Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University

of Technology

Coordinate Systems

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Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

3D modeling in AutoCAD is based on

• cartesian coordiante system: x,y,z
• cylindrical coordinates: r <φ, z
• spherical coordinates: r <φ <q
Coordinates can be defined as
• absolute values(measured from current UCS)
• relative values (measured from recently created point)

Remarks:
In cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems ONLY radius can
be defined as a relative coordinate.
Angles are always recieved as absolute values.

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Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Coordinates relate (as default) to Global Coordinate System,

that is fixed and constant in the model (GCS icon in left bottom
corner).
While creating 2D drawings we operate in XY plane, forgetting
about „Z” axis (it is equal to „0” for the drawing).
While modeling in 3D we create elements typing all 3
coordinates (directly or as default).

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Active plane is XY plane of currently

defined coordinate system. The new
element (line or rectangle) will be
created on that plane.
To create an element on other plane
we have to define new position for
XY plane previously – define new
coordinate system.
We can define any amount of User
Coordinate Systems.

We shall keep in mind that at a

moment there is only one active
UCS.
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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Solids below have been modeled in different coordinate systems.

Cone was created in GCS, its base is on the XY plane of the GCS.
Pyramid was modeled in the UCS1, base of the pyramid is on the
XY plane of UCS1.
Cuboid was modeled in UCS2. Cylinder in UCS3.
Bases of those solids are on XY planes of respective UCS.

UCS2

GCS UCS1
UCS3

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

RESUME
• in 3D space we operate by using User Coordinate Systems

• 2D elements are always placed on XY plane of current UCS

• base of 3D solid primitive is placed on XY plane of current UCS, Z

axis shows height direction.

• 2D edit tools are valid only on the XY plane of current UCS (e.g.
move, copy, rotate).

• 3D edit tools ( 3D rotate, 3D mirror) allow element edition

outside XY plane.
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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

3D modeling interface
• Navigate panel
• Appearance panel
• Coordinate panel
• Visual Styles panel

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS
3D modeling interface panel

Classic toolbar

Rotate around axis X

Rotate around axis Y
Rotate around axis Z

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS
3D modeling interface panel

Classic toolbar

View - Establishes a new UCS whose XY plane

is perpendicular to your viewing direction (e.g.
parallel to your screen).

PLAN - Displays the plan view of a specified user coordinate system

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS
3D modeling interface panel

Classic toolbar

UCS – specify origin of UCS – define new (0,0,0) to faciliate dimension and
coordinate entry

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS
3D modeling interface panel

Classic toolbar

Z Axis - Aligns the user coordinate system to a specified positive Z axis.

The UCS origin is moved to the first point specified and its positive Z axis
passes through the second point specified.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS
3D modeling interface panel

Classic toolbar

Z Axis - Defines a new UCS using one, two, or three points. If you specify a
single point, the origin of the current UCS shifts without changing the
orientation of the X, Y, and Z axes.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS [from User’s Guide]

Understand the User Coordinate System in 3D
When you work in 3D, the user coordinate system is useful for entering coordinates,
creating 3D objects on 2D workplanes, and rotating objects in 3D.
When you create or modify objects in a 3D environment, you can move and reorient the
UCS in 3D model space to simplify your work. The XY plane of the UCS is called the
workplane.

Important operations on objects in a 3D environment that depend on the location and

orientation of the UCS include the following:

• Establish the workplane in on which to create and modify objects

• Establish the workplane that contains the grid display and grid snap
• Establish a new UCS Z axis about which to rotate objects in 3D
• Determine up and down directions as well as horizontal and vertical for Ortho mode,
polar tracking, and object snap tracking
• Define a 3D view directly into the workplane with the PLAN command

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

UCS [from User’s Guide]

Apply the Right-Hand Rule
Use the right-hand rule to determine the positive axis direction of the Z axis when you
know the direction of the X and Y axes in a 3D coordinate system. Place the back of your
right hand near the screen and point your thumb in the direction of the positive X axis.
Extend your index and middle fingers as illustrated, pointing your index finger in the
direction of the positive Y axis. Your middle finger indicates the direction of the positive Z
axis. By rotating your hand, you see how the X, Y, and Z axes rotate as you change the UCS.

You can also use the right-hand rule for determining the default positive direction of
rotation about an axis in 3D space. Point your right thumb in the positive direction of the
axis and curl your fingers. Your fingers indicate the positive rotation direction about the
axis.

Note
By default, when you specify a view in 3D, it is established relative to the fixed WCS rather than the
movable UCS.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Views control tools – in the top right corner of model space

We have three tools on the right side:

• ViewCube with Home button
• naviagation menu
• Full Navigation Wheel

ViewCube tool – allows 3D model point of

ViewCube
view change by choosing edges, corners or
faces of the cube.

Home button – above ViewCube.

NOTE:
You can redefine your home view.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

SteeringWheels tool

SteeringWheels are menus that track the

cursor over the drawing window, and
provide access to 2D and 3D navigation
tools from a single interface.

SteeringWheels, or “wheels,” are divided

Right-click on the into wedges; each wedge contains a single
wheel to view navigation tool.
shortcuts You can start a navigation tool by clicking a
wedge or by clicking and dragging the
cursor over a wedge.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Navigation menu

Navigation menu comprises of:

SteeringWheel
Pan tool
Zoom window
Constrained 3D orbit - When 3DORBIT is active, the target
of the view stays stationary and the camera location, or point
of view, moves around the target. However, from the user's
point of view, it appears as if the 3D model is turning as the
mouse cursor is dragged. In this way, you can specify any
view of the model.
3D Free Orbit – Rotates the view in 3D space without
constraining roll.
3D Continous Orbit - Rotates the view in 3D space with
continuous motion.

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

VIEW command (View manager)

Easy access to commonly used views allows space orientation:
• top and bottom view
• side views
• isometric views

NOTE:
Named views in AutoCAD have their own UCS defined

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 Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Models can be viewed with different styles(different accuracy).

The bigger accuracy the better quality of view, however image
generation becomse more time consuming.
2D Wireframe 3D Wireframe

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Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

3D Hidden Realistic Shaded

Shaded with edges Shades of Gray Sketchy

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Computer Aided Design - Department of Structural Mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering– Faculty of Civil Engineering- Warsaw University of Technology

Realistic Conceptual

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