CES500757

AutoCAD 3D Made Easy for the Beginning User

Derek Gauer
Crozier Consulting Engineers

Stephanie Christie
Crozier Consulting Engineers

Learning Objectives
 Discover basic interface
 Navigation in 3D within AutoCAD
 Creation of 3D solids
 Learn how to view your 3D model with view styles

Description
Do you use AutoCAD software or any other AutoCAD-based product, but you draw in 2D? Do
you use another 3D product such as SketchUp or Rhino to draw your 3D objects outside of
AutoCAD?
If you are interested in using 3D objects in your workflow but think it's too complicated, don't be
afraid of the 3D dimension in AutoCAD.
In this class, everyone can learn the basics of creating 3D objects with AutoCAD. We'll show
you how to use the tools in AutoCAD to make 3D objects that you can then use in AutoCAD or
other Autodesk products.

Speaker(s)
Derek Gauer
 Derek Gauer has more than 30 years of CAD experience and is a Senior CAD Designer
and System Coordinator at Crozier & Associates in Milton, Ontario, Canada.
 Some of Derek’s responsibilities include the design of private infrastructure projects for
industrial and commercial developments and public road improvements.
 Derek works closely with project managers, CAD staff and IT staff to maximize project
deliveries. He also works with CAD committee to optimize various design software

Stephanie Christie
 Stephanie Christie has more than 20 years of CAD experience and is a Senior CAD
Designer & CAD manager at Crozier & Associates in Milton, Ontario, Canada.
 Stephanie's responsibilities include design of private infrastructure projects for industrial
and commercial developments and public road improvements.
 Stephanie works closely with designers to develop new skills, and through the CAD
Committee to maximize project efficiency and consistency across all offices.

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Why do we need to know 3D in AutoCAD?

 Accuracy. AutoCAD is 3D even if we are just drawing 2D objects. Sometimes objects

snap to 3D objects when you want just to work in 2D, which can cause errors in your
drawings.
 Efficiency. Drawing objects in 3D can increase your efficiently, you can draw it once in
3D and display it in different Isometric views or flatten it to 2D.
 Quality. Increase the quality of your models when using AEC Collection software by
creating 3D blocks or objects within AutoCAD. You can add 3D blocks to improve the
look of your Civil 3D, AutoCAD Architecture or MEP drawings.
 Simulation. Create digital Twins in Construction, Engineering & Architecture projects.

The basics
OPEN A NEW FILE
Open a blank drawing or your custom template in AutoCAD or any AutoCAD vertical product.

3D MODELING WORKSPACE

Change your workspace to “3D modeling”

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Visual styles within AutoCAD

Change your visual styles from the view tab to wireframe

Ensure display the Viewport Controls is turned on from the options – 3D

Modeling tab

Display the drawing grid

Turn on grid by F7 or clicking icon.

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THE USER COORIDINATE SYSTEM (UCS)

“The user coordinate system (UCS) establishes the location and orientation of a movable
Cartesian coordinate system. The UCS is an essential tool for many precision operations.
The UCS defines the XY plane, also called the work plane or construction plane, on which
objects are created and modified. The horizontal and vertical directions used for features like
Ortho mode, polar tracking, and object snap tracking. The alignment and angle of the grid, hatch
patterns, text, and dimension objects. The origin and orientation for coordinate entry and
absolute reference angles.

For 3D operations, the orientation of work planes, projection planes, and the Z axis for vertical
direction and axis of rotation By default, the UCS icon appears in the lower-left corner of the
drawing area for the current model viewport. The UCS in each paper space layout is displayed
as a drawing triangle”. AutoCAD help manual

UCS IN 2D UCS IN 3D

RIGHT HAND RULE

Temporary drawing plane

You can temporarily and automatically align the XY plane of the UCS with a planar face on a 3D
solid, a planar mesh element.

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GIZMOS

Very useful tool for working in 3D that allows you to MOVE, ROTATE AND SCALE 3D objects
within AutoCAD.

Navigation in 3D within AutoCAD

View ribbon
UCS Icon
View Cube
Navigation Bar

Rotate to 3D using “3DORBIT”

Shift mouse wheel

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3DORBIT from the View Navigate tab

Types of 3D Models in AutoCADT

Types of 3D Models

Several types of 3D modeling are available in AutoCAD. Each of these 3D modeling

technologies offer a different set of capabilities.

Wireframe modeling is useful for initial design iterations and as reference geometry, serving as
a 3D framework for subsequent modeling or modification.
Solid modeling is efficient to use, easy to combine primitives and extruded profiles, and offers
mass properties and sectioning capabilities.

Surface modeling offers fine control over curved surfaces for precise manipulation and analysis.
Mesh modeling provides freeform sculpting, creasing, and smoothing capabilities.” AutoCAD
help manual

Solid Modeling versus Surface Modeling

Solid
Solid modeling is used for representing solid objects that can be used for analysis,
animations, graphics and prototyping.

Surface
Surface modeling is used for representing external parts of objects using faces.

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The Examples
Example 1- AU logo

Commands
Presspull
Visual Styles

2D pline 3D solid

Example 2- Tee
Commands

3drotate
Extrude
Union
Subtract
Visual Styles

2D lines and circles 3D solid

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Example 3- Bottle
Commands

3drotate
Revolve
Visual Styles
Materials

2D lines and circles convert from a pline 3D solid with material

Example 4- Bridge Culvert

Commands

3drotate
Extrude
Visual Styles

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 2D lines converted to pline 3D solid with shaded edges

Example 5 – Beer Stein

Commands

3drotate
Sweep
Revolve
Union
Visual Styles
Materials

2D lines and cirles convert from pline 3D solid

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Exporting and Converting Solids
How to export solids in AutoCAD to other formats.

Converting 3D objects to 2D representation

Commands

3drotate
Flatshot

3D object 2D block from 3D object

Exporting your DWG models to other programs or applications

Comands

Export

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Exporting your DWG models to other programs or applications

Civil 3D and other AutoCAD verticals have other methods export models output ribbon.

Infraworks Ribbon

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