Basic CAD 2

This course builds on the previous courses in the series leading to CAD competency - QuickStart CAD and Basic CAD 1. In Basic CAD 1, we concentrated our attention on those steps in CAD drafting which are required early in the life of a CAD project viz:

• Taking a detailed look at the project brief,

• Developing an appropriate prototype drawing,

• Developing our viewing skills and finally,

• Using most of the 'primitive' draw commands in your CAD armoury, etc. 

Now we are ready to examine the use of those tools which are used to modify what is already in the design drawing; i.e. we will examine how to edit primitive entities, the handling of text, discuss object (entity) snapping in more detail, the use of blocks and external references in drawings, dimensioning objects, adding entity attributes and briefly cover printing/plotting drawings.

Course sequence

• QuickStart CAD >> (completed)

• Basic CAD 1 >>  (completed)

• Basic CAD 2 >> (this course)

• Paper Space & Model Space.

Sample some course materials.

Syllabus for Basic CAD 2

 

Module	Description
Editing 1	A detailed look at the various edit commands found in the AutoCAD/IntelliCAD environment. Where to find the various editing tools on the standard toolbar, the modify toolbar and the drop down modify menu. In this module, CUT, COPYPASTE,UNDO. The importance of changing the general properties of and element versus changing the geometry of an element. The ERASE, MOVE, Selection Sets, UNDO, grips, overlapping entities, REDO, OOPS, EXPLODE, COPY, OFFSET, and PARALLEL commands are covered.
Editing 2	More edit commands:  The SCALE, ROTATE, MIRROR, ARRAY - polar & rectangular, BREAK, JOIN, TRIM, ALIGN, and EXTEND and EDIT LENGTH commands.
Editing 3	More edit commands: The STRETCH, MEASURE, DIVIDE, CHAMFER, FILLET, EDIT POLYLINE, CHANGE, and PROPERTIES commands.
Text Input	Placing single line text in drawings with the TEXT and DTEXT commands. Using DTEXT to annotate several parts of the drawing 'in one go'. Creating a text style with the STYLE command. We deal with style names, font type SHX and True Type fonts, height obliquing angle etc. Problems with text 'bleeding' across other entities. Installing font files. Creating an AS1100 compliant text style. Dealing with fixed and variable text height styles. Editing text with the DDEDIT command. Creating a keyboard shortcut (TE) for the DDEDIT command. Placing multi line text with the MTEXT command. Using external word processors to place blocks of text. Using the shareware word processor NotesPad to manage boiler plate text. Importing text into drawings via blocks.
Object Snapping	Revising and extending the use of object snap (entity snap) tools. Using transient entity snaps - one time snaps. Monitoring the status of esnaps in a drawing session. Modifying flyover markers. Using various entity snap options from toolbars and keyboard - INT, NODE, MID, QUA, CEN, QUICK, NEA, NODE, INT, PER. Combining osnaps. Using the OSNAP command to set running OSNAPS.
Using Blocks	What's a block? Where are blocks stored? The reasons for using blocks in CAD drawings. Blocks in the database. The BLOCK command. Making a ball valve block suitable for P&ID drawings. Horizontal and vertical versions of block. Listing blocks in a drawing. Blocks for landscape use. Using PDSIZE. The IntelliCAD (block) Drawing Explorer. The WBLOCK command from blocks already present, Using WBLOCK if no block definition available. Block and the importance of layer zero. Colour and linetypes in blocks. The block path. Counting blocks with an AutoLISP program. Using object snaps with blocks. Blocks for electrical, civil, mechanical, architecture, landscape. Building intelligent blocks.
External references	Using drawings by others as a backdrop for your work. Types of backdrop information - blocks, DXF files, external references, raster images. Using raster images. Examining and auditing reference drawings before you start to use them - scale, layers, ucs, limits, spaces etc. Using blocks as back drops to drawings. Using the XREF command. Checking sizes of drawings with XREF's.
Dimensioning 1	Simple dimensioning. The DIM command, dimension styles. The dimension toolbar. Placing horizontal and vertical dimensions. Updating dimensions. Creating and modifying dimension styles. Dimension styles in default drawings.
Dimensioning 2	Using dimensioning in the 'real world'. acceptable and non acceptable layout. Marrying dimensioning to the job.
Printing&Plotting	An overview of plotters and plotting. Pen and pencil plotters, large format inkjet printers. System and non-system plotters. Plotting a test drawing without assigning line weights. Plotting with line weights. Colour and line thickness. Paper space complications. the value of the DEFPOINTS layer. Scaling drawings. Scaling in paper space viewports. Using PCP files. Configuring a plotter. Testing a system plotter. Colours, line weights, paper space, model space plotting.
Printing with IntelliCAD	Overcoming some common problems encountered when printing using IntelliCAD - pen tables, setting line weights, title sheet border etc.
Attributes	Using attributes with blocks. Creating an A1 drawing sheet with 3 attributes for project title, drafter, scale, drawing file name etc. Using DDATTE to edit attribute information.
Dealing with incoming drawings	A check list for dealing with drawings that have been produced by others. What to do with a foreign drawing before you use it.