AutoCAD 2011

CAD LAB I Sixth Semester B.Tech Civil Engineering SNGCE

Prepared by REMITH R NITHIN V SABU

CAD Vs AutoCAD

Computer Aided Design

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AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982

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Starting the Program

Locate and click on the AutoCAD icon or use the Start Menu to find the program and start it.

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AutoCAD
Key Terms

Drawing Name Standard Toolbar Pull-down Menu Headings

Optional Toolbar Locations

GRAPHICAL DISPLAY WINDOW

Coordinate Display

COMMAND LINE

Status Line

Cursor

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Drawing Area

The large area in the center of the screen. This is where you draw. The size can be changed at any time.

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Workspaces

AutoCAD 2009onwards, a new screen layout was added. the screen will look different if you are working on 2D than it will with 3D work. AutoCAD Classic -screen looked as the versions 2000-2008

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Command Line

The three lines at the bottom of the screen. This is where you enter commands and AutoCAD will prompt you to input information. The number of lines visible can be changed.

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The Command Line Box

There are two basic ways to input a command:

The command line Clicking on a command icon. The command icons will execute the appropriate text based command on the command line

Additionally some commands have a keyboard shortcut option that normally involves the cntrl or alt keys on the keyboard The command line box size can be changed to show more or fewer command lines.
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Status Bar

Displays your current settings. The settings can be turned on/off by clicking on the word (SNAP, GRID, ORTHO, etc) or by pressing the function keys associated with each.

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More Grid and Snap

It is very common to change the settings for grid and snap often when creating a drawing. Grid and Snap (and other drafting settings) can be enabled by clicking on the Status Line buttons at the bottom of the AutoCAD window. These also toggle on and off with keyboard shortcuts.
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Setting Grid and Snap Dimensions

Drawing accuracy is extremely important in engineering graphics. Grid and Snap are two of several commands that help us to ensure accuracy. An input window is available by using the tools pull-down menu and selecting Drafting Settings. You can also use the separate command line commands snap and grid. Input the parameters that you want to start with. (Eg.:Use a Grid of 1,and a Snap of 0.5)
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Object snap

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Ortho

Polar

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Selection

RIGHT TO LEFT-> CROSSING SELECTION=SECLECTS ANY OBJECT

THAT EITHER CROSSES THE BOUNDARY OR IS INSIDE IT

LEFT TO RIGHT->WINDOW SELCTION=SELECTS ON OBJECTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY WITHIN THE BOX
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CrossHairs/ Cursor

The movement is controlled by the movement of the pointing device (mouse). Use to locate points, make selections and draw objects.

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LWT

Lineweight displays the width assigned to each object.

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Working With Toolbars

AutoCAD has quite few different predefined toolbars. You can access them by right clicking on any visible toolbar You can edit the toolbars to meet your own preferences. You can explore this option on your own.

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Setting Up The Drawing Environment

This normally involves a couple of steps.

Defining the units Defining drawing limits Setting grid and snap dimensions Using other Drafting Settings

Note that you can redefine these items at anytime.

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Defining Units

Either type units on the command line or use the pull-down menu for format and select units For LENGTH units, select the type and precision. For ANGLE units, select the type, precision, and direction of measure. The drag-and-drop scale is where you select the unit system. Click on the OK button when done.
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Define Drawing Limits

This defines the extent of the drawing in the units of the object you are drawing. Since we are drawing full scale, this should be big enough to include all parts of your drawing. This can be changed later if you decide to go larger with your drawing. Type limits on the command line or use the format pull down menu and select Drawing Limits
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Drawing Limits (continued)

A prompt appears on the command line for you to input the coordinates of the lower left corner of the drawing limits. If the point is within the current view, you can point and click on the location of the lower limit. Otherwise, you can type in the coordinate pair for the point. The next prompt asks for the upper right corner coordinates. Again, you can either point and click or type in the coordinate pair.

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Coordinates

At the bottom left of the AutoCAD. Move your cursor around the drawing area and watch the coordinate change. Toggle snap on and off and watch the difference in the way the coordinates change as you move the cursor. Toggle three different coordinate modes with the f6 keyboard key.

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Using the Help function

AutoCAD has a good command reference in its help function. This presentation will not duplicate that reference. You should frequently refer to the command reference as you learn the various commands. Some practical pointers are added here that may not be easily encountered in the command reference.
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Basic Commands

The Draw Toolbar

Lines L Polylines Circles C Arcs A

The Modify Toolbar

MI- Mirror CHA- Chamfer

Erase Copy Move Offset Fillet Array Trim Extend

E CO M O F TR EX
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Start the Drawing

Open AutoCAD or a new drawing Save the file as yourname.dwg in your directory [D:\C6\{ur name}] Set the length type to decimal, precision to 0.00, and the drag-and-drop scale to centimeters or suitable one Set the limits to:

Bottom left to 0,0 Top Right to 297,210 for A4 or suitable one Enter zoom on the command line z Enter e (for extents) Dept. of Civil Engg.,SNGCE Kolenchery

To set the view area to drawing limits:

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Drawing Lines

Either type line on the command line or click on the line icon in the draw toolbar. Lines can be drawn by point and click.

Can keep an eye on the coordinates display to make sure that you get what you want.

Lines can be specified by their end point coordinates.

Type in the coordinates on the command line

Lines can be specified by their first point coordinates, then by an distance and angle.

Select starting point, type in @distance<angle Example: @5<45 would go 5 units at a 45 degree angle Dept. of Civil Engg.,SNGCE Kolenchery 30

Draw&Modify

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The Copy Command

The copy command is used to make a single duplicate of an entity or group of entities. Click on copy icon in the modify menu and follow the instructions on the command line. Note that copy offsets may be independent of the actual line.

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Layers

Layers are used to organize drawings. It is necessary to control the drawing and turn some layers off and view only the ones you want. You will be creating a layer for the dimensions, one for the objects (lines that were drawn) and another for the text. Start the LAYERcommand (LA).
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Dimensioning

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hatch

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Selecting Objects

AutoCAD has several ways to select objects.

Click on each object that you want to select. Make a window that encloses all the objects that you want to select.

Click on the lower or upper LEFT corner of desired window area Click on the opposite corner of the window area

Make a boundary that selects every thing that is within the boundary and that CROSSES the boundary.

Click on the lower or upper RIGHT corner of desired window area Click on the opposite corner of the window area
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More drawing

Follow the instructor through the process of creating the objects shown on the handout. You will learn to use several more draw and modify commands in the process.

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Plotting your Drawing Select File>Plot

Select Plot Device and choose HP laser printer Select Plot Settings tab Under Plot Area, choose Limits Under Plot Scale, choose 1:1 Under Plot Offset, choose Center Click Full Preview, then if OK, R-click >Plot

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Function Keys

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6

HELP FLIPSCREEN OSNAP TABLET ISOPLANE COORDINATE DISPLAY

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Function Keys Cont.

F7 F8 F9 F10 F11

GRID ORTHO SNAP POLAR OTRACK

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Special Function Keys

ESC- Cancels the current command, menu, or dialog box. ENTER- Ends a command; or will repeat the previous command if the command line is blank SPACE BAR- Same as the end key except when entering text.

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Coordinate Display (F6)

In the ABSOLUTE mode: Displays the location of the crosshairs/ cursor in reference to the origin. The first number represents the horizontal (x axis) and the second number represents the vertical (y axis). In RELATIVE POLAR mode: displays the distance and angle of the cursor from the last point entered.

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SNAP (F9)

Increment Snap controls the movement of the cursor. If it is off the cursor will move smoothly. If it is ON, the cursor will jump in an incremental movement. The increment spacing can be changed, at any time using TOOLS/DRAFTING SETTINGS. The default spacing is .250

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GRID (F7)

The grid is merely a visual drawing aid. The default spacing is 1 unit. You may change the grid spacing at any time using: TOOLS/DRAFTING SETTINGS.

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ORTHO (F8)

When ORTHO is ON, the cursor movement is restricted to horizontal or vertical. When ORTHO is OFF, the cursor is free to move.

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POLAR (F10)

POLAR TRACKING creates alignment paths at specified angles.

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OSNAP (F3)

RUNNING OBJECT SNAP- specific object snaps can be set to stay active until you turn them off.

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OTRACK (F11)

OBJECT SNAP TRACKING creates alignment paths at precise positions using object snap locations.

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MODEL

Switches your drawing between paper space and model space.

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BPOLY

Common types to bring up the boundary box. Also used to make line segments for 1 uniform shape.

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LIST

Used to get database info for an object.

Layer Space Center Point Radius Start Angle End Angle Length of line or arc
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Multiple Drawing Environments: MDE

You can open as many files as you have memory for. Like other Windows documents, you can work in any drawing by minimizing or maximizing the screen. You can only copy, match properties and move in MDE.

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Lineweights

Set by layers LWT- turns them on or off

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Filenames

Dont use spaces if possible.

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LISP

Programs allow you to combine math and AutoCAD functions and use products in your CAD drawings.

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External Reference (XREF)

Used to share common objects. Can bring an object from outside and put on screen, but not into drawing. You cant change on screen. Can only be changed at the network server origin.

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XREF

Attach- attach to drawing Detach- discard from drawing Reload- made change from server, hit reload, and it picks up the current changes. Bind- becomes a block and not an xref. (Becomes part of the drawing.)

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When to bind an XREF

When you cant non-global changes. When you send work to a client.

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Linetype Codes

Linetypes start with the letter A A stands for alignment field A positive number represents the length of a dash A negative number represents the length of a space A dot will give you a space
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Plotting

#1 (color), #1 (lwt) #2 (color), #2 (lwt) Plot style/ select form view/ color #1, lwt #1, color #2, lwt #2

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Plot Units= Drawing Units

=1 1 /8=1 =1

1=48 1=96 1=24

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Stuff you should know/ understand

MView= creates viewport in paper space set aperture size= Tools/options/selection Vmax= zoom max view you can get without regeneration Nested Block= block within a block If no is used, when you select text to edit, where does the grip show up?

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Stuff you should know cont.

In layer names do not use dots. A view is a saved zoom in AutoCAD Items that can be used in naming items

Numbers Letters Underscores Hyphens

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