program are:

      Training for Students and Companies in a Classroom Setting

      Highly experienced instructors and qualified engineers at CADCIM Technologies conduct the classes under the guidance of Prof. Sham Tickoo of Purdue University Calumet, USA. This team has authored several textbooks that are rated one of the best in their categories and are used in various colleges, universities, and training centers in North America, Europe, and in other parts of the world.

      Training for Individuals

      CADCIM Technologies with its cost effective and time saving initiative strives to deliver the training in the comfort of your home or work place, thereby relieving you from the hassles of traveling to training centers.

      Training Offered on Software Packages

      CADCIM provides basic and advanced training on the following software packages:

      CAD/CAM/CAE: CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, PTC Creo Parametric, Creo Direct, SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge, NX, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Plant 3D, Customizing AutoCAD, EdgeCAM, and ANSYS

      Architecture and GIS: Autodesk Revit Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit Structure, AutoCAD Map 3D, Revit MEP, Navisworks, Primavera, and Bentley STAAD Pro

      Animation and Styling: Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk 3ds Max Design, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Alias, The Foundry NukeX, MAXON CINEMA 4D, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Premiere

      Computer Programming: C++, VB.NET, Oracle, AJAX, and Java

      For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.cadcim.com

      Note

      If you are a faculty member, you can register by clicking on the following link to access the teaching resources: http://www.cadcim.com/Registration.aspx. The student resources are available at http://www.cadcim.com. We also provide Live Virtual Online Training on various software packages. For more information, write us at sales@cadcim.com.

      Contents.tif

      Dedication

      Preface

      Chapter 1: The User Coordinate System

      The User Coordinate System (UCS) 

      Controlling the Visibility of the UCS Icon 

      Defining the New UCS

      Managing the UCS through the Dialog Box 

      System Variables

      Self-Evaluation Test

      Review Questions

      Chapter 2: Getting Started with 3D

      Starting Three Dimensional (3D) Modeling in AutoCAD 

      Use of Three-dimensional Drawing

      Types of 3D Models

      Wireframe Models

      Surface Models

      Solid Models

      Conventions Followed in AutoCAD

      Changing the Viewpoint to View 3D Models

      Changing the Viewpoint Using the ViewCube

      Changing the Viewpoint Using the Ribbon or the Toolbar

      Changing the Viewpoint Using the Viewpoint Presets Dialog Box

      Changing the Viewpoint Using the VPOINT Command

      In-Canvas Viewport Control

      3D Coordinate Systems 

      Absolute Coordinate System 

      Relative Coordinate System 

      Direct Distance Entry Method 

      Trim, Extend, and Fillet Tools in 3D 

      Setting Thickness and Elevation for New Objects 

      The ELEV Command 

      Suppressing the Hidden Edges 

      Creating 3D Polylines 

      Converting Wireframe Models into Surface Models 

      Creating 3D Faces 

      Creating Polyface Meshes 

      Controlling the Visibility of the 3D Face Edges 

      Creating Planar Surfaces 

      The 3DMESH Command 

      Editing the Surface Mesh 

      The Edit Polyline Tool 

      Dynamic Viewing of 3D Objects 

      Using the SteeringWheels 

      Dynamically Rotating the View of a Model 

      Clipping the View of a Model Dynamically 

      Nudge Functionality 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions

      Chapter 3: Creating Solid Models

      What is Solid Modeling?

      Creating Predefined Solid Primitives 

      Creating a Solid Box 

      Creating a Solid Cone 

      Creating a Solid Cylinder 

      Creating a Solid Sphere 

      Creating a Solid Torus 

      Creating a Solid Wedge 

      Creating a Pyramid 

      Creating a Polysolid

      Creating a Helix 

      Modifying the Visual Styles of Solids 

      Controlling the Settings of Edges 

      Controlling the Face Display 

      Controlling the Backgrounds 

      Creating Complex Solid Models 

      Creating Regions 

      Creating Complex Solid Models by Applying Boolean Operations 

      Combining Solid Models 

      Subtracting One Solid From the Other 

      Intersecting Solid Models

      Checking Interference in Solids

      Dynamic UCS 

      Defining the New UCS Using the ViewCube and the Ribbon 

      Creating Extruded Solids 

      Extruding along the Normal 

      Extruding with a Taper Angle 

      Extruding along a Direction 

      Extruding along a Path 

      Extruding using Expressions 

      Creating Revolved Solids 

      Creating Swept Solids 

      Creating Lofted Solids 

      Creating Presspull Solids

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 4: Editing 3D Objects-I

      Filleting Solid Models 

      Chamfering Solid Models

      Rotating Solid Models in 3D Space

      Rotating Solid Models about an Axis

      Mirroring Solid Models in 3D Space

      Moving Models in 3D Space 

      Creating Arrays in 3D Space 

      Aligning Solid Models 

      Aligning Solids by Defining an Alignment Plane 

      Extracting Edges of a Solid Model 

      Converting Objects to Surfaces 

      Converting Objects to Solids 

      Converting Surfaces to Solids 

      Point Cloud 

      Attaching the Point Cloud

      Autodesk ReCap 

      Slicing Solid Models 

      Creating the Cross-Sections of Solids 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 5: Editing 3D Objects-II

      Editing Solid Models 

      Editing Faces of a Solid Model 

      Editing Edges of a Solid Model 

      Editing Entire Body of a Solid Model 

      Generating a Section by Defining a Section Plane 

      Solid History 

      Generating Drawing Views of a Solid Model 

      Solid View 

      Solid Drawing 

      Solid Profile

      Drawing Views

      Base 

      Projected View 

      Edit View 

      Update View 

      Auto Update 

      Drafting Standard 

      Generating Section Views

      Creating Flatshot

      Calculating the Mass Properties of Solid Models 

      Recording the Drawing Steps by Using the Action Recorder 

      Using ShowMotion for Presentation 

      Playing the Animation 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 6: Surface Modeling

      Surface Modeling 

      Creating Wireframe Elements 

      Spline CV 

      Spline Fit 

      Spline Freehand 

      Extract Isoline Curves

      Creating Surfaces by Using Profiles 

      Creating an Extruded Surface 

      Creating a Revolved Surface 

      Creating a Loft Surface 

      Creating a Sweep Surface 

      Creating a Planar Surface 

      Creating a Network Surface 

      Creating Surfaces from other Surfaces 

      Creating a Blend Surface 

      Creating a Patch Surface 

      Creating an Offset Surface 

      Editing Surfaces 

      Creating Fillets 

      Trimming Surfaces 

      Untrimming Surfaces 

      Extending Surfaces 

      Sculpting Surfaces

      Extracting Intersections 

      NURBS Surfaces 

      Projecting Geometries 

      Performing Surface Analysis 

      Zebra 

      Analysis Curvature 

      Analysis Draft 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 7: Mesh Modeling

      Introduction 

      Creating Mesh Primitives 

      Creating a Mesh Box 

      Creating Surface Meshes 

      Creating Revolved Surface Meshes 

      Creating Edge Surface Meshes 

      Creating Ruled Surface Meshes 

      Creating Tabulated Surface Meshes 

      Modifying Mesh Objects 

      Adding Smoothness to Meshes 

      Refining the Meshes 

      Adding Crease to Meshes 

      Editing Mesh Faces 

      Splitting the Mesh Faces 

      Extruding the Mesh Faces 

      Merging the Mesh Faces 

      Closing the Gaps 

      Collapsing the Mesh Vertices 

      Spinning the Edges of Triangular Faces 

      Converting Mesh Objects 

      Converting Mesh Objects into Solids 

      Converting Mesh Objects into Surfaces 

      Working with Gizmos 

      Move Gizmo

      Rotate Gizmo

      Scale Gizmo 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 8: Rendering and Animating Designs

      Understanding the Concept of Rendering 

      Assigning Materials 

      Materials Browser 

      Assigning Selected Materials to Objects 

      Attaching Material by Layers 

      Creating and Editing Materials 

      Basic Rendering 

      Creating New Materials

      Mapping Materials on Objects 

      Converting Materials Created in Previous AutoCAD Release into

      AutoCAD 2016 Format 

      Adding Lights to the Design 

      Default Light 

      Point Light 

      Spotlight 

      Distant Light 

      Web Light 

      Sun Light 

      Converting Lights Created in AutoCAD’s Previous Release into

      AutoCAD 2016 Format 

      Modifying Lights 

      Understanding Rendering Presets ENHANCED-1.PCX

      Controlling the Rendering Environment 

      Rendering with a Background 

      Adjusting the Lighting Exposure to Rendered Image 

      Rendering a Model with Different Render Settings 

      Obtaining Rendering Information 

      Saving a Rendered Image 

      Saving the Rendered Image to a File 

      Saving the Viewport Rendering 

      Saving the Rendered Image from the Render Window 

      Plotting Rendered Images 

      Unloading AutoCAD Render 

      Working with Cameras 

      Create Camera

      Editing the Cameras 

      Creating Animations 

      Creating Animation of 3D Navigations 

      Creating Animation by Defining the Path of the Camera Movement 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 9: Autocad on Internet

      Introduction 

      BROWSER 

      HYPERLINK 

      HYPERLINKFWD 

      HYPERLINKBACK 

      HYPERLINKSTOP 

      PASTEASHYPERLINK 

      HYPERLINKBASE 

      Changed Internet Commands 

      Understanding URLs 

      Launching a Web Browser 

      Changing the Default Website 

      Drawings on the Internet 

      Opening Drawings from the Internet 

      Inserting a Block from the Internet 

      Accessing Other Files on the Internet 

      Saving a Drawing on the Internet 

      Online Resources 

      Using Hyperlinks with AutoCAD 

      Pasting as Hyperlink 

      Editing Hyperlinks 

      Removing Hyperlinks from Objects 

      The Drawing Web Format 

      Creating a DWF File 

      AutoCAD 360

      Setting Sync 

      Online Options 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 10: Script Files and Slide Shows

      What Are Script Files? 

      Running Script Files 

      Repeating Script Files 

      Introducing Time Delay in Script Files

      Resuming Script Files

      Command Line Switches 

      Running a Script File while Loading AutoCAD 

      What is a Slide Show? 

      What are Slides? 

      Creating Slides 

      Viewing Slides 

      Preloading Slides 

      Slide Libraries 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 11: Creating Linetypes and Hatch Patterns

      Standard Linetypes 

      Linetype Definitions 

      Elements of Linetype Specification 

      Creating Linetypes 

      Alignment Specification 

      LTSCALE Command 

      LTSCALE Factor for Plotting 

      Current Linetype Scaling (CELTSCALE) 

      Alternate Linetypes 

      Modifying Linetypes 

      Complex Linetypes 

      Creating a String Complex Linetype 

      Hatch Pattern Definition 

      How Hatch Works? 

      Simple Hatch Pattern 

      Effect of Angle and Scale Factor on Hatch 

      Hatch Pattern with Dashes and Dots 

      Hatch with Multiple Descriptors 

      Saving Hatch Patterns in a Separate File 

      Custom Hatch Pattern File 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 12: Customizing the acad.pgp File

      What is the acad.pgp File?

      Sections of the acad.pgp File

      Reinitializing the acad.pgp File 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 13: Technical Drawing with Autocad

      Multiview Drawings

      Understanding the X, Y, and Z Axes 

      Orthographic Projections 

      Positioning Orthographic Views 

      Dimensioning 

      Dimensioning Components 

      Basic Dimensioning Rules 

      Sectional Views 

      Full Section 

      Half Section 

      Broken Section 

      Revolved Section 

      Removed Section 

      Offset Section 

      Aligned Section 

      Cutting Plane Lines 

      Spacing for Hatch Lines

      Direction of Hatch Lines 

      Points to Remember 

      Auxiliary Views 

      Detail Drawing, Assembly Drawing, and Bill of Materials 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Chapter 14: Isometric Drawings

      Isometric Drawings 

      Isometric Projections 

      Isometric Axes and Planes 

      Setting the Isometric Grid and Snap 

      Drawing Isometric Circles 14-7

      Creating Fillets in Isometric Drawings 

      Dimensioning Isometric Objects 

      Isometric Text

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Preface

      23305.jpg23306.jpg

      AutoCAD 2016

      AutoCAD, developed by Autodesk Inc., is the most popular PC-CAD system available in the market. Today, over 7 million people use AutoCAD and other AutoCAD-based design products. 100% of the Fortune 100 firms and 98% of the Fortune 500 firms are Autodesk customers. AutoCAD’s open architecture allows third-party developers to write application software that has significantly added to its popularity. For example, the author of this book has developed a software package "SMLayout" for sheet metal products that generates a flat layout of various geometrical shapes such as transitions, intersections, cones, elbows, tank heads, and so on. Several companies in Canada and United States are using this software package with AutoCAD to design and manufacture various products. AutoCAD also facilitates customization that enables the users to increase their efficiency and improve their productivity.

      The AutoCAD 2016: A Problem-Solving Approach, 3D and Advanced textbook contains detailed explanation of AutoCAD commands and their applications to solve design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with the help of examples and illustrations. This makes it easy for the users to understand the functions and applications of the tools and commands.

      After reading this textbook, you will be able to create 3D objects, apply materials to objects, generate drafting views of a model, create surface or mesh objects, and render and animate designs.

      The book covers designing concepts in detail as well as provides elaborative description of technical drawing in AutoCAD including orthographic projections, dimensioning principles, sectioning, auxiliary views, and assembly drawings. While going through this textbook, you will discover some new unique applications of AutoCAD that will have a significant effect on your drawings and designs. In addition, you will be able to understand why AutoCAD has become such a popular software package and an international standard in PC-CAD.

      Symbols Used in the Textbook

      Note

        The author has provided additional information to the users about the

      topic being discussed in the form of notes.

      Tip

       Special information and techniques are provided in the form of tips that

      will increase the efficiency of the users.

      New

      NEW.PCX This symbol indicates that the command or tool being discussed is new.

      Enhanced

      ENHANCED.PCX This symbol indicates that the command or tool being discussed has been

      enhanced in AutoCAD 2016.

      Formatting Conventions Used in the Textbook

      Refer to the following list for the formatting conventions used in this textbook.

      • Command names are capitalized and written in boldface letters.

      • A key icon appears when you have to respond by pressing the ENTER or the RETURN key.

      • Command sequences are indented. The responses are indicated in boldface. The directions are indicated in italics and the comments are enclosed in parentheses.

      • The methods of invoking a tool/option from the Ribbon, Menu Bar, Quick Access Toolbar, Tool Palettes, Application menu, toolbars, Status Bar, and Command prompt are enclosed in a shaded box.

      Ribbon: Draw > Line

      Menu Bar: Draw > Line

      Tool Palettes: Draw > Line

      Toolbar: Draw > Line

      Command: LINE or L

      Example: The MOVE command

      Command: MOVE

      Select object: G

      Enter group name: Enter a group name (the group name is group1)

      Naming Conventions Used in the Textbook

      Tool

      If you click on an item in a toolbar or a panel of the Ribbon and a command is invoked to create/edit an object or perform some action, then that item is termed as tool, refer to Figure 1.

      For example:

      To Create: Line tool, Circle tool, Extrude tool

      To Edit: Fillet tool, Array tool, Stretch tool

      Action: Zoom tool, Move tool, Copy tool

      If you click on an item in a toolbar or a panel of the Ribbon and a dialog box is invoked wherein you can set the properties to create/edit an object, then that item is also termed as tool, refer to Figure 1.

      For example:

      To Create: Define Attributes tool, Create tool, Insert tool

      To Edit: Edit Attributes tool, Block Editor tool

      tools.pcx

      Figure 1 Various tools in the Ribbon

      Button

      If you click on an item in a toolbar or a panel of the Ribbon and the display of the corresponding object is toggled on/off, then that item is termed as Button. For example, Grid button, Snap button, Ortho button, Properties button, Tool Palettes button, and so on; refer to Figure 2.

      Snap3.pcx

      Snap2.pcx

      Figure 2 Various buttons displayed in the Status Bar and Ribbon

      The item in a dialog box that has a 3d shape like a button is also termed as Button. For example, OK button, Cancel button, Apply button, and so on.

      Dialog Box

      The naming conventions used for the components in a dialog box are mentioned in Figure 3.

      dialog_box_n.pcx

        Figure 3 The components of a dialog box

      Drop-down

      A drop-down is the one in which a set of common tools are grouped together. You can identify a drop-down with a down arrow on it. These drop-downs are given a name based on the tools grouped in them. For example, Circle drop-down, Fillet/Chamfer drop-down, Create Light drop-down, and so on; refer to Figure 4.

      Drop-down.pcxdrop-down-1.pcx

      drop-down-3.pcx

      Figure 4 The Circle, Fillet/Chamfer, and Create Light drop-downs

      Drop-down List

      A drop-down list is the one in which a set of options are grouped together. You can set various parameters using these options. You can identify a drop-down list with a down arrow on it. To know the name of a drop-down list, move the cursor over it; its name will be displayed as a tool tip. For example, Lineweight drop-down list, Linetype drop-down list, Object Color drop-down list, Visual Styles drop-down list, and so on; refer to Figure 5.

      Drop-down%20list.pcx

      Figure 5 The Lineweight and Visual Styles drop-down lists

      Options

      Options are the items that are available in shortcut menu, drop-down list, Command prompt, Properties panel, and so on. For example, choose the Properties option from the shortcut menu displayed on right-clicking in the drawing area, refer to Figure 6.

      Tools and Options in Menu Bar

      A menu bar consists of both tools and options. As mentioned earlier, the term tool is used to create/edit something or to perform some action. For example, in Figure 7, the item Box has been used to create a box shaped surface, therefore it will be referred to as the Box tool.

      Similarly, an option in the menu bar is the one that is used to set some parameters. For example, in Figure 7, the item Linetype has been used to set/load the linetype, therefore it will be referred to as an option.

      options.pcxoptions-1.pcx

      Figure 6 Options in the shortcut menu and the Properties palette

      Snap18.pcx

      Snap19.pcx

      Figure 7 Tools and options in the menu bar

      Free Companion Website

      It has been our constant endeavor to provide you the best textbooks and services at affordable price. In this endeavor, we have come out with a Free Companion website that will facilitate the process of teaching and learning of AutoCAD 2016. If you purchase this textbook, you will get access to the files on the Companion website.

      The following resources are available for the faculty and students in this website:

      Faculty Resources

      • Technical Support

      The faculty can get online technical support by contacting techsupport@cadcim.com.

      • Instructor Guide

      Solutions to all review questions and exercises in th textbook are provided in this link to help the faculty members test the skills of the students.

      • PowerPoint Presentations

      These slides provide the basis for a lecture outline and help you present concepts and material. The key points and concepts can be graphically highlighted for student retention.

      • Part Files

      The part files used in illustrations, examples, and exercises are available for free download.

      • Drawing Files

      The drawing files used in examples and exercises.

      Student Resources

      • Technical Support

      You can get online technical support by contacting techsupport@cadcim.com.

      • Part Files

      The part files used in illustrations and examples are available for free download.

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      Chapter 1

      The User Coordinate

      System

      Learning Objectives

      After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

      • Understand the concept of World Coordinate System (WCS)

      • Understand the concept of User Coordinate System (UCS)

      • Control the display of UCS icon

      • Change the current UCS icon type

      • Use the UCS command

      • Dynamically move and align the UCS

      • Understand different options for changing UCS using the UCS tool

      • Change UCS using the Dynamic UCS button

      • Manage UCS through the UCS dialog box

      • Understand different system variables related to the UCS and the UCS icon

      Key Terms 

      • UCS Icon

      • UCS

      • UCS Manager

      The USER Coordinate System (UCS)

      When you start a new drawing in AutoCAD, the world coordinate (WCS) system is established by default. The objects you draw uses the WCS to locate itself in the drawing space. In WCS, the X, Y, and Z coordinates of any point are measured with respect to the fixed origin (0,0,0). By default this origin is located at the lower left corner of the screen, by nature this coordinate system is fixed and can not be moved. Generally 2D drawings, wireframe models, and surface models can be created in WCS but in the case of solid models it is not possible to keep the origin and the orientation of the X, Y, and Z axes at the same place every time. The reason for this is that in case you want to create a feature on the top face of an existing model you will need to shift the working plane to the top face of the model. This can be done by using Elevation option of the ELEV command, see Figure 1-1. But, on using the ELEV command, it is not possible to create a feature on the faces other than the top and bottom faces of an existing model.

      13667.jpg

      Figure 1-1 Creating a new feature on the top face

      This problem can be solved by the user coordinate system (UCS). Using the UCS, you can relocate and reorient the origin and X, Y, and Z axes and establish your own coordinate system, depending on your requirement. The UCS is mostly used in 3D drawings, where you may need to specify points that vary from each other along the X, Y, and Z axes. It is also useful for relocating the origin or rotating the X and Y axes in 2D work, such as ordinate dimensioning, drawing auxiliary views, or controlling the hatch alignment. The UCS and its icon can be modified using the UCSICON and UCS commands. After reorienting the UCS, you can create a feature on any of the face of an existing model; see Figure 1-2.

      13635.jpg

      Figure 1-2 Creating a new feature on the side face

      Controlling the Visibility of the UCS Icon

      Ribbon: View > Viewport Tools > UCS Icon

      Menu Bar: View > Display > UCS Icon > On Command: UCSICON

      The UCS Icon tool is used to control the visibility and location of the UCS icon, which is a geometric representation of the directions of the current X, Y, and Z axes. AutoCAD displays different UCS icons in model space and paper space, as shown in Figures 1-3 and 1-4. By default, the UCS icon is displayed near the bottom left corner of the drawing area. You can change the location and visibility of this icon using the UCSICON command. The prompt sequence for the UCSICON command is given next.

      Enter an option [ON/OFF/All/Noorigin/ORigin/Selectable/Properties] : You can specify any option or press ENTER to accept the default option.

      13352.jpg

      Figure 1-3 The UCS icon in the Model space

      13384.jpg

      Figure 1-4 The UCS icon in the Paper space

      ON

      This option is used to display the UCS icon on the screen. You can also display the UCS icon by choosing the Show UCS Icon button from the Coordinates panel in the Home tab.

      OFF

      This option is used to make the UCS icon invisible from the screen. When you choose this option, the UCS icon will no longer be displayed on the screen. You can again turn on the display using the On option of the UCSICON command. Alternatively, choose the Hide UCS Icon button from the Coordinates panel in the Home tab to make the UCS icon invisible.

      All

      This option is used to apply changes to the UCS icon in all active viewports. If this option is not used, the changes will be applied only to the current viewport.

      Noorigin

      This option is used to display the UCS icon at the lower left corner of the viewport, irrespective of the actual location of the origin of the current UCS. Alternatively, choose the Show UCS Icon at Origin button from the Coordinates panel in the Home tab.

      ORigin

      This option is used to place the UCS icon at the origin of the current UCS.

      Selectable

      This option allows you to control the selection of UCS. By default, UCS is selectable.

      Properties

      When you invoke this command, the UCS Icon dialog box will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-5. You can also display this dialog box by choosing the UCS Icon, Properties tool from the Coordinates panel in the Home tab. The options in this dialog box are discussed next.

      UCS icon style Area

      The options in this section are discussed next.

      c24sc50.pcx

              Figure 1-5 The UCS Icon dialog box

      3D. If this radio button is selected, the 3D UCS icon will be displayed in the model space. By default this option is already selected.

      2D. If this radio button is selected, the 2D UCS icon will be displayed instead of the 3D UCS icon, see Figure 1-6.

      Line width. This drop-down list provides the width value that can be assigned to the 3D UCS icon. The default value for the line width is 1. This drop-down list will not be available if the 2D radio button is selected.

      15448.jpg

                                                                                                                                                                               Figure 1-6 2D UCS icon at the World position

      UCS icon color Area

      The UCS icon color area in this dialog box has two drop-down lists, Model space icon color and Layout tab icon color. The options of these drop-down lists are used to change the color of the UCS icon. By default, the color in the Model space is black and in the Layout is Color 160. You can assign any color to the UCS icon. By default, there are seven colors in first and eight colors in second drop-down list. However, you can also select a color from the Select Color dialog box which will be displayed after you select Select Color from the Model space icon color drop-down list or the Layout tab icon color drop-down list.

      Defining the New UCS

      Ribbon: Visualize > Coordinates > UCS Toolbar: UCS

      Menu Bar: Tools > New UCS Command: UCS

      The UCS tool is used to set a new coordinate system by shifting the working plane (XY plane) to the desired location. For certain views of the drawing, it is better to have the origin of measurements at some other point on or relative to your drawing objects. This makes locating the features and dimensioning the objects easier. The change in the UCS can be viewed by the change in the position and orientation of the UCS icon, which is placed by default at the lower left corner of the drawing window. The origin and orientation of a coordinate system can be redefined by using the UCS command. Alternatively, choose the UCS tool from the Coordinates panel. The prompt sequence after choosing this tool is given next:

      Current ucs name: *WORLD*

      Specify origin of UCS or [Face/NAmed/OBject/Previous/View/World/X/Y/Z/ZAxis] : Select an option.

      If the UCSFOLLOW system variable is set to 0, any change in the UCS will not affect the drawing view.

      If you choose the default option of the UCS tool, you can establish a new coordinate system by specifying a new origin point, a point on the positive side of the new X axis, and a point on the positive side of the new Y axis. The direction of the Z axis is determined by applying the right-hand rule, about which you will learn in the next chapter. This option changes the orientation of the UCS to any angled surface. The prompt sequence that will follow is given next.

      Specify origin of UCS or [Face/NAmed/OBject/Previous/View/World/X/Y/Z/ZAxis]

      : Specify the origin point of the new UCS.

      Specify point on X-axis or : Specify a point on the positive portion of the X axis.

      Specify point on the XY plane or : Specify a point on the positive portion of the Y axis to define the orientation of the UCS completely.

      In AutoCAD, you can directly manipulate the UCS as per your requirement. This implies that you can easily move the origin of UCS, align the UCS with objects, or rotate it around X, Y, and Z axis without invoking the UCS command. You can also move the UCS and place it at the desired location without using any command. To do so, select the UCS; the grips are displayed on it. Place the cursor on the rectangular grip displayed at the intersection of three axes of UCS; a shortcut menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-7.

      c24scxx.pcx

      Figure 1-7 UCS shortcut menu

      Choose the Move and Align option from the shortcut menu; the UCS will be displayed attached to the cursor. You can move the UCS to any point but you can align it only with the face of a 3D object, surface, or mesh. To align the UCS, move it to any point on the face of a 3D object, surface, or mesh; the face gets highlighted and the UCS automatically aligns with the orientation of that face, surface, or mesh, as shown in Figure 1-8.

      c24scxx2.pcx

      Figure 1-8 UCS aligned to the highlighted face

      In case of a curved surface, the UCS will get aligned in such a way that the Z-axis becomes normal to the surface at the specified point. After aligning the UCS to the selected face, you can change the direction of X axis, Y axis, or Z axis dynamically. You can also use the shortcut menu displayed on placing the cursor on the X, Y, or Z grip.

      If you choose World from the UCS shortcut menu, then the UCS will move and align to the World Coordinate System. The World Coordinate System is discussed next.

      Note

      Depending upon the type of UCS required, you can choose the corresponding tools available in the Coordinates panel of the Home tab.

      A null response to the point on the X or Y axis prompt will lead to a coordinate system, in which the X or Y axis of the new UCS is parallel to that of the previous UCS.

      W (World) Option

      With this option, you can set the current UCS back to the WCS, which is the default coordinate system. When the UCS is placed at the world position, a small rectangle is displayed at the point where all the three axes meet in the UCS icon, see Figure 1-9 (a). If the UCS is moved from its default position, this rectangle is no longer displayed, indicating that the UCS is not at the world position, as shown in Figure 1-9(b).

      Note

      If 2D UCS icon is selected instead of 3D UCS icon and if the UCS is not at the world position; the W icon will not be displayed.

      12725.jpg12716.jpg

      Figure 1-9 UCS at the world position and UCS not at the world position

      F (Face) Option

      This option is used to align a new ucs with the selected face of a solid object. You can invoke this option by choosing the Face tool from the Align UCS drop-down in the Coordinates panel, as shown in Figure 1-10. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose this tool is given next.

      c24sc00002.pcx

      Figure 1-10 The Face tool in the Align UCS drop-down

      Select face of solid, surface, or mesh: Select the face to align the UCS.

      Enter an option [Next/Xflip/Yflip] : Select an option or accept the selected face to align.

      The Next option is used to locate the new UCS on the adjacent face or the back face of the selected edge. Xflip rotates the new UCS by 180-degree about the X axis and Yflip rotates it about the Y axis. Pressing ENTER at the Enter an option [Next/Xflip/Yflip] accepts the location of the new UCS as specified.

      OB (OBject) Option

      With the OB (OBject) option of the UCS tool, you can establish a new coordinate system by selecting an object in the drawing. However, some of the objects such as 3D polyline, 3D mesh, viewport object, or xline cannot be used for defining a UCS. The positive Z axis of the new UCS is in the same direction as the positive Z axis of the object selected. If the X and Z axes are given, the new Y axis is determined by the right-hand rule. You can also invoke this option by choosing the Object tool from the Align UCS drop-down in the Coordinates panel. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose this tool is given next.

      Select object to align UCS: Select the object to align the UCS.

      In Figure 1-11, the UCS is relocated using the OBject option and is aligned to the circle. The origin and the X axis of the new UCS are determined by the following rules:

      3987.jpg

      Figure 1-11 Relocating the UCS using a circle

      Arc

      When you select an arc, its center becomes the origin for the new UCS. The X axis passes through the endpoint of the arc that is closest to the point selected on the object.

      Circle/Cylinder/Ellipse

      The center of the circle becomes the origin of the new UCS, and the X axis passes through the point selected on the object (Figure 1-12).

      3955.jpg

      Figure 1-12 UCS at a new location

      Line/Mline/Ray/Leader

      The new UCS origin is the endpoint of the line nearest to the point selected on the line. The X axis is defined so that the line lies on the XY plane of the new UCS. Therefore, in the new UCS, the Y coordinate of the second endpoint of the line is 0.

      Note

          The linear edges of solid models or regions are considered as individual lines when selected to align a UCS.

      Spline

      The origin of the new UCS is the endpoint of the spline that is nearest to the point selected on the spline. An imaginary line will be drawn between the two endpoints of the spline and the X axis will be aligned along this imaginary line.

      Trace

      The origin of the new UCS is the "start point" of the trace. The new X axis lies along the direction of the selected trace.

      Dimension

      The middle point of the dimension text becomes the new origin. The X axis direction is identical to the direction of the X axis of the UCS that existed when the dimension was drawn.

      Point

      The position of the point is the origin of the new UCS. The directions of the X, Y, and Z axes will be same as those of the previous UCS.

      Solid

      The origin of the new UCS is the first point of the solid. The X axis of the new UCS lies along the line between the first and second points of the solid.

      2D Polyline

      The start point of the polyline or polyarc is treated as the new UCS origin. The X axis extends from the start point to the next vertex.

      3D Face

      The first point of the 3D face determines the new UCS origin. The X axis is determined by using the first two points, and the positive side of the Y axis is determined by the first and fourth points for a flat rectangular face. For a flat planar face, the X axis will always be parallel to the edge through which the UCS is moved on the face. The Z axis is determined by applying the right-hand rule.

      Shape/Text/Insert/Attribute/Attribute Definition

      The insertion point of the object becomes the new UCS origin. The new X axis is defined by the rotation of the object around its positive Z axis. Therefore, the object you select will have a rotation angle of zero in the new UCS.

      Tip

      Except for 3D faces, the XY plane of the new UCS will be parallel to the XY plane of the object when it was drawn. However, X and Y axes may be rotated.

      V (View) Option

      The V (View) option of the UCS tool is used to define a new UCS whose XY plane is parallel to the current viewing plane. The current viewing plane, in this case, is the screen of the monitor. Therefore, a new UCS is defined that is parallel to the screen of the monitor. The origin of the UCS defined in this option remains unaltered. This option is used mostly to view a drawing from an oblique viewing direction or to write text for the objects on the screen. You can also invoke this option by choosing the View tool from the Align UCS drop-down in the Coordinates panel. As soon as you choose this tool, a new UCS is defined parallel to the screen of the monitor.

      X/Y/Z

      With these options, you can rotate the current UCS around the desired axis. You can specify the angle by entering the angle value at the required prompt or by selecting two points on the screen with the help of a pointing device. You can specify a positive or a negative angle. The new angle is taken relative to the X axis of the existing UCS. The UCSAXISANG system variable stores the default angle by which the UCS is rotated around the specified axis, by using the X/ Y/ Z options of the New option of the UCS tool. The right-hand thumb rule is used to determine the positive direction of rotation of the selected axis. You can also invoke the corresponding option by choosing the X/Y/Z button from the Rotate UCS drop-down in the Coordinates panel, as shown in Figure 1-13. However, in AutoCAD, you can rotate the UCS dynamically using the grips and shortcut menu.

      c24sc025.pcx

      Figure 1-13 Tools in the Rotate UCS drop-down

      X

      In Figure 1-14, the UCS is rotated using the X option by specifying an angle about the X axis at the command prompt. The first model shows the UCS setting before the UCS was relocated and the second model shows the relocated UCS. You can also choose the X tool from the Rotate UCS drop-down in the Coordinates panel. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose the X tool is given next.

      9279.jpg

      Figure 1-14 Rotating the UCS about the X axis

      Specify rotation angle about X axis <90>: Specify the rotation angle.

      Alternatively, you can dynamically rotate the UCS about the X axis by following the steps given below:

      1. Click on the UCS in the drawing area to select it.

      2. Move the cursor to the grip of the Y or Z axis; a shortcut menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-15.

      3. Choose the Rotate Around X Axis option from the shortcut menu and then rotate the UCS dynamically. You can also enter the desired rotation angle in the edit box attached to the cursor.

      c24scxx3.pcx

      Figure 1-15 Shortcut menu for UCS rotation

      Y

      In Figure 1-16, the UCS is rotated using the Y option by specifying an angle about the Y axis. The first model shows the UCS setting before the UCS was relocated and the second model shows the relocated UCS. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose the Y tool from the Rotate UCS drop-down is given next.

      Specify rotation angle about Y axis <90>: Specify the angle.

      Alternatively, you can dynamically rotate the UCS about the Y axis by following the steps given below:

      1. Click on the UCS in the drawing area to select it.

      2. Move the cursor to the grip of the X or Z axis.

      3. Choose the Rotate Around Y Axis option from the shortcut menu and rotate the UCS dynamically or specify the desired angle.

      4241.jpg

      Figure 1-16 Rotating the UCS about the Y axis 

      Z

      In Figure 1-17, the UCS is rotated using the Z option by specifying an angle about the Z axis. The first model shows the UCS setting before the UCS was rotated and the second model shows the rotated UCS. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose the Z tool from the Rotate UCS drop-down is given next.

      Specify rotation angle about Z axis <90>: Specify the angle.

      Alternatively, you can dynamically rotate the UCS about the Z axis by following the steps given below:

      1. Click on the UCS in the drawing area to select it.

      2. Move the cursor to the grip of the X or Y axis.

      3. Choose the Rotate Around Z Axis option from the shortcut menu and rotate the UCS dynamically or specify the desired rotation angle.

      Note

      You can rotate the UCS about any axis also by using the options in the shortcut menu displayed on right-clicking on the UCS. To do so, move the cursor on the Rotate Axis sub-menu in the shortcut menu and then choose the required option.

      15914.jpg

      Figure 1-17 Rotating the UCS about the Z axis

      ZA (ZAxis) Option

      This option is used to change the coordinate system by selecting the origin point of the XY plane and a point on the positive Z axis. After you specify a point on the Z axis, AutoCAD determines the X and Y axes of the new coordinate system accordingly. The prompt sequence that will follow when you choose the Z Axis Vector tool from the Coordinates panel is given next.

      Specify new origin point or [Object] <0,0,0>: Specify the origin point, as shown in Figure 1-18.

      Specify point on positive portion of Z-axis : @ 0,-1,0

      Now, the front face of the model will become the new work plane (Figure 1-19) and all the new objects will be oriented accordingly. If you give a null response to the Specify point on positive portion of Z axis prompt, the Z axis of the new coordinate system will be parallel to (in the same direction as) the Z axis of the previous coordinate system. Null responses to the origin point and the point on the positive Z axis establish a new coordinate system in which the direction of the Z axis is identical to that of the previous coordinate system; however, the X and Y axes may be rotated around the Z axis. The positive Z axis direction is also known as the extrusion direction.

      When the Object option is selected at the Specify new origin point or [Object] <0,0,0> prompt, then you will be prompted to select an object. Select an open object and the UCS will be placed at the end point nearest to the point of the object selection, with its Z-axis along the tangent direction at that end point and pointing away from the object.

      12892.jpg

      Figure 1-18 Specifying a point on the origin

      12860.jpg

      Figure 1-19 Relocating the UCS using the ZA option

      Previous Option

      The Previous option is used to restore the current UCS settings to the previous UCS settings. AutoCAD saves the last ten UCS settings. You can go back to the previous ten UCS settings in the current space using the Previous option. If the TILEMODE is off, the last ten coordinate systems in paper space and in model space are saved. You can also invoke this option by choosing the UCS, Previous tool from the Coordinates panel. When you choose this tool, the previous UCS settings are automatically restored.

      NAmed Option

      This option is used to name and save the current UCS settings, restore a previously saved UCS setting, view a previously saved UCS list, and delete the saved UCS from the list. The prompt sequence for this option is given next.

      Command: UCS

      Current ucs name: *WORLD*

      Specify origin of UCS or [Face/NAmed/OBject/Previous/View/World/X/Y/Z/ZAxis]

      : NA

      Enter an option [Restore/Save/Delete/?]: Enter an option.

      Depending on your requirement, you can select any one of the following options:

      Restore Option

      The Restore option of the UCS command is used to restore a previously saved named UCS. Once it is restored, it becomes the current UCS. However, the viewing direction of the saved UCS is not restored. You can also restore a named UCS by selecting it from the UCS dialog box that appears when you invoke the UCS, Named UCS tool from the Coordinates panel. As this option does not have a button to restore the Named UCS, you need to choose this option by using the UCS command at the Command prompt. The prompt sequence that will follow when you invoke the UCS command is given next.

      Enter an option [Restore/Save/Delete/?]: R

      Enter name of UCS to restore or [?]: Specify the name of UCS or ENTER to list all the UCS

      You can specify the name of the UCS to be restored or list the UCSs that can be restored by entering

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