COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN(CAD)

AutoCAD is a computer-aided drafting

software program used to create blueprints for
buildings, bridges, and computer chips, among
other things.
CAD, or computer-aided design is a technology
for design and technical documentation, which
replaces manual drafting with an automated
process
 CONT….
• Dynamic Input provides a command interface
near the cursor to help you keep your focus in
the drafting area. When Dynamic Input is on,
It displays information near the cursor that is
dynamically updated as the cursor moves.
When a command is active, the tooltips
provide a place for user entry.
• Mirror object -Mirroring is useful for creating
symmetrical objects because you can quickly
draw half the object and then mirror it instead
of drawing the entire object
 AutoCAD Users
1) Mechanical drafters: Prepare plans for machinery
and mechanical devices.
2) Architectural drafters: Draw up plans for residential
and commercial buildings.
3) Civil drafters: Draw up plans for use in the design
and building of roadways, bridges, sewer systems, and
other major projects.
4) Electrical drafters: Work with electricians to prepare
diagrams of wiring electrical system layouts.
5) Electronics drafters: Also prepare wiring diagrams
for use in the making, installing, and repairing of
electronic gadgets
 AUTOCAD INTERFACE FEATURES

1. AutoCAD Version Number: This is used to

show the version of the AutoCAD software
your are using.
2. Current open Drawing Name: This indicates
the name of the drawing you currently have
open
3. Standard Toolbar: This is a toolbar
standard AutoCAD commands.
4. The pull down menus: This is mainly used to
access AutoCAD commands
5. Layers tool bar: This is used to access
AutoCAD layers command.
6. Edit tool bar: This is used to access AutoCAD
editing commands.
7. Styles too bar: It is used to access styles
command.
8. Draw tool bar: This is used to access drawing
commands.
9. Tool Pellets: This is used to access the tool
pallets.
10. Scroll bar: This is mainly used to scroll
around in the drawing area.
11. Status Bar: It is used to turn on and off
AutoCAD settings.
12. Command Line: It is to type in
AutoCAD command from a key
13. Coordinate Read out: Used to keep
track of the cursor position in the drawing
area.
 Advantages of using Autocad
1) Ability to produce accurate designs which can
either be created in 2D or 3D
2) The layout of the drawing can be done
conveniently
3) CAD is flexible to organize drawing
information
4) Establish drafting standards e.g. you can
ensure conformity to industry or company
standards by creating styles that you can
apply consistently.
5) In CAD you can draw efficiently and
you can choose from variety of drawing
tools.
6) CAD helps to draw image accurately by
the use of dimensions
7) In CAD you can view your drawing and
change the resolution of your drawing as
needed.
8) CAD eliminates tedious manual editing
by providing a variety of editing tool.
 Disadvantages of using CAD
1) The cost of buying the software and
installing is very high
2) It requires expertise to use the Cad
software
3) The frequent change of the software
version makes software outdated very
fast.
4) it limits the number of file formats it
can import or export.
 APPLICATION AREAS OF AUTOCAD
1) Architectural planning: AutoCAD provides users with
an interface that comes with build in designs, layouts
which include numerous templates that are specifically
designed for architecture planning and building and
constructions.
2) Graphic Design: Although there are arguable more
advanced graphic design tools in the computer aided
design community, AutoCAD’s innate features that
enable its users plan out architectural spaces, map them
out and take advantage of the available space makes it a
formidable design tool that can be used simultaneously
with 3D Max, Maya and other design/animation tools
when the need arises.
3) USED IN 3D PRINTING: AutoCAD provides
users with an interface that comes with build in
designs, layouts which include numerous
templates that are specifically designed for
architecture planning and building and
constructions.
4) Graphic Design: AutoCAD’s has features that
enable its users plan out architectural spaces,
map them out and take advantage of the
available space makes it a formidable design tool
that can be used simultaneously with 3D Max,
Maya and other design/animation tools when the
need arises.
5) Industrial Companies – Industrial
companies use AUTOCAD to design
virtually anything e.g. prototypes for
presentation when advertising or
seeking for funds. This helps the
manufacturing and industrial
organizations to make enough money to
cover the cost occurred in producing any
product.
 AUTOCAD MODIFIED TOOLS
These tools are used to modify existing lines and
objects. They include-:
a) Offset – This is used to create a duplicate
object parallel with the original object. If this
object is a circle or polyline or a circle the
duplicate shapes will be transformed inwards
or outwards
b) Trim – with the trim option object can be
shortened or lengthened with edges of other
objects. To trim an object click on trim or type
(tr) in the command line command select
object to trim, press enter and trim.
c) Extend (ex) - This option is used to shorten
or lengthen objects to meet the edges of other
objects. E.g. a line can be exactly fitted
between objects.
To Extend: Click on the extend command
and select the object you want to extend then
select the line you also want to extend
d) Move – This is a command used to move
one or more objects.
Moving objects can be done by the aid of
object snap or by using relative coordinates.
e) Rotate – This command is used to move
one or more objects. Moving objects can
either be done with the aid of object snap or
by using relative coordinates
f) Copy – This is used to copy one or more
objects. Select the object you want to copy
and specify the base point.
g)Array-Used to create copies of objects in a
rectangular or polar pattern. This is
especially useful when you need to duplicate
several objects at the same distance from
each other.
h) Fillet – This is a command that is used to
connect two objects with and arc with a specified
Radius.
• To fillet Click on the fillet command icon.
• Type R and Press Enter.
• Specify the fillet Radius and Press Enter.
• Select the first line.
• Select the second line.
i) Chamfer – This is a that command create a
beveled edge between two selected lines. It can be
defined by specifying a distance away from the
intersection of the selected lines. It can also be
defined by an angle
j) Join – This command is used to
combine similar objects into a single
object.
With this command it is possible to
create a circle or an arc.
K) Explode – This is a command that
is used to convert individual elements
into single segments e.g.. Polylines,
hatches and blockers.
Snap and Tracking Command Tools
These Command helps the user to create a drawing very
accurately. They include:

a) Snap mode – It’s a command that restricts

cursor movement to specified grid
intervals, or tracks the cursor to
increments along polar alignment paths.
b) Grid Display – This is a command that
displays the grids with the spacing that is
specified.
c) Ortho Mode – It is a command that
restricts movements to both horizontal and
vertical direction.
d) Polar Tracking– This is a command
that tracks increments of and angle
that is specified
e) Object Snap–This is a command that
help you to draw accurately. Snaps
allow you to snap onto a
specific object location when you are
picking a point.
f) Quick Properties – This is a command
that is used to display the properties
of the selected object.
 Drawing Tools
a) Line – This is used to draw
straight lines from one point to
another
b) Polyline – This is used to draw a
line or curve with multiple control
points.
c) Rectangle – Used for drawing a
rectangle by defining two points.
d) Polygon – It helps to draw polygon by
specifying the number of edges if you want to
chose to inscribe in circle, it draws a polygon
inside the circle with the specified radius. If
you want to circumscribe a circle it draws a
polygon containing a circle with the specified
radius.
e) Circle – This is used to draw a circle, first
click to define the center of the circle the
define the radius.
f) Rectangle – This draws a spline while
connecting multiple points. Define the points
that spline goes through and end by pressing
the escape key
 Drawing Aids.
a) Ortho Mode – This is a short name for
orthogonal mode which means either
vertical or horizontal. Ortho is not really a
command but it is a drawing mode which
can either be turned on or off.
The quickest way to turn it on is just to click
on the ortho button on the status bar and the
appearance of the button will tell you whether
ortho is currently on or off.
It can also be toggled on or off by pressing the
F8 function key
b) Drawing Grid – This is a regular pattern of
dots displayed on the screen which act as a
visual aid, it is an equivalent of having a sheet
of graph paper behind your drawing on a
drawing board. F7 key is a shortcut to activate
the grids
c) Snap Mode(F9) – This allows you to pick points
which lies on a regular grid. The snap grid is
completely independent of the displayed grid
but the spacing of the two are usually set to the
same value to avoid confusion
d) Polar Tracking(F10) – This is almost like ortho
mode and allows you to snap into whatever
angle you choose to configure.
 Modeling Tools
1) Extrude Command - This is a command that
allows you to create a solid object from circles,
polygons, and objects, created from or converted
to Poly lines, that have "closed" paths.
2) Presspull – A command that will enable you to
extrude an element from any enclosed boundary
between lines that are not necessarily a closed
poly line This is a quick and easy way to create an
extruded shape from a closed boundary.
 Layers in AutoCAD
Layers are the primary method for
organizing the objects in a drawing by
function or purpose. Layers can reduce the
visual complexity of a drawing and improve
display performance by hiding information
that you don’t need to see at the moment.
Before you start drawing, create a set of
layers that are useful to your work. In a
house plan, you might create layers for the
foundation, floor plan, doors, fixtures,
electrical, and so on.
 Creating a Layer

• In the Layer Properties Manager, click New

Layer. A layer name is added to the layer list.
• Enter a new layer name by typing over the
highlighted layer name.
– Layer names can be up to 255 characters long (double-
byte or alphanumeric), and include letters, numbers,
spaces, and several special characters.
– Layer names cannot include the following characters: < >
/\“:;?*|=‘
• For complex drawings with many layers, enter
descriptive text in the Description column.
• Specify the settings and default properties of the
new layer by clicking in each column.
 Renaming a Layer
 In the Layer Properties Manager, click to
select a layer.
 Click the layer name or press F2.
 Enter a new name.
Remove a Layer
 In the Layer Properties Manager, click to
select a layer.
 Click Delete Layer.
NB:
• The following layers cannot be deleted:
• Layers 0 and Defpoints
• Layers containing objects, including objects
in block definitions
• The current layer
• Layers used in an external reference
Set the Current Layer
• In the Layer Properties Manager, click to
select a layer.
• Click Set Current.
COORDINATE SYSTEMS IN AUTOCAD
ABSOLUTE COORDINATE ENTRY
Absolute coordinate entry is the default.
Absolute coordinate entry always counts from
the origin. When drawing lines, AutoCAD is
ready to place the next vertex wherever you tell
it to go:
• Type L on the command line and press enter
• Type 4,6 on the command line and press enter
• Type 5,3 on the command line and press enter
• Press enter to finish the Line command
We just told AutoCAD we wanted a line starting at 4,6, and ending
at 5,3. It made a segment between those two points. The first point
is 4 to the right and 6 up from the origin. The second point is 5 to
the right and 3 up from the origin. The line is the shortest distance
between those two points
 RELATIVE COORDINATE ENTRY
For relative coordinates, AutoCAD does not
count from 0,0. Instead, the reference point is
the previous point in the drawing. Let’s draw
another line, and see what it looks like compared
to the old one:
• Type L on the command line and press enter
• Type 4,6 on the command line and press enter
• Type @5,3 on the command line and press
enter
• Press enter to finish the line command
AutoCAD recognizes the @ symbol as
instructions to count using relative coordinates.
Notice the difference. While both lines made thus
far started at the same point, this time, for the
second vertex, AutoCAD counted 5 over and 3 up
from the first vertex, and made the line between
those two locales
 POLAR COORDINATE SYSYEM
Polar coordinates are named for their “pole”; the reference
point to start counting from, which is similar in concept to
the origin. Polar coordinates employ one radial distance
and one angle (by convention, the angle is measured
counterclockwise from the x-axis). The angle signifies the
direction, and the distance is how far to go in that direction
from the pole.
• Polar coordinates in AutoCAD are given as R<Degrees,
where:
• “R” is the radial distance
• “<” is the less than sign (but in this case represents the
angle)
• “Degrees” is the value of the angle in degrees
Like Cartesian coordinates, polar coordinates are
employed as a subcommand.
The analogue to ORTHO mode is POLAR tracking
(F10). Polar tracking restricts cursor movement to
specified angles. The user can specify the
acceptable angle increments by right-clicking the
icon

• Type L on the command line and press enter

• Type 4,6 on the command line and press enter
• Type @5<60 on the command line and press enter
• Press enter to finish the line command
The above line started at 4,6 (which is input in absolute Cartesian
coordinates). Since the next line had the @ symbol, that means the
previous point (4,6), became the pole, or reference point for the
relative coordinates.
We input the polar coordinates as @5<60, which means the length
of the line is 5 and the angle counterclockwise from the x-axis is 60
degrees.