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What is AutoCAD ? Explained



AutoCAD is 2D and 3D Computer - Aided Software Design which is used for Manufacturing, Building, Designing, Constructions and also for civil Engineering etc. It allows you to draw and edit digital designs more quickly and easily which can be stored and saved in cloud for easy access.

Here are other professionals who use AutoCAD:

  • Architects: Create blueprints and floor plans for houses and commercial buildings. It also comes with built-in tools that can analyze and remedy weaknesses in a building’s design.

  • Interior Designers: Used to imagine the interior of a building, whether it’s an eating space for a restaurant or a living space in a home.

  • Fine Artists: Artists use it to draft sculptures, wood carvings, engravings, and experimental art pieces


AutoCAD Commands:

Ctrl+E Toggle coordinate display

Ctrl+G Toggle Grid

Ctrl+E Cycle isometric planes

Ctrl+F Toggle running object snaps

Ctrl+H Toggle Pick Style

Ctrl+Shift+H Toggle Hide pallets

Ctrl+I Toggle Coords

Ctrl+Shift+I Toggle Infer Constraints


Manage Screen

Ctrl+0 (zero) Clean Screen

Ctrl+1 Property Palette

Ctrl+2 Design Centre Palette

Ctrl+3 Tool Palette

Ctrl+4 Sheet Set Palette

Ctrl+6 DBConnect Manager

Ctrl+7 Markup Set Manager Palette

Ctrl+8 Quick Calc

Ctrl+9 Command Line


Manage Drawings

Ctrl+N New Drawing

Ctrl+S Save drawing

Ctrl+O Open drawing

Ctrl+P Plot dialog box

Ctrl+Tab Switch to next

Ctrl+Shift+Tab Switch to previous drawing

Ctrl+Page Up Switch to previous tab in current drawing

Ctrl+Page Down Switch to next tab in current drawing

Ctrl+Q Exit

Ctrl+A Select all objects


Toggle Drawing Modes

F1 Display Help

F2 Toggle text screen

F3 Toggle object snap mode

F4 Toggle 3DOsnap

F5 Toggle Isoplane

F6 Toggle Dynamic UCS

F7 Toggle grid mode

F8 Toggle ortho mode

F9 Toggle snap mode

F10 Toggle polar mode

F11 Toggle object snap tracking

F12 Toggle dynamic input mode


Manage Workflow

Ctrl+C Copy object

Ctrl+X Cut object

Ctrl+V Paste object

Ctrl+Shift+C Copy to clipboard with base point

Ctrl+Shift+V Paste data as block

Ctrl+Z Undo last action

Ctrl+Y Redo last action

Ctrl+[ Cancel current command (or ctrl+\)

ESC Cancel current command



Benefits:

  • It has the ability to produce very accurate designs

  • Drawings can be created in 2D or 3D and rotated.

  • Other computer programmes can be linked to the design software.

  • AutoCAD as an architectural planning tool: It enables architects to design, plan, execute and analyze the strength of a building at the design stage level.

  • AutoCAD as an engineering drafting tool: It helps engineers to design, analyze and solve design issues resulting in accurate designs.

  • In 3D printing: A 3D print has its own advantages for designers, and for this software helps them. The designs can be exported to various preferred formats.

  • AutoCAD in the fashion industry: It has the tools necessary for planning designs for the manufacture of jewelry, toys and other delicate objects.

  • AutoCAD as an industrial design tool: It helps to reduce manufacturing costs as it saves time and efforts required for manual designing.


Advantages:

  1. Its is used as standard for computer aided design which ensures about the compatibility of files across industrial boundaries.

  2. It has ability to make 2D and 3D Designs.

  3. It can Produce large files easily and accurately. Grid Snap, Zoom and attach commands are used for accuracy in drawing.

  4. It helps to create Database like PDM/PLM.

  5. It is used to create the Simulation and wire frame models which helps to check the model without any investment.

  6. Making Drawings in AutoCAD is bit time consuming but we can generate multiple copies of the same drawing.

  7. AutoCAD helps us to visualize the designs like Bridge, Building etc. before starting the manufacturing process.


Disadvantages:

  1. In case of 3D design, it has limited effects. Drawing is made up of lines, shapes, curves, arcs. but we cannot edit the lines and locations as freely in case of illustration programs.

  2. There are few file formats to import or export.

  3. In AutoCAD, you will get limited no. of colours, textures to illustrate the programs.

  4. To create 3D design, there are various tools to edit and various steps to follow which is bit time consuming.




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