New AutoCAD Student

Hello, I have taken on an AutoCAD class and so far I'm learning a lot thanks to tools like this website, my teacher, and the book AutoCAD for Dummies. Can I say that on this forum? The question I have about learning AutoCAD is, what are some key points to focus on to be a successful AutoCAD user.

Even opening the software and staring at a black page is mind boggling, not sure I even know how to set up the perimeters of my page / space yet.

Any advice and input would be greatly appreciated.

Johanna

Welcome to the forum, Johanna.

Whow, where do I start, probably with little steps to begin with, then we'll get a bit bolder as time goes on.

You will very quickly get used to opening acad and starting a drawing. Don't worry about trying to set drawing limits, not many users do that anymore. Just consider acad as having an infinite drawing area. So start your first line with the command LINE, and when asked pick the first point, type 0,0, then for the second point type whatever you want along the lines of @50

Then just draw away. Remember that in modelspace, you always draw at 1:1. That means 1 acad drawing unit = what ever you want it to be (mm, m, inches, feet, whatever).

Might also pay you to look up UNITS in acad help.

Once you have mastered that and are happy with it, we'll take you to the next step. :lol:

BTW, whereabouts in the Pacific North West are you from?

Johanna,

Another good thing to remember in autoCAD is that the drawing is set by coordinates and quadrants. If you were to take a plain sheet of paper and draw a giant plus sign it would divide the paper into 4 boxes. Any direction above the horizontal line is a positive value of "y"; below the horizontal line is a negative value of "y". Anything to the right of the vertical line is a positive value of "x"; anything to the left of the vertical line is a negative value of "x". Therefore, the top right quadrant is registered with values of (+x, +y), the bottom right is (+x,-y), the bottom left is (-x,-y) and the top left is (-x,+y). When you begin to work with angles and larger scale drawings, this will be more useful to you and will be easier to grasp.

Other than that, go through the drop down menus when you have free time and become familiar with where things are... if something is not a familiar term it is also helpful to click on the help button and type in the term. The CAD help menu will appear and will let you type in a search with key words. It will outline what the term means, how to use it, and sometimes even gives examples.

I hope this helps- happy browsing!

Andrea

I live in Washington state and it is beautiful here.

Welcome to the forum, Johanna.

Whow, where do I start, probably with little steps to begin with, then we'll get a bit bolder as time goes on.

You will very quickly get used to opening acad and starting a drawing. Don't worry about trying to set drawing limits, not many users do that anymore. Just consider acad as having an infinite drawing area. So start your first line with the command LINE, and when asked pick the first point, type 0,0, then for the second point type whatever you want along the lines of @50

Then just draw away. Remember that in modelspace, you always draw at 1:1. That means 1 acad drawing unit = what ever you want it to be (mm, m, inches, feet, whatever).

Might also pay you to look up UNITS in acad help.

Once you have mastered that and are happy with it, we'll take you to the next step. :lol:

BTW, whereabouts in the Pacific North West are you from?

Learn to use paperspace.

Start with 2D then work your way into 3D.

Practice...alot.

Then along the way try your hand at some customization.

Keep asking questions.

Never stop educating yourself.

Explore every aspect of AutoCAD.

Enjoy.

BTW...welcome to the forum.

Start with 2D then work your way into 3D.

Learning orthographic 2D projection is like learning another language that is necessary because paper conveying of information is a 2D medium. Someone figured out a long time ago that the world isn't flat. Start with 3D and then let the software generate the 2D. Going full circle you will read a 2D to generate a 3D to create a 2D. You will learn it all and follow a more natural flow in learning the second language as you are familiar with a 3D world.

Students can download modern 3D software for free from http://engineersrule.org

Thanks for the 2D / 3D info. I was wondering about that and your answer helps me with the question in my mind about which dimension to use.

Johanna

Learn to use paperspace.

 

Start with 2D then work your way into 3D.

 

Practice...alot.

 

Then along the way try your hand at some customization.

 

Keep asking questions.

 

Never stop educating yourself.

 

Explore every aspect of AutoCAD.

 

Enjoy.

 

BTW...welcome to the forum.

Is there a place on this website to view previous "Tip of the day"? They're good to know and the ability to re-visit those would be a nice feature.

Thanks,

Johanna

Is there a place on this website to view previous "Tip of the day"?

Take a look in the "Resources Section" under "Tutorials & Tips'n'Tricks". There is a sticky called Contribute a tip, become famous.

Once again I find myself in disagreement with JD's advice re: start with 3D. Sure, some programs can generate the 2D linework for you from a 3D model and that's fine. But what if you go to work for a company that doesn't require or need 3D? It never hurts to learn the basics. You'll be amazed at how many companies have not taken the plunge into 3D. I guess it really boils down to the field you plan on working in. Have you given that any thought? Maybe we should start there.

Once again I find myself in disagreement with JD's advice...

Are you really still stuck on r2004?

No JD, I'm not. You speak as though everyone is using 3D models to generate 2D drawings and that is just not the case. There certainly has been a much larger percentage of companies jumping on the 3D wagon but we're still a far cry from the utopia you seem to be living in. Hey, don't get me wrong. If all you do is create perfect 3D models that the software then translates into perfect 2D drawings well bully for you. I heartily commend you on your expertise. Could you though, go out on the shop floor, and with a couple of hand sketches, adequately explain to the tool and die maker or machinist, how to fix a manufacturing problem by producing an axonometric or oblique view with pencil and paper on the spot? How about an auxilliary view (a non-normal view)? Would you be able to do that without your precious 3D capability or would you take your laptop along and draw it?

Simply put, not all drawings have to be done in 3D nor should they be. A good example: a process piping and instrumentation diagram for a chemical process.

I wonder how many certified experts know how to read a 2D drawing in the first place.

No JD, I'm not. ....

Sorry, I was confused by the caption "Using: AutoCAD 2004. You might want to update your caption.

Could you though, go out on the shop floor....

I earned my Journeyman's Machinist card more than 20 years ago. Spent 8 of 15 years in industry out on the shop floor making real 3D parts from flawed or incomplete 2D drawings made by engineers who could apparently do neither 2D or 3D.

Taught board drafting, manual machine tools, and CNC programming for 5 years.

I've been teaching traditional 2D CAD (and hand sketching) for 15 years.

I've been using 3D CAD for 20 years.

You're right, I should update it. Currently using 2007. Most of my work does not require 3D although I have made use of it where appropriate.

My last comment was not meant to be a cheap shot at your expense. You've obviously come up through the ranks, have seen and lived the "evolution" of the art of drawing/drafting, and at least have an appreciation for and an understanding of what actually went into making a good drawing.

For your consideration.

Due to the high cost of software, the computer to run it on, training and taking into account, for some, the steep learning curve, companies have been reluctant to either consider or implement 3D.

Then there is the problem of legacy drawings. You know, all those drawings done in AutoCAD, for instance, from its inception in 1983. If asked to pull one up and make a couple of design modifications are you going to first redraw it in 3D and then let the program generate the 2D views? What if the budget is tight? What if the powers-to-be want it right now (as in they really needed it yesterday)? What if the client or manufacturer is in a panic over a deadline?

Trivia:

Did you know that in January of 2002, AutoDesk estimated that 70% of its users still used AutoCAD r14 or an earlier release? AutoCAD 14 was released in 1997. Some people were obviously determined not to upgrade. An integrated 3D modeler was not a part of AutoCAD until 1983 and release 13.

My teacher has us working in 2D for starters so, I'm probably going to stay there for now until he has us do otherwise. In answer to your question, I'm pursuing Landscape Design / Architecture.

Good luck on your endeavors in the landscape design and architectural world.

learn layers!! very very important for large drawings

(one thing i could think of after a day's work (4 more mins and i go home!!) so i can be helpful. lol)

Alright, any advice on 3D? My class is taking on 3D now and it seems like it's harder to work in than 2D. Any input would be most appreciated.

im in the same boat as you, were now starting 3D, 2D seems so much easier