Line scale and Line weights

[Wilbri]

I have read greedy86's question and other forum matters regarding line weights with interest.

Went through the pain of changing over from imperial to metric system many years ago (1970 to be exact ) and what a blessing it has been in the long run.

 

All being equal the first question refers to both systems, although I do notice that when loading line types there seems to be a division between the first unspecified section and ISO.

 

My second question preferably requires answers in the metric system.

(I have considered that the two questions should have been set separately?

Need some guidance if this is the case?)

 

Line Scale.

1. Firstly I notice that there are two means of selecting linetypes namely: Layer properties where the scale can't be set.
   
2. Secondly; The Linetype manager where the scale can be adjusted, obviously the correct path.This facility provides two alternatives being Global and Current scale.

Could you please elaborate on these alternatives?

Line Weight.

I have in the past always produced and printed my drawings in model space (since been advised that paper space is where I should be printing from, makes good sense to me.)

In the days of 1995 LT and previously, I selected my pen width to suit a color e.g. blue=0.18mm, red=0.25mm, yellow=.35mm and so forth. All this information was input utilizing the Layer Properties Manager and I was able to plot presentable drawings.

Then came Acad 2000, 2002, 2004 where I continued this practice and if I recall correctly, produced similar results.

Now it would seem that the correct method of setting up linetypes is by means of the Linetype Manager.

Again, I would be happy to receive some input.

 

Using Acad 2007.

[Ryder76]

Line Scale.

 

1. Firstly I notice that there are two means of selecting linetypes namely: Layer properties where the scale can't be set.
   
2. Secondly; The Linetype manager where the scale can be adjusted, obviously the correct path.This facility provides two alternatives being Global and Current scale.

Could you please elaborate on these alternatives?

 

Global sets the scale for the entire drawing and Current sets it for the lines/objects individually.

From the Help file...

 

You can use the same linetype at different scales by changing the linetype scale factor either globally or individually for each object.

By default, both global and individual linetype scales are set to 1.0. The smaller the scale, the more repetitions of the pattern are generated per drawing unit. For example, with a setting of 0.5, two repetitions of the pattern in the linetype definition are displayed for each drawing unit. Short line segments that cannot display one full linetype pattern are displayed as continuous. You can use a smaller linetype scale for lines that are too short to display even one dash sequence.

The Linetype Manager displays the Global Scale Factor and Current Object Scale.

• The Global Scale Factor value controls the
  LTSCALE
  system variable, which changes the linetype scale globally for both new and existing objects.
  
  
• The Current Object Scale value controls the
  CELTSCALE
  system variable, which sets the linetype scale for new objects.

The CELTSCALE value is multiplied by the LTSCALE value to get the displayed linetype scale. You can easily change linetype scales in your drawing either individually or globally.

 

 

Line Weight.

I have in the past always produced and printed my drawings in model space (since been advised that paper space is where I should be printing from, makes good sense to me.)

Check out CTB and STB in the help file.

[Wilbri]

Ryder76

Thank you for this valuable information.

Much appreciated.

Line scale clear.

As regards the Line weights, need to become familiar with CTB and STB

[Cad64]

As regards the Line weights, need to become familiar with CTB and STB

 

You might want to take a look at this: http://www.cadmasters.com/techsupp/acad/pltstyle.html

[Ryder76]

Good stuff there...

[Wilbri]

Many thanks Cad64

I have had a brief look at your referred link and it would seem that the information contained should resolve my problem.

Will respond once I have had time to review the contents.

[Pablo Ferral]

The Autocad ISO Line types are designed to show correctly at a pen width of 1.0mm. Therfore in theory you should set the Linetype scale to match the pen width.

 

More Information here:

http://thecadsetterout.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/technical-drawing-standards-line-type-scale/

[Wilbri]

Thank you All of you for your input.

 

 

The combination of your contribution has resolved my concerns.

Very impressed with both “cadmasters.com” and “thecadsetterout.wordpress.com” sites.

Both highly recommended to other forum members seeking information.

 

 

I would however appreciate some additional clarity regarding the following:

 

 

1. Which plot styles are preferred by users and companies these days?
   
2. I must admit that I personally prefer the CTB File.
   
3. How do I locate the CFG, PCP, & PC2 files?
   
4. I consider final presentation to be a very important part of producing a drawing and believe that lineweights play a very important part here.
   
5. Referring to Technical Drawing Standards – Line Definitions described in “cadsetterout”, there is reference to very thick, thick and thin lines and their uses rather than reference to lineweights indicated, leaving me somewhat perplexed.
   
6. I commonly use the following lineweight settings and would be grateful to receive your comments:
   

Drawing border - 0.7mm

Title block/revisions & reference drawing tables. - 0.5mm

Text and Visible outlines. - 0.35mm

Dimension,Hatching, Hidden and Existing. - 0.25mm

Center and Construction, - 0.18mm

Obviously there are many additional linetypes but by and large the above are the ones I use most frequently.

[Ryder76]

Try this thread for information about line weight standards.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25194&highlight=line+weight+standards

 

As far a CTB vs STB I have worked with companies that used both (not both at the same company).

[Wilbri]

Ryder 76

Thank you for your reply and reference to further information.

As regards CTB and STB.

I operate from my home office offering services in general mechanical engineering.

Most smaller companies I do work for do not have any Cad facilities, so I am free to chose between the two, thus chosen CTB. Again this subject needs to be clarified with my plotting agency.

Where I do have work for companies with Acad facilities in future, I will establish which system they use prior to undertaking any work.

Draftsperson.net another good reference site, many thanks.

[Cad64]

Almost every company we collaborate with use CTB's. Once in a blue moon I will get a file that uses STB's, but it's very rare. And when I do get those files I just use the CONVERTPSTYLES command to convert it to CTB for our use.

[Wilbri]

Thank you that makes me feel comfortable with my choice.

[Wilbri]

May we briefly return to this subject. There are two areas that remain to be clarified.

 

1) line type scale is set according to the unit. From this I would assume the unit to be mm if I was drawing in the metric system.

 

Question:

Accepting this premise, in this instance using a dashed line with the line and space being equal, I would expect to find this line/space to displayed and printed this way when using a 1:1 scale. Obviously this is a bit small and I would alter the scale to say 3mm to produce the desired line/dash length when drawing/printing full size.

Now assuming that the drawing was set at a scale of 1:100, I again assume that the line length in this case 3 units/mm would require me to change the line scale to 300?

Another concern regards lines such as center, phantom etc.

Which line length is set to 1 unit the long or shorter one or possibly the gap between?

I have attempted to do this myself but end up not achieving the result that I expected. I realize that there is some logic to scale setting.

 

 

My second question relates to something that I included in my preamble at the beginning of this thread and it relates to selecting linetypes.

When loading linetypes one has a large choice. initially these do not relate to any standard, but further down I notice ISO linetypes.

 

Question:

If I were working in the metric system in accordance with ISO, would it be correct to assume that I should be using ISO linetypes?

[Pablo Ferral]

Read up on how Autocad uses Line types and Line type scale here:

http://www.we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/level_4/4-3.htm

 

Read up on how Autocad scales line weights between model space and paper space here:

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/

 

Here's a post on how line types are defined:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BzLqzWb-DUo/Shb0MpS_m1I/AAAAAAAAAO0/AzErqLEx0aM/s400/centerline.bmp&imgrefurl=http://civilforautocad.blogspot.com/2009/05/creating-autocad-linetypes.html&usg=__1Az297wzrqqNlZTztZiT7v6WM2U=&h=53&w=400&sz=5&hl=en&start=43&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=oBmFKOwX4Nco8M:&tbnh=16&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dautocad%2Blinetype%2Bdefinition%26start%3D36%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

 

Here's an excerpt from an Autocad tutorial book concerning the use of template files:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DUXh595GVTAC&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=autocad+ISO+templates&source=bl&ots=9_AH-46U-O&sig=jFZtoryFEkxiafkrEv1hP-FZf4Q&hl=en&ei=IH-mS6qpM9WRjAeUxZCACg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA4Q6AEwADgU#v=onepage&q=autocad%20ISO%20templates&f=false

 

I just found this on the ISO site:

http://www.iso.org/iso/standards_development/it_tools/iso_templates.htm

 

And yes, you should use the ISO standard line types if you want to tell people that your'e following the ISO standards...

[Wilbri]

Thank you Pablo

 

This is pretty comprehensive and conclusive information that has clarified all I need to know about the subject at the moment.

I will revert if i have a problem in the future.

Impressed with "AutoCad for Dummies", a book worthwhile having by the looks of it.