AUTOCAD 3D

1.0 CUSTOMISING AUTOCAD FOR 3D

Prior to drawing in 3D you have to customize the AutoCAD interface. The subsequent need to be adjusted to
obtain a suitable screen:

- Start ACAD and switch workspaces to 3D modeling. Drag the common line and fit at the bottom of the
screen.
- Set the menu bar; Type menubar and set to 1. Once you see the menu bar you will be able to access
lots of functions directly or through pull-down menus.

- Find Options in the tool menu and Set the display to white.

- Type –toolbar and activate the following toolbars:

1. Draw
2. Modify
3. Dimension
4. Text
5. View
6. 3D Navigation Essential 3D Tools
7. Visual Styles

- Choose a 3D view to view your drawing i.e SW Isometric. In menu bar, select view, and select
SWIsometric.

- Set the grid to OFF

- Disable the visual transition effects, set the startup and filedia to 1.

- Set the navvcube to off. (View cube)

- Set the navbar to ON. (Navigation bar).

- Select the visual style that will suit your first drawing i.e. wireframe.

- Set the UCS icon to noorigin BY typing UCSICON and choosing noorigin.

- Set the background to white i.e. RGB to 255,255,255.

- Save as My First 3D Style in workspaces switching.

Essential 3D toolbars
You see your AutoCAD screen change to 3D mode. Note the difference in the Ribbon. It now has a full
complement of 3D tools available under multiple tabs (Solid, Surface, Mesh, Render, etc.) while retaining some
essential 2D tools.

It is very useful to have 3D toolbars on your screen in addition to the Ribbon while you are learning 3D. Despite
the overlapping redundancy between the Ribbon and toolbars, a few commands are still found only in the
toolbars, so we build a collection of them as we go. If you prefer the Ribbon, you can start eliminating the
toolbars after getting acquainted with them as they are introduced.

It is worth noting that, although you have less and less typing to do in 3D, a few commands are still available
only via this method. Also, do not forget, you still have the cascading menus with full 3D tools as an alternative
to all of these, in many cases. This covers all four primary methods of interacting with AutoCAD in 3D. As you
can see, except for more of an emphasis on graphical inputs (Ribbon and toolbars), the methods remain the
same as in 2D.

It is also highly recommended that your crosshairs are size 100 in 3D, as this helps a lot with visualizing what
you are doing and where in 3D space you are. As a reminder, you can change this under the Display tab. Just as
important, you need your UCS icon. In 2D, you may have been tempted to turn it off (it was one of the tips
early in Level 1), but here you need it to know where you are in 3D space, and you really cannot work without
it.

To adjust the crosshairs size: type Cursorsize and set to 100 (or Tools Options, Display, Crosshairs size slider).

Essential 3D toolbars