BAHRIA UNIVERSITY KARACHI CAMPUS

Department of Electrical Engineering

AUTOCAD

LAB # 04
The Modifying Commands (b)
Objectives
 To learn about AutoCAD modifying commands
 Creating an offset of given object
 Creating Polar and rectangular arrays of elements
 Creating angled and curved joints of shapes

In previous lab we have dealt with some of the modifying commands. This lab will further
introduce some more common modifying commands. Now that you know the basics, here are
some more commands to add to your collection. All these commands are used for modifications
in your drawings. Some common modifying drawing commands are given below.

(Common Modifying Commands)

Offset Command
OFFSET creates a new object whose shape parallels the shape of a selected object. Offsetting a
circle or an arc creates a larger or smaller circle or arc, depending on which side you specify for
the offset. You can offset the Lines, Arcs, Circles, Ellipses and elliptical arcs (resulting in an
oval-shaped spline), 2D polylines, Construction lines (xlines) and rays, Splines.
Here is the procedure to use offset command.

1. Type “offset” in the command line or clicks on from tool menu

2. Select the offset distance
3. Select the object
4. Finally click outside the object to make a new object with the shape same to previous
object and parallel to 1st object

Example
Draw a circle of radius 3 and by using offset command draw another circle around first one with
the radius of 4. (First draw a circle of radius 3, then choose offset command and keep offset
distance equal to 1, select the circle and finally click outside the circle to produce another circle).

34
Fillet Command
The fillet command is used when you want to join two lines by a rounded corner. An inside
corner is called a fillet and an outside corner is called a round; you can create both using the fillet
command.
Here is the procedure for using the command fillet.

1. Type “fillet” in command line or select from tools menu

2. Select the radius of fillet
3. Select the 1st object
4. Select the 2nd object

Example
Draw two lines and perform the operation of fillet with radius equal to zero and with radius equal
to 1.
The command history should look like this.
Command: line
Specify first point: 1,1
Drawing 2 lines

Specify next point or [Undo]: 1,4

Specify next point or [Undo]: <enter>
Command: line
Specify first point: 2,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: 5,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: <enter>

Command: fillet
Fillet with
radius=0

Current settings: Mode = TRIM, Radius = 0.0000

Select first object or [Undo/Polyline/Radius/Trim/Multiple] : <enter>
Select second object or shift-select to apply corner: <enter>

Command: fillet
Current settings: Mode = TRIM, Radius = 0.0000
Fillet with
radius=1

Select first object or [Undo/Polyline/Radius/Trim/Multiple]: radius

Specify fillet radius <0.0000>: 1
Select first object or [Undo/Polyline/Radius/Trim/Multiple] : <enter>
Select second object or shift-select to apply corner: <enter>

35
Chamfer Command
The chamfer command is little bit similar to fillet command. The difference is that the fillet
command is used when you want to join two lines by a rounded corner and the chamfer
command is used when you want to join two lines at an angle (angled corner).
Here is the procedure for using the command fillet.

1. Type ”chamfer” in command line or select from tools menu

2. Select the angle of chamfer
3. Select the chamfer length
4. Select the 1st line
5. Select the 2nd line

Example
Draw two lines and perform the operation of chamfer with angle equal to zero and with angle
equal to 45 and distance of 1.
The command history should look like this.
Command: line
Specify first point: 1,1
Drawing 2 lines

Specify next point or [Undo]: 1,4

Specify next point or [Undo]: <enter>
Command: line
Specify first point: 2,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: 5,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: <enter>

Command: chamfer
chamfer with

(TRIM mode) Current chamfer Dist1 = 0.0000, Dist2 = 0.0000

angle=0

Select first line

or[Undo/Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/mEthod/Multiple]:
<enter>
Select second line or shift-select to apply corner :<enter>

Command: chamfer
(TRIM mode) Current chamfer Dist1 = 0.0000, Dist2 = 0.0000
chamfer with

Select first line

or[Undo/Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/mEthod/Multiple]: angle
angle=45

Specify chamfer length on the first line <0.0000>: 1

Specify chamfer angle from the first line <0>: 45
Select first line
or[Undo/Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/mEthod/Multiple]:
<enter>
Select second line or shift-select to apply corner:<enter>

36
Array Command
You can create copies of objects in a rectangular or polar (circular) pattern called an array by
using an array command. For rectangular arrays, you control the number of rows and columns
and the distance between each. For polar arrays, you control the number of copies of the object
and whether the copies are rotated. To create many regularly spaced objects, arraying is faster
than copying.

Example
Rectangular Array
Draw a rectangle of 1x1 with any reference point and make a 4x4 array of same rectangles using
array command.
Follow the following steps.
1. Draw a rectangle of 1x1 with (0,0) as a starting point
2. Type “array” or click on from tool menu, after that this box will appear

37
 3. Select the object
4. Select the number of rows and columns
5. Set the row and column offset
6. Select the array type rectangular
7. Preview the result
8. Click OK to finish

Example
Polar Array
Draw a rectangle of 1x1 with any reference 0,0 and make a array of 8 copies of same rectangles
using polar command.
Follow the following steps.
1. Draw a rectangle of 1x1 with (0,0) as a starting point
2. Type “array” or click on from tool menu, after that this box will appear

38
 3. Select the array type polar
4. Select the object
5. Center of circle is showing by default if you want to specify your own center point, enter
you values in x and y option or select from cursor.
6. Enter total number of items
7. Enter angle to fill
8. Preview the result
10. Click OK to finish

39
 Lab Exercise

3) Use the drawing and modifying commands (fillet, chamfer and rectangular array)
to reproduce the final given below in minimum possible steps?

Original Drawing

Final Drawing
40
2) Use the drawing and modifying commands to produce the given drawing?

Final Drawing

41