Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AutoCAD Lab Manual PDF
AutoCAD Lab Manual PDF
Drawing Aids
Setting Drawing Units
Setting Grid Limits
Function Keys
Object Snap
Solved Exercises 81
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Introduction
AutoCAD is the most widely used design and drafting software in the world.
AutoCAD 2002 provides you with the capability to create complex and
accurate drawings. Its position as the industry standard makes it an essential
tool for anyone preparing for a career in engineering, design, or technology.
Because it is the industry standard, AutoCAD is the ideal cornerstone for your
design and drafting skill set. With knowledge of AutoCAD, you will find it easy
to add any number of a wide range of applications to create a complete
design environment suited to your needs.
3
Starting AutoCAD
From the Start Menu choose Programs. Then choose AutoCAD2002 from the
menu
OR
When you start AutoCAD the AutoCAD Today 2002 dialog box is displayed.
The dialog box provides you with two ways to start a drawing. You can
4
Start from the scratch : Opens a drawing based on the measurement
system you choose
English feet and inches
Metric millimeters
Wizards : Opens a drawing that you set up using either the Quick
Setup wizard or the Advanced Setup Wizard.
5
Metric : Creates a drawing based on metric measurement system. The
default drawing boundary is 429 x 297 millimeters.
6
To open a drawing
7
Menu Bar It contains the default AutoCAD menus. Menus are
defined by menu files that you can modify or design on
your own. The default menu file is acad.mnu. Menu bar
contains the Pull Down menus such as File, Edit, View,
Insert, Format etc.
Object Properties It enables you to set the properties of the objects such as
Toolbar Color, Linetype and Line-Weight and also manages
Layers.
Drawing Area It displays the drawing. The drawing area size varies,
depending on the size of the AutoCAD window and other
elements such as toolbars and dialog boxes that are
displayed.
8
Crosshairs Identifies pick and drawing points within the drawing area.
You can use the crosshairs, which are controlled by your
pointing device (such as mouse), to locate points and
select and draw objects. It also displays the current X, Y
and Z co-ordinate values as you move it.
9
Status Bar Displays the cursor coordinates in the lower left corner.
The status bar also contains buttons that can be used to
turn on/off the common drawing aids. These include
Snap, Grid, Ortho, Polar, Osnap etc.
MOUSE
The options from menus and toolbars can be selected by clicking them with
the mouse. Mouse can also be used to draw or to select objects on the
screen. With a two button mouse, the left button is a pick button used to
specify points on the screen. The right button either displays a shortcut menu
or is equivalent to pressing Enter. With a three button mouse, the middle
button either activates real-time panning or displays the Object Snap shortcut
menu.
INTELLIMOUSE
The IntelliMouse is a two button mouse with a small wheel between the
buttons. The left and right button behave in the same way as in a standard
mouse. The wheel can be used to zoom and pan in your drawing without
using any AutoCAD command.
10
SAVING DRAWINGS
When you are working on a drawing, you should save it frequently to avoid
loss of work.
To save a drawing.
2. In the dialog box under File Name, enter the name of the drawing
3. Choose save
11
CLOSING DRAWINGS
The close command closes the active drawing (in case you are working with
multiple drawings).
EXITING AUTOCAD
12
DRAWING AIDS
Introduction
Drawing with AutoCAD is just like drawing on a drawing board. Most new
comers to Computer Aided Design assume that they will need to learn how to
draw all over again. In fact, many of the drawing aids that AutoCAD provides
are analogous to traditional drafting tools. Just as you have a parallel motion
and set squares to help you draw horizontal and vertical lines on a drawing
board, AutoCAD has similar drawing aids which can help you to draw
horizontal and vertical lines on a computer. This means that in many respects,
the drawing techniques are very similar. If you ever get stuck, think how you
would complete a task on a drawing board and then look for a similar way to
do it with AutoCAD.
The drawing grid is a regular pattern of dots displayed on the screen which
acts as a visual aid, it is the equivalent of having a sheet of graph paper
behind your drawing on a drawing board. You can control the grid spacing, so
it can give you a general idea about the size of drawn objects. It can also be
used to define the extent of your drawing.
15
Setting the Grid Spacing
4. To use the same value for the Grid Y spacing, press Enter.
Otherwise enter a new value for Grid Y spacing.
5. Choose OK
Shortcut Menu
16
The Snap option allows you to automatically set the grid spacing to the
current snap spacing. You can also change the aspect ration of the grid. By
default, the X and Y spacing of the Grid are the same, resulting in a regular
square matrix of grid points. But if you need a grid with different X and Y you
can use the "Aspect" option.
Snap Mode
Snap mode takes AutoCAD one step further than the drawing board. With
Snap mode turned on AutoCAD only allows you to pick points which lie on a
regular grid. The Snap grid is completely independent of the display grid.
However, the Grid spacing and Snap spacing are usually set to the same
value to avoid confusion. When Snap mode is turned on and the Grid is
displayed, the Snap and Grid spacing are the same and the crosshairs will
jump from one grid point to another as you move across the screen. This
makes it very easy to draw objects which have a regular shape. The Snap
command is used to set the snap spacing and to toggle Snap mode.
The Snap can be turned ON/OFF by pressing the button on the status
bar.
Shortcut Menu
17
menu. Drafting Settings dialog box is displayed , which enables you to change
the value of the Snap. Enter the value of the Snap spacing press OK.
The "Aspect" option can be used to vary the horizontal and vertical snap
spacing independently. "Rotate" is used to set the snap grid to any angle.
You can also set the snap style to either Isometric or Standard (the default)
using the "Style" option. The Standard style is used for almost all drawing
situations including detail drawings in Orthographic Projection. The Isometric
style is specifically to aid the creation of drawings in Isometric Projection
Ortho Mode
Ortho is short for orthogonal, which means either vertical or horizontal. Like
the other options on the status bar, Ortho is not really a command, it is a
drawing mode which can either be turned on or off.
18
Setting Drawing Units
Every object that is drawn in AutoCAD is measured in units. You determine
the value of the units within AutoCAD before you draw. For example, in one
drawing, a unit might equal one millimeter, while in another drawing, a unit
might equal an inch. In AutoCAD we can set the Unit type and number of
decimal places for object length and angle. Drawing Unit settings control how
AutoCAD interprets the coordinate and angle entries and displays coordinates
and units in the drawing.
19
4. To specify an angle direction, choose Direction, and then select the
base angle in the Direction Control dialog box
The angle direction controls the point from which AutoCAD measures
angles and the direction in which they are measured. The default is 0
degrees on the right side of the figure, measured anticlockwise.
The dialog box is displayed and the units can be changed in the same way as
described above.
20
Specify upper right corner <420.0000,297.0000>:
(pick point, enter co-ordinates or to accept the default value)
The lower left corner corresponds to the lower left corner of the drawing area
and the upper right corner of the limits corresponds to the upper right corner
of the drawing area.
Drawing Limits can also be used to turn Limits mode on or off. Limits mode
can be used to control where objects can and cannot be drawn. Limits is
turned off by default which means that there is no restriction as to where
points can be picked and objects drawn. When Limits is on, AutoCAD will not
allow points to be picked or co-ordinates entered at the command line which
fall outside of the specified drawing limits. If you try to pick a point outside the
drawing limits when Limits mode is turned on, AutoCAD reports to the
command line:
**Outside limits
Limits mode is useful if you know the extent of your plotted drawing sheet and
you want to prevent objects being drawn outside of this area. However,
Drawing Limits is most commonly used simply to control the extent of the
Grid.
To Change the Grid limits from the Format menu, choose Drawing
Limits and the limits can be changed in the same way as discussed
above.
Note : After setting the grid limits, from the View menu, choose Zoom All.
The grid shows the area defined by the limits.
21
The Function Keys
Many of the modes described above can be controlled quickly using the
keyboard function keys. In most cases this is quicker than using a pull-down
or the command line. The function keys are arranged along the top of your
keyboard. AutoCAD uses function keys F1 to F11. The use function keys is
described below.
and Right
F7 Grid ON/OFF
F8 Ortho ON/OFF
F9 Snap ON/OFF
22
Object Snap
The Object Snaps (Osnaps for short) are drawing aids which are used in
conjunction with other commands to help you draw accurately. Osnaps allow
you to snap onto a specific object location when you are picking a point. For
example, using Osnaps you can accurately pick the end point of a line or the
center of a circle.
23
To use Object Snaps
The object snap buttons are located on the objects snap flyout on the
standard toolbar. Some of the important and most frequently used object
snaps are described below:
1. Endpoint :
The Endpoint Osnap snaps to the end points of
lines and arcs and to polyline vertices.
24
2. Midpoint :
The Midpoint Osnap snaps to the mid pionts of
lines and arcs and to the mid point of polyline
segments.
3. Intersection :
The Intersection Osnap snaps to the physical
intersection of any two drawing objects (i.e.
where lines, arcs or circles etc. cross each other)
and to Polyline vertices.
4. Center :
The Center Osnap snaps to the centre of a
circle, arc or polyline arc segment. The cursor
must pass over the circumference of the circle
or the arc so that the centre can be found.
5. Quadrant :
The Quadrant Osnap snaps to one of the four
circle quadrant points located at north, south,
east and west or 90, 270, 0 and 180 degrees
respectively.
6. Tangent :
The Tangent Osnap snaps to a tangent point on
a circle. This osnap works in two ways. You can
either draw a line from a point to the tangent
point or you can draw a line from a tangent point
or you can draw a line which is tangent to two
circles, arcs etc..
25
7. Perpendicular :
The Perpendicular Osnap snaps to a point
which forms a perpendicular with the selected
object. As with the Tangent Osnap,
Perpendicular can be used to draw a line to a
perpendicular point or from a perpendicular
point.
8. Parallel :
The Parallel Osnap is used to draw a line
parallel to any other line in your drawing. To
draw a parallel line, first start the Line
command, specify the first point when
prompted and then start the Parallel Osnap.
Hover the cursor over an existing line until you see the Parallel snap
marker. Now, move the cursor close to a parallel position and a dotted
line will appear, indicating the parallel. You can now pick the second
point of your line.
26
Using Co-ordinates
Introduction
A good understanding of how co-ordinates
work in AutoCAD is absolutely crucial if
you are to make the best use of the
program.
Co-ordinates fall into two types, namely
Cartesian and Polar. A basic
understanding of these co-ordinate types
will help you to use AutoCAD to construct
drawings more easily. They can be further
be classified as either Absolute or
Relative.
Cartesian Co-ordinates
The Cartesian co-ordinate system is the standard co-ordinate system. The
position of a point can be described by its distance from two axes, X and Y.
This results in a simple point description using two numbers separated by a
comma e.g. 34,45
29
co-ordinate value of the origin point is always 0,0. When viewed in plan the X
and Y axes are always perpendicular to one another with the X axis in a
horizontal position and the Y axis in a vertical position. Normally we work in
the positive quadrant. Although this is not essential for AutoCAD to operate, it
does tend to make life easier because we don't need to worry about negative
numbers.
Polar Co-ordinates
Polar co-ordinates achieve the same result i.e. the description of the position
of a point. The main difference is that polar co-ordinates use distance and
angle to describe the position of a point rather than the X and Y coordinates in
the Cartesian system. The distance and angle measurements are made
relative to an origin. This results in a point description which looks like this
24<30 where the first value is the distance (in drawing units) and the second
is the angle. Notice that the separator in the case of polar co-ordinates is the
"less than" mathematical symbol.
30
The UCS Icon
In the bottom left hand corner of the AutoCAD
drawing window you will see a symbol like the one
shown on the left. This is called the UCS (User Co-
ordinate System) icon and it is there to remind you
which is the X axis and which is the Y axis. The
empty box at the intersection of the X and Y axes is
there to remind you that you are using "World" co-
ordinates and that the UCS icon is not positioned over the true origin of the
current co-ordinate system, probably because it is off screen.
For example if you want to draw a line from point 20,10 to 40,30
1. In Absolute Cartesian Coordinate system you specify it as
From point : 20,10
To point : 40,30
31
Direct Distance Entry
Introduction
Direct distance entry is one of those AutoCAD features that is often
overlooked. This is rather unfortunate because it can be extremely useful and
an amazing time-saver. Basically, direct distance entry enables you to draw
an object, such as a line, by pointing in a particular direction with the cursor
and entering a distance at the command line.
32
Drawing Objects
The Draw commands can be used to create new objects such as lines and
circles. Most AutoCAD drawings are composed purely and simply from these
basic components. A good understanding of the Draw commands is
fundamental to the efficient use of AutoCAD.
This section covers the most frequently used Draw commands such as Line,
Polyline, Circle etc. As a newcomer to AutoCAD, you may wish to skip the
more advanced commands in order to properly master the basics. You can
always return back to these commands in the future when you are more
confident.
In common with most AutoCAD commands, the Draw commands can also be
given in THREE ways.
Note : In a pull down menu a small arrow like " " next to a
menu item means that the item leads to a sub-menu that may
contain other commands or command options. An ellipsis, ""
after a menu item means that the item displays a dialogue box.
35
Lines
Lines are probably the most simple of AutoCAD objects. Using the Line
command, a line can be drawn between any two points picked within the
drawing area. Lines are usually the first objects you will want to draw when
starting a new drawing because they can be used as "construction lines" upon
which the rest of your drawing will be based.
Toolbar
To Draw a Line
With the Line command you can draw a simple line from
one point to another. When you pick the first point (P1) and
move the cross-hairs to the location of the second point
(P2) and pick the second point, the line is drawn from the
first point to the second point. Line objects have two ends
(the first point and the last point). You can continue picking
points and AutoCAD will draw a straight line between each
picked point and the previous point. Each line segment
drawn is a separate object and can be moved or erased as required. To end
this command, just hit the key (enter key) on the keyboard.
36
Using Cartesian Coordinates
Command Sequence
Command : Line
Command Sequence
Command : Line
37
Using Direct Distance Entry
Command Sequence
Command : Line
Specify next point : 30, move the cursor in direction in which you
Specify next point : enter the length of the next line, move the cursor
Polylines
and close the polyline. In practice the Polyline command works in the same
way as the Line command allowing you to pick as many points as you like.
Again, just hit to end. As with the Line command, you also have the option
to automatically close a polyline end to end. To do this, type C to use the
close option instead of hitting . The example above shows a number of
polylines to give you an idea of the flexibility of this type of line.
38
The Polyline Command
Toolbar
To Draw a rectangle of 50 x 30
1. Select command from the toolbar (or) Draw Polyline
Command Sequence
Command : Pline
Specify start point: (pick P1)
Current line-width is 0.0000
Specify next point or [Arc/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: 50, move cursor
towards right press
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: 30, move
cursor upwards press
39
Rectangle
The Rectangle command is used to draw a rectangle whose sides are vertical
and horizontal. The position and size of the rectangle are defined by picking
two diagonal corners. The rectangle isn't really an AutoCAD object at all. It is,
in fact, just a closed polyline which is automatically drawn for you. The
Rectangle command also has a number of options. Width works in the same
way as for the Polyline command. The corners of the rectangle can be
Chamfered and Filleted. The Elevation and Thickness commands are 3D
options.
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Rectangle
Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: (pick P1)
40
The Polygon Command
The Polygon command can be used to draw any regular polygon from 3 sides
up to 1024 sides. This command requires four inputs from the user, the
number of sides, a pick point for the center of the polygon, whether you want
the polygon inscribed or circumscribed and then a pick point which
determines both the radius of this imaginary circle and the orientation of the
polygon. The polygon command creates a closed polyline in the shape of the
required polygon.
This command also allows you to define the polygon by entering the length of
a side using the Edge option. You can also control the size of the polygon by
entering an exact radius for the circle.
To Draw a Polygon
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Polygon
Enter number of sides <4>: 5
Specify center of polygon or [Edge]: pick P1 or type E to define by edge
length
41
Circle
Along with Line and Polyline, the Circle command is probably one of the most
frequently used. In common with the other commands in this section there are
a number of options that can help you construct just the circle you need. Most
of these options are self explanatory but in some cases it can be quite
confusing. The Circle command, for example, offers 6 ways to create a circle.
Toolbar
Pull-down menu Draw Circle Center, Radius
Command Circle (or) C
Command Sequence
Command : Circle
Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: (pick P1)
Specify radius of circle or [Diameter] <50.0195>: 25 (or pick P2)
(this value is taken as radius of the circle)
42
Specify radius of circle or [Diameter] <50.0195>: type D
Diameter <50.0195> : 40 ( value of diameter)
Command : Circle
Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: 2P
Specify first end point of the circles diameter : pick P1 or specify value of
point
Specify second end point of the circles diameter : pick P2 or specify value of
point
Circle 3P (Three Points)
3P which uses any three points on the circumference to form a diameter to
draw the circle. The command can be used in the same way as described
above.
To use this option you need to have two lines already drawn which can be
described as tangents to the circle to be drawn. Once the tangents are
specified, it will prompt you to enter the radius of the circle. A circle will be
drawn with this radius and the two lines as tangents.
43
Command : Circle
Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: T
Specify point on object for first tangent of the circle : select L1 (line 1)
Specify point on object for second tangent of the circle : select L2 (line2)
Specify radius of the circle < 23.657> : 10 ( specify value of radius)
Toolbar
Pull-down menu Draw Arc 3 Points
Command Arc or A
44
Command Sequence
Command: ARC
Specify start point of arc or [Center]: (pick P1)
Specify second point of arc or [Center/End]: (pick P2)
Specify end point of arc: (pick P3)
You can either pick points or specify the actual value of the
point in terms of X, Y coordinates. The command allows you
to draw an arc by 10 different methods. All the options work
in the same way as described above. The Continue option
allows you to draw arcs continuously with the last option used.
It will automatically select the end point of the previous arc as
the start point and will prompt you to enter only the end point.
Tips:
45
Modifying Objects
Object Selection
Before you start using the AutoCAD Modify commands, you need to know
something about selecting objects. All of the Modify commands require that
you make one or more object selections. AutoCAD has a whole range of tools
which are designed to help you select just the objects you need. As with so
many aspects of AutoCAD, developing a good working knowledge of these
options can drastically improve your drawing speed and efficiency.
When you start a Modify command such as ERASE, two things happen. First,
the cursor changes from the usual crosshairs to the pickbox and
second, you will see the "Select objects" prompt on the command line. Both of
these cues are to let you know that AutoCAD is expecting you to select one or
more objects.
Select objects:
To select an object, place the pickbox over a part of the object and left-click
the mouse. When the object has been picked it is highlighted in a dashed line
49
to show that it is part of the current selection and the command line reports "1
found". You will now see the "Select objects" prompt on the command line
again. At this point you can continue adding more objects to the current
selection by picking them or you can press or the Space Bar to complete
the selection.
Window Selection
Selecting objects by picking objects can become quite tedious if you want to
select a large number of objects. Just imagine having to pick a hundred or
more objects in a large drawing! Fortunately AutoCAD provides a number of
selection options which can help you select objects more efficiently. The
Window option is invoked by typing W in response to the "Select objects"
prompt. Window allows you to define a rectangle using two points in exactly
the same way as the RECTANGLE command. Once the window is defined, all
objects which lie entirely within the window will be selected.
Select objects : W
Specify first corner : pick P1 (or any point away from the drawing to be
selected)
50
Crossing Window Selection
Select objects : C
Specify first corner : pick P1 (or any point away from the drawing to be
selected)
It often happens that you inadvertently add objects which you don't want to a
selection set during its compilation. When this occurs in the middle of a
complicated selection it can be pretty annoying. Fortunately AutoCAD allows
you to undo the last selection made during the compilation of a selection set.
All you need do is enter U at the next "Select objects" prompt to remove the
objects previously added.
51
Selecting All objects
The All option is invoked by typing ALL at the "Select objects" prompt. You
can use this option to select all the objects in the current drawing, no picking
is required.
AutoCAD always remembers the last selection set you defined. This is very
useful because you may need to make a number of changes using different
commands to the same group of objects. In order to re-select the last
selection set you can use the Previous option. The previous option is invoked
by typing P at the "Select objects" prompt
Select objects : P
Tips :
1. Lines, polygons and windows drawn using the selection options do not
exist as drawing objects. Once the selection has been made they
disappear.
2. When you are picking objects in a complex drawing, use the ZOOM
command transparently to make object selection easier. You can Zoom
In or Zoom Out using the wheel on a Scrolling Mouse. Zoom options
can also be selected from the toolbars and are automatically
transparent (it will work within your existing command without canceling
it.)
52
Modify Commands
AutoCAD drawings are rarely completed simply by drawing lines, circles etc.
Most likely you will need to Modify these basic drawing objects in some way in
order to create the image you need. AutoCAD provides a whole range of
modify tools such as Move, Copy, Rotate and Mirror.
As is usual with AutoCAD, the Modify tools can also be accessed in one of
three ways
53
The Erase Command
The Erase command is one of the simplest AutoCAD commands and is one of
the most used. The command erases (deletes) any selected object(s) from
the drawing. Remember you can always get deleted objects back by typing U
to undo, or using from the Standard toolbar.
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Erase
Select object : pick an object to erase (using any method described above)
Select object : (to end selection and erase the object)
The multiple option allows you to create additional copies of the selected
object(s) by picking as many new points as you like. To invoke the multiple
option type M, at the prompt and it will ask you to specify base point and
second point, select the points as explained below. To end a multiple copy,
just hit the key.
Toolbar
54
Command Sequence
Command : Copy
Select object : W ( or pick an object to copy using any method described
above)
Specify first corner : pick P1
Specify other corner : pick P2
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
Specify base point or displacement, or [Multiple]: pick P3
Specify second point of displacement or <use first point as displacement>:pick P4
Note: The "Base point", P3 and the "Second point", P4 do not have to be
picked on or near the object. The two points are simply used to indicate the
distance and direction of the copied object from the original object
Toolbar
Pull-down menu Modify Mirror
Command Mirror
55
Command Sequence
Command : Mirror
Select object : W (or pick an object)
Specify first corner : pick P1
Specify other corner : pick P2
Select object : (to end selection)
Specify first point of mirror line: pick P3
Specify second point of mirror line: pick P4
Delete source objects? [Yes/No]<No> :
Toolbar
Command Offset
56
Command Sequence
Command : Offset
Specify offset distance or [ Through] <1.0000>: specify offset distance
Select object to offset or <exit>: select an object (you can use only pick box)
Specify point on side to offset : pick P1 or select a point on side to offset
Select object to offset or <exit>: or select another object
In the illustration above, a line has been offset to the right by the "Offset
distance" specified and picking a point P1 to the right of the original line, to
indicate the side to offset . The result is a new line to the right of the original.
57
The Move Command
The Move command works in a similar way to Copy command except that no
copy is made, the selected object(s) is simply moved from one location to
another.
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Move
Select object : W ( or pick an object to move using any method described
above)
Specify first corner : pick point
Specify other corner : pick point
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
Specify base point or displacement: pick P2
Specify second point of displacement or <use first point as displacement>:pick P3
58
The Rotate Command
The Rotate command allows an object or objects to be rotated about a point
selected by the user. AutoCAD prompts for a second rotation point or an
angle which can be typed at the keyboard.
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Rotate
Select object : W ( or pick an object to rotate using any method described
above)
Specify first corner : pick point P1
Specify other corner : pick point P2
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
Specify base point : pick P3 (or any point along which rotation desired)
Enter rotation angle or [Reference] : Enter the value say 30
59
The Scale Command
The Scale command can be used to change the size of an object or group of
objects. You are prompted for a pick point about which the selection set will
be scaled. Scaling can then be completed by picking a second point or by
entering a scale factor. For example a scale factor of 2 will double the size of
the objects in the selection set and a factor of 0.5 will half them.
Toolbar
Command Scale
Command Sequence
Command : Scale
Select object : W ( or pick an object to scale using any method described
above)
Specify first corner : pick point P1
Specify other corner : pick point P2
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
Specify base point : pick P3
Specify scale factor or [Reference] : 2 (or specify a value)
60
The Trim Command
The Trim command can be used to trim (cut) a part of an object. In order to
trim an object you must define the "cutting edge". Cutting edges can be lines,
xlines, rays, polylines, circles, arcs or ellipses. The Trim command, unlike
most other modify commands requires that two separate object selections are
made. The cutting edges are selected first (there can be one or more) and
then the objects to be trimmed are selected.
Toolbar
Command Sequence
Command : Trim
Select Cutting edges
Select object : All
(or pick an object by using any method described above, but ALL is preferred as
you can trim any object without bothering about multiple selection)
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
61
Object before trimming cutting edges selected using ALL option
with objects to trim shown by X
Note : At each trimming step you are given the option to undo the previous
trim. This can be very useful if you inadvertently pick the wrong object.
62
The Extend Command
This command extends a line, polyline or arc to meet another drawing object
(known as the boundary edge). In the illustration on the right, two lines are
extended to meet another line (inclined line) which forms the boundary edge.
This command works in a similar way to the Trim command, described above.
Two selections are made, one for the boundary edge(s) and one for the
object(s) to extend.
Toolbar
Command Extend
Command Sequence
Command : Extend
Select boundary edges
Select object : All
(or pick an object by using any method described above, but ALL is preferred as
you can trim any object without bothering about multiple selection)
Select object : (to end selection or you can use any option to select more
objects)
Select object to extend or shift-select to trim or [Project/Edge/Undo]: pick P1
(point marked X on the object to be extended)
63
Line L1 and L2 before extending boundary edge selected, shown as dashed
64
The Break Command
The Break command enables you to break (remove part of) an object by
defining two break points. The Break command can be used with lines,
polylines, circles, arcs ellipses, splines, xlines and rays. When you break an
object, you can either select the object using the first break point and then
pick the second break point, or you can select the object and then pick the
two break points.
Toolbar
Command Break
Command Sequence
Command : Break
Select object : select the object to break
Specify second break point or [First point]: F
65
The Chamfer Command
The Chamfer command enables you to create a chamfer between any two
non-parallel lines as in the illustration below or any two adjacent polyline
segments. Usually, the Chamfer command is used first to set the chamfer
distances before drawing the chamfer.
Toolbar
Command Chamfer
Command Sequence
Command : Chamfer
(TRIM mode) Current chamfer Dist1 = 10.0000, Dist2 = 10.0000
Select first line or [Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/Method]: D (to set distances)
Specify first chamfer distance <10.0000>: 20 (or enter required distance)
Specify second chamfer distance <20.0000>: to accept first distance value
or enter a different value
Select first line or [Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/Method]: (pick P1)
Select second line: (pick P2)
The Chamfer command has a number of options. The Polyline option can be
used to chamfer all vertexes of a polyline simultaneously. The Distance option
66
allows you to specify the two chamfer distances. Angle allows the angle
between the first line and the chamfer to be specified. Trim is used to control
whether the original lines are trimmed to the chamfer or remain as they are.
Finally, Method is used to toggle the command between Distance and Angle
mode.
The Fillet command is a very useful tool which allows you to draw an arc
between two intersecting lines or adjacent polyline segments. You first need
to use the command to set the required radius and then a second time to
select the lines to fillet.
Toolbar
Command Fillet
Command Sequence
Command : Fillet
Current settings: Mode = TRIM, Radius = 10.0000
Select first object or [Polyline/Radius/Trim]: R (to set
the radius)
Specify fillet radius <10.000>: 25
Select first object or [Polyline/Radius/Trim]: pick P1
Select second object : pick P2
The Fillet command can also be used to fillet arcs and circles. The "Polyline"
option also allows you to fillet all vertices of a polyline with a single command.
Trim is used to control whether the original lines are trimmed to the fillet or
remain as they are.
67
Adding Dimensions and Text
Dimensions
Linear
Radial
Ordinate
Angular
71
Linear Dimensions
The Linear dimension commands are used to dimension along straight lines.
There are five linear dimension commands, namely: DIMLINEAR,
DIMCONTINUE, DIMBASELINE, DIMALIGNED and DIMROTATED.
Toolbar
Command DIMLINEAR
Command Sequence
Command : Dimlinear
Specify first extension line origin or <select object> : pick P1
Specify second extension line origin : pick P2
Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated]:
(pick a point to position the dimension line)
Toolbar
Command DIMALIGNED
72
Command Sequence
Command : Dimaligned
Specify first extension line origin or <select object> : pick P1
Specify second extension line origin : pick P2
Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle]: (pick a point to position the
dimension line)
Toolbar
Pull-down menu Dimensions Radius
Command DIMRADIUS
Command Sequence
Command : Dimradius
Select arc or circle : pick P1
Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle]: (pick a point to position the
dimension line)
Toolbar
Command DIMDIAMETER
Command Sequence
Command : Dimdiameter
Select arc or circle : pick P1
Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle]: (pick a point to position the
dimension line)
73
The Angular Dimension Command
Toolbar
Command DIMANGULAR
Command Sequence
Command : Dimangular
Select arc, circle, line or <specify vertex> : pick P1
Select second line : pick P2
Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle]: (pick a point to position the
dimension line)
Toolbar
Command DIMBASELINE
Command Sequence
Command : Dimbaseline
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : pick P3
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : pick P4
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : (or pick
point)
74
In the example above, the "35" dimension was created using the DIMLINEAR
command. The others were created using DIMBASELINE and picking points
P3 and P4.
Toolbar
Command DIMCONTINUE
Command Sequence
Command : Dimcontinue
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : pick P3
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : pick P4
Specify second extension line origin or[Undo/Select] <select> : (or pick
point)
Using the Continue command you can very quickly generate a string of
dimensions which align perfectly. In the example above, the "35" dimension
was drawn with the DIMLINEAR command; all the other dimensions were
drawn using the DIMCONTINUE command and simply picking the points P3
and P4, one after the other. You can only continue a dimension in a single
direction.
75
The Leader Command
The Leader command can be used to annotate any point on a drawing.
Toolbar
Command LEADER
Command Sequence
Command : Leader
Specify first leader point or [Settings] <settings> : pick P1
Specify next point :
Specify next point :
Enter text width <0> : (or specify value of width)
Enter first line of annotation text <Mtext> : enter the text
Enter next line of annotation text : (or enter the text)
Toolbar
Command DIMCENTER
Command Sequence
Command : Dimcenter
Select arc or circle : pick on the circumference of circle or arc
76
Adding Text
Text conveys important information in your drawing. You use tex t
for title blocks, to label parts of the drawing, to give
specifications, or to make annotations. AutoCAD provides two
ways to create text.
formatting
Command : Text
Current text style: "Standard" Text height: 2.5000
Specify start point of text or [Justify/Style]: pick a point
Specify height <2.5000>: (or specify value of text height)
Specify rotation angle of text <0> : (or specify angle)
Enter Text : Welcome To AutoCAD (enter the text required)
Enter Text : (or enter the second line of text)
For Long complex entries, multiline text can be used. It consists of any
number of text lines or paragraphs that fit within the width specified (by
defining a window). Unlike single-line text, multilline text includes as part of
the same mtext object all text lines or paragraphs created in a multiline text
editing session. You can move, rotate, erase, copy, mirror or scale mtext
objects. Multiline text has more editing options. Using multilane text editor you
can underline, change font, colour, text etc.
77
Toolbar
Command MTEXT
Command Sequence
Command : Mtext
Specify first corner : pick a point ( defines one end of text
window)
Specify opposite corner : pick a point (define opposite end of the
text window)
The text will fit in this window. Once the window is defined
Multililne text editor dialog bo x is displaced as shown below
78
Using Properties tab you can change the style, specify
justification of the text, change the width and specify the
rotation angle of the text.
Using the Line spacing Tab you can specify the spacing
between the text
After you enter the text and make the necessary editing
choose OK to exit the command. The text will then be entered
in your drawing area.
79
Lesson 1
Objective :
At the end of this lesson you will be able to understand the use of
Grid
Snap
Ortho
Line
Erase
Q. Draw the Front Elevation, Plan and the Left Hand End Elevation
of the object shown in figure 1.
Figure 1
83
Front Elevation
Before you begin to draw, turn the Grid, Snap and Ortho ON.
84
Plan
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
1.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) above the
2. From Point : P4
left hand top corner of front elev.
3. To point : 80 Move the cursor towards right
4. To point : 40 Move the cursor upwards
5. To point : 80 Move the cursor towards left
6. To point : 40 Move the cursor downwards
7. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
8.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the right
9. From Point : P5
of top left hand corner
10. To point : 20 Move the cursor downwards
11. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards left
12. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
13.
Toolbar or Draw Line
From Point : P6 Point 20mm (2 dots) to the left of
14.
top right hand corner
15. To point : 20 Move the cursor downwards
16. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
17. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
18.
Toolbar or Draw Line
19. From Point : P7 Pick point
20. To point : 20 Move the cursor downwards
21. To point : To end the command
85
Left Hand Elevation
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
1.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the left
2. From Point : P8
of the front elev.
3. To point : 40 Move the cursor towards left
4. To point : 40 Move the cursor upwards
5. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
6. To point : 30 Move the cursor downwards
7. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
8. To point : 10 Move the cursor downwards
9. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
10.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Pick the point and turn OFF
11. From Point : P9
Ortho
12. To point : P10 Pick point
13. To point : To end the command
This Line is a not visible. It has
Select command from the to be changed to Hidden
14. Toolbar or Draw Line (dashed). How to change to a
hidden line will be discussed in
next lesson.
11. From Point : P11 Pick the point and turn ON Ortho
12. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
13. To point : To end the command
86
Figure showing the Three Views
87
Lesson 2
Objective :
At the end of this lesson you will be able to understand the use of
Grid
Snap
Ortho
Line
Linetype
Dimension
Text
Q. Draw the Front Elevation, Plan and the End Elevations of the
object shown in figure 2. Show all hidden surfaces. Also add
dimensions and text.
88
Front Elevation
Before you begin to draw, turn the Grid, Snap and Ortho ON.
89
Plan
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
1.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 40mm (4 dots) above the
2. From Point : P5 right hand top corner of front
elev.
3. To point : 40 Move the cursor upwards
4. To point : 60 Move the cursor towards left
5. To point : 60 Move the cursor downwards
6. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
To point : C To close the figure and end the
7.
command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
8.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the right
9. From Point : P6
of top left hand corner
10. To point : 20 Move the cursor downwards
11. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards left
12. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
13.
Toolbar or Draw Line
From Point : P7 Point 20mm (2 dots) to the left of
14.
top right hand corner
15. To point : 20 Move the cursor downwards
16. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
17. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
18.
Toolbar or Draw Line
19. From Point : P8 Pick point
20. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards left
21. To point : To end the command
90
Right Hand Elevation
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
1.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the right
2. From Point : P9
of the front elev.
3. To point : 20 Move the cursor upwards
4. To point : 40 Move the cursor towards right
5. To point : 40 Move the cursor upwards
6. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
7. To point : 60 Move the cursor downwards
8. To point : C To close and exit command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
9.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 40mm (4 dots) from the
10. From Point : P10 bottom right hand corner of the
view drawn
11. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards left
12. To point : To end the command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
13.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the right
14. From Point : P11 of bottom left hand corner of
view drawn
11. To point : 20 Move the cursor upwards
12. To point : To end the command
91
Left Hand Elevation
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
1.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 20mm (2 dots) to the left of
2. From Point : P12
the front elev.
3. To point : 20 Move the cursor upwards
4. To point : 40 Move the cursor towards left
5. To point : 40 Move the cursor upwards
6. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards left
7. To point : 60 Move the cursor downwards
Closes the figure and exits
8. To point : C
command
Select command from the The Line command is invoked
9.
Toolbar or Draw Line
Point 40 mm ( 4dots) from the
10. From Point : P13 bottom left hand corner of the
view drawn
11. To point : 20 Move the cursor towards right
To point : To end the command
12.
92
To Change the Line to Hidden Detail Line (dashed)
From the object properties tool bar, select line-type control, then
choose other. Or Format Linetype.
Choose Load
Load or Reload
Linetypes dialog box
will be displayed.
Scroll Down and
select Hidden 2
Choose OK to close
each dialog box
Select the line(s) you want to change by clicking on them
93
Select linetype control on the object properties toolbar
Choose Hidden 2, the line will be changed to a dashed line
To remove the selection press Esc key on the keyboard twice.
Adding Dimensions
Turn On Osnap to select the points precisely before you begin to add
dimensions.
Step # Command Sequence Description
From the pull-down menu select
1.
Dimension Linear
Specify first extension line origin or <select Select the end
2.
object> : point of the line
Specify second extension line origin : Select the other
3.
end point
Specify dimension line location or Specify the point
4.
[Mtext/Text/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated]:
Adding Text
Step # Command Sequence Description
Select from the tool bar or Mtext Command is
1.
Draw Text Multiline text invoked
2. Specify first corner : Pick a point to start
Specify other corner : Specify the other
3. point, Mtext editor
is displayed
Change font, size
4. Type : FRONT ELEVATION and justification if
required, Press OK
94
Figure showing the four views with dimensions and text
95
Lesson 3
Objective :
At the end of this lesson you will be able to understand the use of
Offset
Trim
Extend
Mirror
Q. Draw the Front Elevation, Plan and one of End Elevations of the
object shown in figure 3. Obtain the other End Elevation by using
Mirror command. Show all hidden surfaces. Also add dimensions
and text.
Figure 3
96
To draw 3 boxes one each for front elevation, plan and
LH Elev.
Box for the Front Elevation.
97
To Trim the Extra Lines
Select from the toolbar or Modify
16.
Trim
Select Cutting edges You can use any object
12. Select objects : All selection method, but
this is preferred
Select objects : To end selecting cutting
13.
edges
Select a point on the
Select object to trim or shift-select to
14. horizontal line to be
extend or [Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point
trimmed
Select a point on the
Select object to trim or shift-select to
15. horizontal line to be
extend or [Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point
trimmed
Select a point on the
Select object to trim or shift-select to
16. Vertical line to be
extend or [Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point
trimmed
Select a point on the
Select object to trim or shift-select to
17. vertical line to be
extend or [Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point
trimmed
Select object to trim or shift-select to To end the command
18.
extend or [Project/Edge/Undo]:
98
Box for the Plan
Select from the toolbar or
1.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through To draw a line at a distance of
2.
<1.000> : 20 20mm above the front elev.
Select object to offset: Select the top horizontal line in
3.
the front elev.
4. Side to offset Select a point above the line
5. Select object to offset : To end the command
Select from the toolbar or
6.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through To draw a line at a distance of
7.
<1.000> : 30 30mm above the previous line.
8. Select object to offset: Select the horizontal line
9. Side to offset Select a point above the line
10. Select object to offset : To end the command
As there are no vertical lines to offset in the plan, we will use Extend
command to extend the vertical lines from the front elev. And then
trim the extra lines (or) you can use Line command to draw them
99
Select object to trim or shift- To end the command
16. select to extend or
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
Select from the toolbar or To trim the lines between front
17.
Modify Trim elev. and plan
Select Cutting edges You can use any object selection
18.
Select objects : All method, but this is preferred
19. Select objects : To end selecting cutting edges
Select object to trim or shift- Select a point on the vertical line
20. select to extend or to be trimmed
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point X
Select object to trim or shift- Select a point on the vertical line
21. select to extend or to be trimmed
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick X
Select object to trim or shift- To end the command
22. select to extend or
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
Figure showing the various steps to draw the box for the Plan
100
Box for the Left Hand Elevation
Select from the toolbar or
1.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through To draw a line at a distance of
2.
<1.000> : 20 20mm to the left of front elev.
Select object to offset: Select the vertical line on the left
3.
in the front elev.
4. Side to offset Select a point to the left of line
5. Select object to offset : To end the command
Select from the toolbar or
6.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through To draw a line at a distance of
7.
<1.000> : 30 30mm above the previous line.
8. Select object to offset: Select the horizontal line
9. Side to offset Select a point above the line
10. Select object to offset : To end the command
101
Select object to trim or shift- To end the command
16. select to extend or
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
Select from the toolbar or To trim the lines between front
17.
Modify Trim elev. and LH elev.
Select Cutting edges You can use any object selection
18.
Select objects : All method, but this is preferred
19. Select objects : To end selecting cutting edges
Select object to trim or shift- Select a point on the horizontal
20. select to extend or line to be trimmed
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point X
Select object to trim or shift- Select a point on the horizontal
21. select to extend or line to be trimmed
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick X
Select object to trim or shift- To end the command
22. select to extend or
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
102
To complete the views
Front Elevation
103
21. Side to offset Select a point above the line
Select object to offset: Select the horizontal line at top
22.
of the box of front elev.
23. Side to offset Select a point below the line
24. Select object to offset : To end the command
Select from the toolbar or To offset Horizontal lines
25.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through
26.
<1.000> : 10
Select object to offset: Select the horizontal line at
27.
bottom of the box of front elev.
28. Side to offset Select a point above the line
29. Select object to offset : To end the command
Select from the toolbar or
30.
Modify Offset
Specify offset distance or through To draw a line at a distance of
31.
<1.000> : 15 15mm
Select object to offset: Select the horizontal line at
32.
bottom of the box of front elev.
33. Side to offset Select a point above the line
34. Select object to offset : To end the command
104
Select object to trim or shift- Select a point on the horizontal
39. select to extend or line to be trimmed. Continue till
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick X all lines are trimmed
Select object to trim or shift- After trimming all extra line and
40. select to extend or to end the command
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
Note : Some lines may not get trimmed as they dont intersect. Erase
them.
In the same way you can complete the Plan and Left Hand
Elevation .
105
4. Specify other corner : Pick a point on opposite corner
5. Select objects : To end selection
Specify first point of mirror line : Select the midpoint of the Front
6.
pick P1 elev.
Specify the second point of Select a point moving the cursor
7.
mirror line : pick P2 vertically
Delete source objects [Yes/No] To keep the original object
8.
<No> :
Figure showing left hand elevation selected for Mirror and Right
Hand Elev. obtained as mirror image. Make necessary changes in the
106
Lesson 4
Objective :
At the end of this lesson you will be able to understand the use of Sectional
Views
Hatch
Linetype
Dimension
Text
Q. Draw the Sectional Front Elevation, Plan and one of the End Elevations of
the object shown in figure 4. Obtain the other end elevation by Mirror
Command. Show all hidden surfaces and also add dimensions and text.
Figure 4
107
Sectional View : Sectional views are drawn to show the inner details of the
object more clearly. In sectional views it is assumed that the object is cut by a
CUTTING PLANE and one half of the object is removed to see the inside
details. The view drawn after cutting the body is called a sectional view. As
the object is cut, therefore it is necessary to show the solid area in the
sectional view. To show solid area we use hatching lines, which are drawn at
an angle of 45 degrees.
Object cut by a
cutting plane. The
inner details are
seen clearly. The
view drawn will be
called Sectional
Front Elevation as
the object is cut
Parallel to the
front.
108
To Draw the four views of the Object.
The method to draw the views remains the same as discussed in previous
exercises. However the Front Elevation has to be drawn assuming that the
object is cut and the solid area should be represented by hatching lines.
Wherever there is a hole it has to be shown by center line.
Drawing of the views, adding dimension and text is left to you and we will be
discussing how to draw hatching lines and change the line to center line.
109
Figure Showing the Front Section
110
Exercise Problems
Ex. 1-3
Ex. 1-4
111
Ex. 1-5 Ex. 1-6
2 holes 8 CSK to 12 x 4
deep
8 CBore to 12 x 12 deep
112
Ex. 1-9
Ex. 1-10
Ex. 1-11
113
Working with 3D
Introduction
You may have already found out why CAD has many advantages over
manual drafting. One big advantage is that once you've drawn something, you
shouldn't have to draw it again. If you manually drew a house plan or any
object, you would have to draw a front elevation, side elevations, and possibly
a perspective view. With one 3-D CAD model, you can generate views from
any angle.
Wire-frame Modeling
Surface Modeling
Solid Modeling
117
Isometric Drawing
This is the simplest way to give a 3-D representation while using only 2-D
commands. This has been the usual way of doing things before CAD allowed
true 3-D work to be done. Many times an isometric drawing is used to
compliment a 3 view orthographic drawing.
The Drafting Settings dialog box will be displayed, click on the Snap
and Grid Tab
Under Snap type & style select Isometric Snap
The Grid will be displayed which will be at an angle of 30 degrees
AutoCAD has a command called ISOPLANE which allows you to easily draw
at a 30 degree angle as needed for an isometric drawing. To understand the
118
isoplanes consider a 3D box. In the isometric view of the box you will be able
to see three surfaces. In AutoCAD we call them as Isoplane Left, Isoplane
Right and Isoplane Top. But when you are actually drawing one of the
isoplanes (left or right) is assumed as the front view. To make a 3D drawing
you need to switch between these planes in order to draw on the particular
surface. You can switch between the three 'isoplanes', by using ISOPLANE
command or by pressing the F5 key.
119
Lesson 1
Objective :
At the end of this lesson you will be able to understand the use of
Figure 5
120
To Draw the Isometric View
Right Click on GRID or SNAP in the status bar or
Tools Drafting Settings
Switch on the Grid and Snap
Under Snap type & style select Isometric Snap
121
23. Press F5 To toggle to isoplane left
122
To make the two holes
A hole is round, but in isometric it doesnt look like a perfect circle. We will use
the Ellipse command.
14. Select object to trim or shift- Select the part(s) of the circle
123
select to extend or which is not visible
[Project/Edge/Undo]: pick point
Select object to trim or shift- Once all parts are trimmed to
15. select to extend or end command
[Project/Edge/Undo]:
In the same way as described above draw the other hole on the
vertical surface and trim the extra part of the circle which is hidden
behind the surface
124
Exercise Problems
Ex. 2-1
Ex. 2-2
125
Ex. 2-5
Ex. 2-6
126