Introduction to AutoCAD
DRAW23 – LESSON 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After the completion of the chapter, students should be able to:
1. Know the application and significance of CAD software
2. Choose the appropriate computer for the CAD software
3. Navigate and interact with the AutoCAD user interface
4. Start a new drawing in AutoCAD with ease
5. Easily remember the commands they are about to use on the next
topics and in the future with the given command list
6. Obtain knowledge about other CAD software
Application and Significance
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Application and Significance
• Computer-Aided Design or commonly known as CAD is a computer
software that is utilized for design processes.
• It is a software that is applicable for different professions such as for
civil engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, architects,
and other.
• This can be used to generate both 2D drawings and 3D models.
• It replaced manual drafting or designing processes.
Application and Significance
Examples of professionals that Some benefits of using CAD
uses CAD • Lower production cost
• City Planner • More efficient project
• Fashion Designer completion
• Graphic Designer • Collaborations were made
• Interior Designer possible
• Product Designers • Higher quality of output
• Manufacturers • Changes can be easily made
System Requirement
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTOCAD 2022
BASIC RECOMMENDED
OPERATING SYSTEM 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 11 and Windows 10
PROCESSOR 2.5–2.9 GHz processor 3+ GHz processor
MEMORY 8 GB 16 GB
DISPLAY RESOLUTION 1920 x 1080 with True Color Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160
supported on Windows 10
DISPLAY CARD 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s
Bandwidth and DirectX 11 Bandwidth and DirectX 12
compliant compliant
DISK SPACE 10.00 GB
User Interface
https://subscription.packtpub.com/book/business_and_other/9781789809152/1/ch01l
vl1sec03/understanding-the-user-interface
User Interface
• Application Button
• This button will give the user access to file related commands such as New, Open, Save, Save As and
others.
• Quick Access Toolbar
• This tool gives the access to commands that is frequently used in a drawing which may contain options
similar to Application Button such as Open and Save.
• Info Bar
• This bar will provide help to the user regarding the commands that they want to use. It acts similar to a
search bar.
• Ribbon
• This contains a lot of tab and panels that holds different set of button. Some of the tabs that can be seen
on the user interface are Home, Insert and Annotate, then for each tabs, it contains different panels.
• File Tab
• This tab shows the files that are currently open. This means that multiple files can be open at the same
time, and sometimes it shows a padlock icon which means that file is just for viewing only and changes
cannot be made.
User Interface
• View Cube
• Also known as navigation tool and allows the user to interchanged between different
views.
• Cursor
• This tool have different states or looks on the drawing. But by default, it shows a two
perpendicular lines with a small square on the intersection of the lines.
• Navigation Bar
• Contains different buttons with different functions that allows to have a better control on your
drawing area such as panning and zooming on different parts on your design.
• UCS
• Also known as User Coordinate System that presents the X, Y, and Z axis of the drawing. This
tool is usually located on the bottom left corner of the working area.
• Layout Tab
• This tab allows the user to plot the multiple drawings the user have on the model tab.
User Interface
• Command Line/Palette
• This tool will shows the command that the user used on the drawing and at the
same it shows what are next steps to be done in order to use a certain
command.
• Status Bar Toggles
• This portion of the user interface allow the user to create precise drawings
through different options such as for scaling, for creating either an inclined
line with specific angle or a straight line, for finding the center of an object in
the drawing or for switching the workplace that is being used.
Starting a New Drawing
Various way of creating a new drawing
• Launch the AutoCAD software then on the start page, click the
Start Drawing button. This will allow to choose templates to be
used for your drawing.
• On the Applications Menu on the interface, select New then
Drawing.
• Right click the File Tab then select New to open a new file tab.
Note:
The newly created drawing will bear a default name Drawing1 with a file extension
of dwg.
Different templates can be used when starting a new drawing and the default
template is named acad.dwt
Starting a New Drawing
Launch the AutoCAD
software then on the start
page, click the Start
Drawing button. This will
allow to choose templates
to be used for your
drawing.
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/autocad-2019-opening-drawings-in-start-tab-and-
save-as-command/td-p/8287749
Starting a New Drawing
On the Applications
Menu on the
interface, select New
then Drawing.
Starting a New Drawing
Right click the File Tab then select
New to open a new file tab.
Command List
• Kindly visit the attached link to see the list of command that can be
utilized in AutoCAD
• https://www.autodesk.com/shortcuts/autocad
Shortcut Function Shortcut Function
F8 Toggle ortho mode EX EXTEND; Used to extend lines to meet a
certain object
ESC Cancel the current command F FILLET; Use to smoothen a sharp object /
corner
A ARC; Used to create arcs H HATCH; Used to fill an enclosed area by
different patterns
C Circle; Used to create circles MV MVIEW; Used to create viewports in order
to properly layout the drawings
D DIMSTYLE; Used to create and change TR TRIM; Used to trim or cut to meet the end
dimension styles of objects
CAD SOFTWARES
• SOLIDWORKS
• A 3D modeling CAD software that is heavily used in mechanical engineering
and design fields for the purpose of 3D Solid Modeling, Cost Estimation,
Design Simulation and others.
• INVENTOR
• A 3D modeling CAD software that is considered to be a direct competitor of
SOLIDWORKS.
• REVIT
• A CAD software that is used in BIM (Building Information Modeling) which
are heavily utilized in construction industry.
CAD SOFTWARES
• CIVIL 3D
• A 3D modeling CAD software that is used commonly by civil engineers for
civil design projects such as projects related to transportation and land
development.
• CREO
• A 3D modeling CAD software that is formerly known as Pro/Engineer and is
used product development and design. This software is used by different
companies and one of those is Coca-Cola.
• SKETCHUP
• A 3D modeling CAD software that can be used in variety of applications such
as in engineering and product design.
References
• Book
• Filkenstein, Ellen and Ambrosius, Lee. AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015 BIBLE,2014.
• Online Reference
• https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles
/System-requirements-for-AutoCAD-2022-including-Specialized-Toolsets.html
• https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/CAD-computer-aided-design
• https://subscription.packtpub.com/book/business-and-
other/9781789809152/1/ch01lvl1sec03/understanding-the-user-interface
• https://www.apollotechnical.com/cad-software-companies-use/
• https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-
explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-9836C645-44B4-
4EF8-B05A-66EFB2FE0DD2-htm.html
• https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/visualgraphiccomm/chapter/chapter-
1/#:~:text=Once%20you%20open%20AutoCAD%20by,page%20of%20the%20AutoCAD%2
0application.&text=Your%20recent%20documents%20will%20show,to%20open%20the%20r
ecent%20documents.
