Lab Report 01

AutoCAD
What is AutoCAD?
AutoCAD can be defined as the use of computer systems to assist in the
creation, modification, optimization of a design. In this, we can create both 2D
and 3D drawings used in construction and manufacturing.

Introduction
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting
software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk AutoCAD was first
released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with
internal graphics controllers. AutoCAD is used in industry, by architects,
project managers, engineers, graphic designers, city planners and other
professionals. CAD software has all but replaced the T-squares and protractors
used by the designers of yesterday in a process known as manual drafting, the
traditional 'pencil on paper' approach to engineering and design.

2D And 3D In AutoCAD
2D means projection on flat surfaces including screens and walls, 3D
means projecting onto three-dimensional objects. Regarding 2D vs 3D, in
reality, as Quacks states, developing a 3D model is far more complex than
developing 2D drawing, and therefore pricier. 2D animation requires the
 conventional animation method which has long been around since the late
1800s. The technology of 3D has existed for a very long time, and it has

progressed through the years, for example, the evolution of the 3D glasses.

Active 3D glasses may also be quite frustrating every time a viewer is

exerting effort to multitask. Passive 3D glasses can’t claim the exact same, and
also the 3D effect can really be lost completely in the event the viewer isn’t
sitting within the proper position.

Sometimes thought of as 3D CGI, 3D animation is a kind of animation

which uses computer generated images to make animated scenes. It is because
animation demands an entirely different skill set than 3D modeling. 3D
animation is among the quickest growing careers. It is different in that it can
only be done with the use of a computer if you don’t count stop-motion.

Some of the Advantage of AutoCAD are as follows:

 Storage and accessibility: AutoCAD files can be saved on a computer or
archived in any storage media. Software files occupy lesser storage space
as compared storage space required for keeping manually drafted paper
drawings. Paper drawings also need care and protection from loss or
damage due to floods, fires or other calamities and can get damaged over
time. The software files can also be stored on any cloud storage, from
where they are easily accessible at any time, from anywhere provided
there is an internet connection.
  3D View: Although it is possible to sketch 3D drawings manually, they
are not as effective and realistic as computer aided drawings. AutoCAD
help model 3D objects with colors, materials and/or textures applied to
various surfaces making them vivid and easier for the user to visualize the
end product.

 Revisions and modifications: Any changes in manually drafted paper

drawings would require the draftsman to draw the drawing again. Since
this involved a lot of effort, the draftsmen just scratched out the older
details and drew new details, resulting loss of older details and also not-
to-scale drawings. CAD has inbuilt tools that allow any number of
revisions and changes easily and quickly. You can edit or delete details
easily using simple user-friendly commands.. You can also save the
previous versions of the file in case you wish to re-use them

 Speed: Creating a drawing in AutoCAD is much faster than drawing

manually. You can also save time and effort by creating re-usable block
library. Easy edits are possible with commands like copy, mirror,
stretching, rotate and scale and many more such commands.

 Accuracy: AutoCAD enables you to draw with fractional dimensions and

also define precision to any number of decimal places, which is not
possible to achieve in hand-drafted manual drawings, hence offering
accuracy in all dimensions.

Reasons for implementing CAD systems:

 To increase the productivity of the designer.
 To improve the quality of design.
 To create a database for manufacturing.
 To improve communication through documentation.

Before implementing this software, all engineers used drafters and sheets to
draw design a product. It took so much time for a designer to design a product.
If the manufactured product didn’t satisfy the customer need or the
manufacturers found any errors in the product after manufacturing, then they
need to change the design of the product which was a time-consuming process.
The designer needs to change the design of a product by erasing or sometimes
he needs to use the new chart for designing it.
Applications:
 Aerospace calls their final design as an assembly.
 Automotive call their final design as Parts design.
 Electrical and electronics call their final design as Blueprint and Circuit
design.
 Rail and marine call their final design as Layout or Blueprint.
 Structural and civil call their final design as Layout.

Commands use in AutoCAD

Line

With LINE, you can create a series of continuous

line segments. Each segment is a line object that can
be edited separately.

Construction Line

Lines that extend to infinity, such as x-lines, can be

used to create construction and reference lines, and
for trimming boundaries.
Relative coordinates

Relative coordinates are based on the last point

entered. Use relative coordinates when you know the
location of a point in relation to the previous point.

Polyline

A polyline is an object in AutoCAD that consists of

one or more line (or arc) segments. A rectangle is an
example of a polyline that you are already familiar
with. As you've seen, it is one object that can be
modified and worked with easier than four separate
lines.

Arc

AutoCAD provides eleven different ways to create

arcs. The different options are used based on the
geometry conditions of the design. To create an arc,
you can specify various combinations of center,
endpoint, start point, radius, angle, chord length, and
direction values.

Pan Shifts the view without changing the viewing

direction or magnification. Position the cursor at the
start location and press the left mouse button down.
Drag the cursor to the new location. You can also press
the mouse scroll wheel or middle button down and drag
the cursor to pan.

Ellipse The AutoCAD Ellipse command provides a

straightforward way to draw an ellipse: You specify the
two endpoints of one of its axes and then specify an endpoint on the other axis.
Like the Arc command,

Hatch

To Hatch or Fill an Object or an Area. Click

Home tab Draw panel Hatch. On the Properties panel
Hatch Type list, select the type of hatch that you want to
use. On the Pattern panel, click a hatch pattern or fill. On
the Boundaries panel, specify the how the pattern
boundary is selected:

Spline

Creates a smooth curve that passes through or near a set

of fit points, or that is defined by the vertices in a control
frame. SPLINE creates curves called non uniform
rational B-splines (NURBS), referred to as splines for
simplicity. Splines are defined either with fit points, or
with control vertices.

Area

Select Object from this prompt and click on the

boundary of Rectangle or Circle for which you want to
find the area. The area of the object will appear above
command line along with its perimeter or circumference.

Scale Type SCALE into the command line and press

Enter. Select the image you want to scale and press
Enter. Click at the base point. Press R for reference.
Click at the first point of the known dimension, then
select the end point of said dimension. Enter the "true
length" of said dimension and press Enter.
Unit Click utilities drawing setup. Click the Units tab. Under Drawing Units,
select the desired units. To scale objects that you insert into the current drawing
from drawings with different drawing units, select Scale Objects Inserted from
Other Drawings. Under Length, select a unit type and desired precision.

Text Click Home tab Annotation panel Single Line Text.

Specify the insertion point. Enter a height or click to
specify the height of the text. Enter an angle value or
click to specify the rotation angle. Enter the text

Plot Click Output tab Plot panel Plot. Find. Select a

plotter. Select paper size, plot area, plot scale, orientation
and other options. For additional options, click the More
Options button.

Move Click the Move button on the Modify panel of the

Home tab. Select at least one object. Press Enter when you
finish selecting objects. Specify a base point by clicking a
point or typing coordinates.

Offset Click the Offset button on the Home tab's Modify

panel, or enter Offset and press Enter. Type an offset
distance and press Enter. Select a single object, such as a
line, a polyline, or an arc. Point to one side or the other of
the object and then click.

Point/Multiple Points Enter MULTIPLE at the command

line and you can then enter the command that you want to
use the multiple command with. For example, if you want
to draw a lot of circles in various locations and sizes or if
you want to move multiple objects in succession, enter multiple on the
command line.

Mirror Click the Mirror button on the Home tab's

Modify panel, or enter MI and press Enter. Select at least
one object, and press Enter to end the object selection.
Specify the start of the mirror line by clicking a point or
typing coordinates.

Array Type Array in the command line or select. Select

the object you would like to array. Enter or select the
center point of rotation for the object. Select a method of
array. Enter the number of items to array. Enter the array
angle. Enter the angle between the objects

Stretch Specifies the portion of the object that you want

to stretch. Use the polygon option or the crossing object
selection method. Press Enter when the selection is
complete. STRETCH moves only the vertices and
endpoints that lie inside the crossing selection, leaving
those outside unchanged.

Break If you want to cut an object into two pieces

without removing anything, click the Break at Point
button on the Modify panel's slide out. On the Ribbon's
Home tab, click the label of the Modify panel to open its
slide out, and then click the Break button. Select a single
object, such as a line, a polyline, or an arc.

Join Select valid objects to join to the original

source object. For example, if you selected a line as the
source object, AutoCAD continues prompting for
additional adjoining lines until you press Enter to end the object selection. Press
Enter to end the command. AutoCAD joins the selected objects into a single
object.

Trim Click Home tab Modify panel Trim. Find. Select the

objects to serve as cutting edges. Press Enter when you
finish selecting the cutting edges. Select the objects
to trim and press Enter a second time when you finish
selecting the objects to trim.

Chamfer Select the second object or line segment of a 2D

polyline to define the chamfer. You can also hold down the
Shift key before selecting the second object or line
segment of a 2D polyline to extend or trim the selected
objects to form a sharp corner.

Fillet A round or fillet can be created between two objects

of the same or different object types: 2D polylines, arcs,
circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, lines, rays, splines, and x
lines. If the two selected objects are on the same layer, the
arc defined is created on that layer

Explodes Breaks a compound object into its component

objects. Explodes a compound object when you want to
modify its components separately. Objects that can
be exploded include blocks, polylines, and regions, among
others. The color, line-type, and line-weight of
any exploded object might change

Dimensioning Click Annotate tab Dimensions panel

Baseline. If prompted, select the base dimension. Use an
object snap to select the second extension line origin, or
press Enter to select any dimension as the base dimension.
Use an object snap to specify the next extension line
origin.
Lab Practice