AutoCAD Mini Tutorial

Setting Up AutoCAD: In the Start Menu, select Programs > Autodesk > AutoCAD 2007 > AutoCAD 2007. If a green dialogue box appears, select AutoCAD Default or AutoCAD Classic and click Ok. If it then asks to show you new features, select No and click Ok. In the pull-down menu at the upper left, select AutoCAD Classic (not 3D Modeling). nder the Views menu, select 3D Views ! o!. "hen select Visual "t#le ! 2D $ireframe nder the ools menu, select Drafting "ettings. Select the "na! and %rid tab. #heck "na! On and %rid On. Set %rid "!acing to $.% and "na! "!acing to %.&. nder %rid &e'a(ior check Dis!la# %rid &e#ond )imits and uncheck Ada!ti(e %rid. 'ext select the O*+ect "na! tab. #heck that O*+ect "na! On is not selected. #lick Ok, In the hori(ontal menu bar at the upper right of the screen there are three tabs labeled &# )a#er. Select the left tab (line color-red) and the right tab (lineweig't-0,0.). 'ote that lines ha)ing the wrong weight or color will not cut properly on the lasercutter.

Drawing Shapes: *our drawing space is now set up so that e)ery grid line (spacing between dots) is $.% cm. "he cursor can mo)e in %.& centimeter increments (set by "na! "!acing abo)e). *ou should fit your work within a +% cm wide by ,% cm tall space with parts placed closely together (%.& cm apart at closest points) starting in the lower left corner. -on.t place cut lines directly on top of each other. o Draw a /ectangle0 In the )ertical menu bar on the left, click on the rectangle with points on two corners. In the drawing area, click the cursor once to begin drawing a rectangle. -rag the mouse and then click to create the desired rectangle. In the )ertical menu bar on the left, click the button that shows a circle. In the drawing area, click the cursor once to begin drawing a rectangle. -rag the mouse and then click to create the desired circle. In the )ertical menu bar on the left, click line (uppermost button). In the drawing area, click once to begin. /ach click makes a new line segment. 0hen finished, press 1sc.
Copyright Paul Voss 2007

o Draw a Circle0

o Draw an Ar*itrar# "'a!e wit' )ines0

o Delete a "'a!e0 #lick and drag o)er the entire area to be deleted. 1r click on one line of a shape. 2ress the Delete key (not the backspace). Select Mo(e (four arrow icon) in the )ertical menu on the right. Select the item to be mo)ed. 3ight click mouse. Select a point on the item to be mo)ed. 4eft click mouse. Mo)e the ob5ect. 4eft click mouse.

o Mo(e a "'a!e0

o /eturn to Normal Drawing Mode6 2ress 1sc o )earn More6 se 7uto#7- help or an internet site such as http6!!www.cadtutor.net Printing a Paper Model: *ou can print paper models at any time and use them to make 8uick prototypes. *ou can cut the paper models with a mat knife or scissors, make folds, and tape the pieces together. 7lternati)ely, you can glue the printed page to a piece of chipboard and then cut it using a mat knife. 'ote that you may need to scale down your model fit it on a standard 9.& x $$ page. Select 2ile > Plot. In the Plot3Model box, select the printer in the pull-down menu. nder Plot "cale, unselect 2it to Pa!er. In the pull-down menu, select mm. 'ext to units, type in 4. 'ext to mm, type in 40. 'ow $ grid unit on the screen will be $ cm in length when printed. If you want to scale down you work (to fit in a page, for example), try typing in . next to mm, for example. "his would make $ unit grid unit print as %.& cm (half the si(e). nder Plot Area, select $indow from the pull-down menu. 0hen drawing window appears, click and drag a rectangle that encloses all your work. 1n the lower menu bar, click Pre(iew. If the page layout looks good, then close the pre)iew window using the red .x.. "o print, click Ok on the lower menu bar.

Saving and Printing to the Lasercutter: 7ll pieces should be close together to minimi(e waste and must fit in a +% cm wide by ,% cm tall rectangle. *ou will sa)e e)en more material and money if you can fit your work in a $& x ,% cm rectangle (any orientation). Select 2ile > "a(e. Sa)e your file on the h directory as name5num*er,dwg (e,g,6 simpson:,.dwg). #ontact the #-; staff to get your parts cut. See the website http6!!www.science.smith.edu!cdf!

Copyright Paul Voss 2007