COURSE: COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN & DRAFTING I

ICT 201

INTRODUCTION

AutoCAD is a computer Aided design (CAD) program or software primarily used by the
Architects, Engineers and other professionals in the built industry. AutoCAD was first
released in December 1982.

AutoCAD is a full-featured CAD program developed, packaged and marketed by Autodesk

Inc. AutoCAD is one of the recommended design software because it provides professionals
in these niches with unique drafting tools that can be used to bring their ideas to life with
accuracy they required. AutoCAD comes in 2 and 3 dimensional (2D & 3D) drafting software.
The native file format of AutoCAD is dwg.

USES OF AUTOCAD

· Used as Architectural design tool: it makes design and drafting easier for architects.
· Used as an Engineering drafting tools: AutoCAD aids the drawing of Engineering
components, designing mechanical components, bridges and analysing electrical
components.
· Used in fashion industry: it is used to design and create beautiful patterns that can
be used for textile materials.
· Used as Industrial design tools.
· Used as Surveyor’s plotting tools: It is used by Surveyors to plot Survey plans.
· Used as a graphic Design tool.

ADVANTAGES OF USING AUTOCAD

i. It improves productivity.
ii. It reduces man power and common errors made in manual drawings.
iii. It saves a lot of time.
iv. It is easy and accurate.
v. It gives a paperless environment.
vi. It is easy to edit.
vii. It is easy to make repetition/addition.
viii. There’s no limitation for drawing size.
ix. Dimensioning is very easy and accurate.

DISADVANTAGES OF USING AUTOCAD

i. Electricity is mandatory.
ii. Data storage is fragile.
iii. Special computer skills are required.

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 iv. Equipment is fragile and can be damaged drastically.
v. Expensive equipment is required.

LAUNCHING AUTOCAD

ª Switch the computer on and wait for it to boot.

ª If the computer is ready, click on start button on the lower left corner of the
computer,
ª On the start menu, select the AutoCAD version you want to use and wait for the
software to load.

OR

ª Switch the computer on and wait for it to boot.

ª Double click on the AutoCAD icon on the Desktop and wait for the software to load.

Note: AutoCAD automatically assigns generic name to new drawings created. AutoCAD
opened the graphics window using the default system units and assigned the drawing name
Drawing1.

AUTOCAD INTERFACE

TITLE BAR MENU BAR

STYLES
STANDARD TOOL BAR

WORKSPACE LAYER TOOL BAR PROPERTIES

DRAW TOOLBAR
MODIFY TOOLBAR

DRAWING AREA
UCS ICON

MODEL AND LAYOUT BAR

COMMANDLINE
STATUS BAR
COORDINATE BAR

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DRAWING UNITS.

Procedure:

Ø On the menu bar, click on Format. On the format fly-out,

Ø Click on Units, on the unit dialogue box.
Ø Set the length type to decimal and Precision to “0.0” .
Ø Angle type to be in decimal degree and precision to “0”.
Ø Set the insertion Scale to be “millimetre or inches”.
Ø Activate the “Clockwise”.
Ø Click on “OK”.
Ø And then “OK” to end the setting.

Drawing Limits for A4 paper.

Procedure:

Ø On the menu bar, click on format. On format fly-out,

Ø Click on drawing limits,
Ø Specify lower left corner to be 0,0 and press Enter.
Ø Specify upper right corner to be 297,000,210,000 (the conventional size for A4
paper), and press Enter.
Ø Input “Z”- Enter and “E” Enter or “A” Enter (To zoom extent of the drawing area).

HOW TO DRAW A POLYGON

POLYGON : - The command is used to draw a polygon with three or more sides.

Procedure: -

· Draw toolbar => Polygon icon.

· Draw menu => Polygon option.
· Shortcut => Type Polygon and press enter or POL and press enter at “COMMAND:”
prompt.

· Enter number of sides at this point you can enter as many sides as you wish (No less

than three sides), press enter.

· Specify centre of polygon, press enter

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 · Enter an option, select insert in a circle or Circumscribe about a circle

· Specify radius of circle

· Press Enter on the keyboard to display the Polygon and end the command.

HOW TO DRAW A RECTANGLE

RECTANGLE : - This command is used to draw a Rectangle.

Procedure: -

· Draw toolbar => Rectangle icon.

· Draw menu => Rectangle option.

· Shortcut => Type RECTANGLE and press enter or REC and press enter at Specify first
corner.
· Specify other corner (type the dimension of the length and breadth of the rectangle)
· Press enter.
· Press ESC to end the command.

HOW TO DRAW A CIRCLE

CIRCLE :- This command is used to draw a Circle.

Procedure: -

· Draw toolbar => Circle icon.

· Draw menu => Circle option.
· Shortcut => Type CIRCLE and press enter or C and press enter at “COMMAND:”
prompt.
· Specify the center point for circle.
· Specify radius of circle. Or type D (diameter), input the required radius of diameter.
· Press enter to display the circle.
· “COMMAND:” prompt.

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HOW TO SET DIMENSION STYLE

Procedure:

Ø On the Menu bar, click on Format. On Format fly-out,

Ø Click on Dimension Style, on the Dimension Style Manager Dialogue box,

Ø Click on New, another box pop-out.

Ø Specify the Dimension Style Name.

Ø Then Click Continue.

Ø On the New dialogue box.

Ø Set all necessary parameters in the Line, Symbol and Arrows, Text, Fit and Primary

Units tabs

Ø Then Click OK.

Ø Click on Set Current and Close.

HOW TO SET TEXT STYLE

Procedure:

Ø On the menu bar, click on Format, on the format fly-out,

Ø Click on Text style, on the text style dialogue box,

Ø Click on New and input name of text style and press OK.

Ø Specify Font name for instance “Time New Roman”

Ø Set the Font style as “Regular”

Ø Specify the Text Height to be 200

Ø Click on “Set current” and click on “Close” to end the process.

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SAVING AND NAMING AUTOCAD FILES

Procedure:

Ø On the menu bar, click on file.

Ø On the file drop down,

Ø Click save.,

Ø on save dialogue box,

Ø Specify the folder you want the file to be saved into e.g.(Desktop/Docs)

Ø Set the file name,

Ø Set the file type to a lower version e.g. AutoCAD 2000/LT2000 Drawing (*.dwg)

Ø Then click save.

MOVE
Procedure:

Ø Click Move icon on Modify tool bar

Ø Select the object to be moved then Press Enter
Ø Specify the base point of Displacement
Ø Specify the second point of Displacement
Ø Press ‘ESC’ or Enter to end command.

OFFSET
Procedure:

Ø Click on Offset icon on the modify tool bar.

Ø Specify the Distance you are to offset.
Ø Press Enter.
Ø Select the object to offset.

LINE
Procedure:

Ø Click on line icon on draw tool bar

Ø Specify first point
Ø Specify second point
Ø Press enter or esc to end the command.

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EXTEND
Procedure:

Ø Click Extend icon on Modify tool bar,

Ø Select the object you are to extend and the object where you want to extend it to
Ø Press enter.
Ø Click on the object you want to extend to carry out the command.
Ø Press ‘ESC’ to end the command.

Trim
Procedure:
Ø Click Trim icon on Modify tool bar,
Ø Select the object you are to trim and the object where you want to trim it to
Ø Press enter.
Ø Click on the object you want to trim to carry out the command.
Ø Press ‘ESC’ to end the command.

Copy
Procedure:
Ø Click Copy icon on Modify tool bar
Ø Select the object to be copied then Press Enter
Ø Specify the base point of Displacement
Ø Specify the second point of Displacement
Ø Press ‘ESC’ or Enter to end command.

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