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AutoCAD Training: Learn AutoCAD’s Basic Tools and Functions

Three-dimensional drawings portray objects in terms of their height, width, and depth, simulating real-life objects. These drawings model solids, surfaces, and mesh objects and allows the user to simulate real-life objects, build prototypes, carry stress analysis on structures, and simulate assemblies and motion in a three-dimensional space with high accuracy.

For this, it’s important to practice the basics of the two-dimensional space to be prepared for more complex software tools. In this sense, there are some basic tools that are considered important in this AutoCAD training course.

AutoCAD workspace settings

AutoCAD workspace settings

The View Cube is located in the top-right corner and is set to the top view by default.  You can change the views from different angles by hovering your mouse over the icon. You’ll see a coordinate system in the middle of the drawing space where you click on faces, edges, or corners to select the desired view.

Navigation orbit

This is a tool to control the display of a view like the ViewCube. It has a round shape and contains cardinal directions to help the user with the orientation of the drawing. It also allows users to orbit the drawing space or sketch in a tridimensional space.

Setting units

Remember to always set the units before starting a sketch. Type the word UNITS in the blank space located in the Command Bar at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see that the UNITS option and a brief description of this command will pop up as you start typing.

Setting units

The Units you choose won’t affect the creation of objects or the precision of the drawing, but they will affect the length, angles, coordinates, and distances displayed by the program.

The Units you choose won't affect the creation of objects or the precision of the drawing

If you want to work with Inches and feet, it’s advisable to use the Architecture option (Option 4). But if you want to use the metric system you can choose Option 2 (Decimal). You can also specify the format in which the dimensions will appear and their precision (the number of decimals displayed). The program will ask for all this information automatically, and make the user use the blinking space to type in the number of decimals and format required. Click ENTER until finishing the UNITS setting process.

Basic Operations

There are hundreds of commands available in the software that designers use to edit, modify, create and view their models. Experience and training allow users to become comfortable with commands and use them effectively when drawing and sketching. Here’s a short list of commands useful to keep in mind while working on both 2D and 3D workspace:

  • It manages and controls a set of scaling options in a given object of the drawing.
  • MOVE: it allows users to move objects in a specified distance and direction.
  • EXPLODE: It breaks a compounded object into its constituent parts
  • JOIN: it joins similar objects to form a single one.
  • DIM: it allows users to create annotations of diverse dimension types (lines, arcs, angles…)
  • AREA: it calculates the area and perimeter of a given object.
  • OOPS: it restores the last elements you deleted. It serves as a UNDO option.
  • EXTEND: it is used to extend an object until it meets the edges of another one
  • TR: This command is used for trimming an object.
  • Allows users to erase elements in the drawing in a simple click.
  • It allows the user to get back to the immediate previous step taken in the program by reestablishing the drawing to the prior condition.
  • MIRROR: it mirrors the shape of an object by using symmetry. It saves lots of time especially working with symmetrical shapes.
  • LA: it allows users to manage and create layers in a model.
  • FILLET: it allows users to round and filet the edges of given objects.
  • OFFSET: it creates concentric circles, parallel curves and lines.

Convert sketches to 3D models in AutoCAD

Here we will explain how to convert a sketch into a 3D model using AutoCAD for each CAD.

Setting the 3D basic tools

If you are trying to build a 3D model in AutoCAD, it is useful to customize the sketching tools. The software is set in <<Drafting and Annotation>> environment by default, which shows users only 2D tools to create sketches.

  • To work in a 3D environment, click on the double arrow next to the share button located at the top bar (as shown in the picture below)
  • Click on the down arrow to display a menu with the available options. You can work either in 3D basics or 3D modeling. The 3D modeling environment provides more advanced design tools to edit 3D objects, meshing, and rendering. While the 3D basics offer the basic operations to create a solid.

Setting the 3D basic tools

  • Click on 3D basics, and you’ll see how the sketch view will turn into SW ISOMETRIC, and the objects in the working space will be CONCEPTUAL. This allows users to view the objects as solids.

Extrude

  • You can customize the model view by clicking at the upper left corner in the drawing space below the toolbar to change the object’s perspective.

You can customize the model view by clicking at the upper left corner in the drawing space below the toolbar to change the object's perspective.

Extrude

  • The extrude option allows the user to add the third dimension to a 2D drawing by providing a height perpendicular to the object.
  • To select the extrude operation you can use the Extrude icon located at the toolbar at Home in the Modeling options tab. Or you can type in the word extrude in the command bar below as you can see in the image below.
  • Then select the flat object (2D drawing) you want to extrude and press <<ENTER>>.

Extrude

  • Immediately a dialog box will appear for you to enter the height of the body (it can be positive or negative depending on the axis). You can also use the mouse to establish the height. Then press <<ENTER>>
  • You can customize the visual style of the model by clicking at the upper left corner in the drawing space below the toolbar to change the object’s perspective (2D wireframe, conceptual, realistic, etc).

You can customize the visual style of the model by clicking at the upper left corner in the drawing space below the toolbar to change the object's perspective

Revolve

  • The revolve operation involves spinning an object through a specified axis enclosed by a 2D figure to create a symmetrical 3D model.

Revolve

  • The first step is creating the shape of the object you want to revolve through a polyline or straight-line figure as shown in the figure below.
  • The line or shape should be open and joined as seen in the picture below to revolve it.
  • Write down in the command bar the word <<REVOLVE>> and press <<ENTER>>
  • Then click on the object you want to revolve (as shown in the picture below) and press <<ENTER>>
  • Indicate the axis of rotation from the initial point to the end by clicking in the working space. The rotation axis doesn’t necessarily need to meet the shape’s endpoints, you can place it at any point in the drawing space. Then press <<ENTER>> .

Then press

  • Immediately a dialog box will appear for you to enter the revolution or spinning angle from 0 to 360 degrees. You can also use the mouse to establish the angle. Then press <<ENTER>>

You can also use the mouse to establish the angle. Then press

  • The revolved object will immediately appear as a conceptual body.

The revolved object will immediately appear as a conceptual body.

Loft

The loft operation allows users to join two 2D shapes and create a 3D model or surface within the space that separates the two (or more) 2D shapes. This operation is similar to extruding, however in this case the solid is created between two different cross-sections.

  • To use the loft operation, you need to have at least two 2D enclosed objects separated from one other in the axis perpendicular to the objects (in this case the Z axis).
  • You can verify the location of objects in the drawing by switching the Model View and making sure both are in the same plane (in this case, the Top view would show both objects separated vertically)

Loft

  • Then use the Command bar to type in the word LOFT and press <<ENTER>> or access the <<Modeling>> tab and search for the LOFT icon.
  • Then select the two desired objects (one after the other) and a coordinate system will appear on top of the cursor to indicate where the loft operation will occur. Then press <<ENTER>>

Then select the two desired objects (one after the other) and a coordinate system will appear on top of the cursor to indicate where the loft operation will occur. Then press

  • Finally, a solid will appear in a conceptual view (as shown in the picture below). You can always change the solid’s view by customizing the visual style at the top left corner.
  • a solid will appear in a conceptual view

Sweep

This operation is useful to represent pipes and circuits based on an open or closed 2D path and a cross-section

  • The first step is creating the open or closed path you want to sweep through by creating a polyline or straight-line figure as shown in the picture below.

Sweep

  • Then create the cross-section meeting the endpoint of the path and the center of the cross-section perpendicular to the path’s plane.
  • You can verify the location of objects in the drawing by switching the Model View and making sure the cross-section is perpendicular to the 2D path. (In this case, the Top view model will face the cross-section).

the Top view model will face the cross-section

  • Then use the command bar to type in the word <<SWEEP>> and press <<ENTER>> or use the <<Modeling>> tab and click on the Sweep icon.
  • Select the cross section and press <<ENTER>>
  • Select the path (the 2D polyline) and press <<ENTER>>
  • Immediately the solid will appear in a conceptual view as shown in the picture below.

Shell

This operation creates a 3D solid into a hollow shell with a wall of wanted thickness. This is a 3D modifying operation, which is available in the toolbar in the 3D modeling environment.

  • Simply click on the SHELL icon or type in the word <<SHELL>> on the command bar and press <<ENTER>> to use this operation.
  • Then click on the solid you want a shell and the faces (two or more) in where the shell will be and press <<ENTER>>
  • Then a dialog box will appear for you to enter the width or thickness of the shell, then press <<ENTER>>

Shell

  • The shelled body should appear immediately on the screen as a conceptual model.

Assembly work in AutoCAD

Assembly work using AutoCAD is also a very important skill. I will explain it in detail here as well with pictures.

JOIN

The joining tool allows the combination of two or more open or closed shapes to create a sole object with common endpoints. This tool is essential to make assemblies and can be found in 2D and 3D environments.

JOIN

You’ll find the JOIN tool in the <<Modify>> (see the picture below), or by typing in the word <<JOIN>> in the command bar below.

MOVE

The Moving tool allows users to move objects across the working space regardless of the original coordinates of the object. This tool is also essential to make assemblies and can be found in the 2D environment (Draft and Annotations) as a cross arrow Icon located in the <<Modify>> tab, and the 3D environment (3D modeling) as MOVE 3D as a cross arrow with coordinate systems icon next to it.

MOVE

You can also access this command by simply typing in the word <<MOVE>> in the command bar below and clicking on the desired option depending on the environment you’re working in (2D or 3D).

ROTATE

The rotate tool allows users to rotate a solid or surface around a base point or given axis of rotation to change the original position of the object. 

This tool aids designers in the assembling process as well and can be found in the 3D environment (3D modeling) in the <<Modify>> tab as shown in the picture below. 

  • You can also access this command by simply typing in the word <<ROTATE>> in the command bar below and clicking on <<ROTATE 3D>> and pressing <<ENTER>>.

Click on the object you want to rotate and press

  • Click on the object you want to rotate and press <<ENTER>>

Click on the object you want to rotate and press

  • Then an atom-shaped icon will appear on top of the cursor displaying the three axes (x,y,z). Click on the axis you want to fix to rotate the object. For this, you need to apply spatial orientation skills.

an atom-shaped icon will appear on top of the cursor displaying the three axes (x,y,z).

  • Then a dialog box will appear for you to enter the angle of rotation (from 0 to 360 degrees), then press <<ENTER>>.
  • When you are done rotating the object press the command key <<SCAPE>>.

Do you have no idea how to operate AutoCAD?

If you don’t know anything, we recommend taking an AutoCAD course first.
If you want to understand AutoCAD operations in an easy-to-understand manner with videos, please refer to this article.

the Best AutoCAD Course: Types, Choosing, Curriculum

Conclusion

When it comes to AutoCAD training, there are many techniques that you need to master. It’s a good idea to first think about what kind of design you want and start with a sketch. If you get stuck, we recommend checking this article and seeing what kind of technology is available.