SECTION D1 - TASK 1
Online FREE cad tutorials. 3D Cad modeling. Cad 3D models and the Tilemode
Command.
Deciding What Should Be Modeled
The 3D design concept is that 3D Cad modeling is a completely separate
activity to drafting / detailing. A Cad 3D model aims to represent reality. Center
lines, hidden detail and dimensions have no place on a Cad 3D model but belong
strictly within the drafting / detailing activity. 3D Cad modeling is concerned
with creating a true representation of something, while drafting is concerned with
creating traditional drawing information from the model(s).
Here is a typical remark from the feedback we receive about our Autocad training.
"...I have just finished your tutorial and found it to be very clearly laid out and even simpler to
use than expected. I am retired and could generate solid models (self taught) but came to an impasse when
converting to working drawings. I wish I had this knowledge years ago - it would have made my career so
much more interesting.
Yours Sincerely.
R.McCubbin..."
We would like to extend
our thanks for such comments and opinions as recognition of our efforts to provide high quality but easy to
use 3D Autocad Training material. If you would like your comments to appear, or would like to suggest
improvements to our training material, just use our Feedback Page in Section E of the website to let us know
your opinions.
Task One
These first online free Cad tutorials serve as an overview of 3D design methods by
creating a simple 3D object and obtaining its 2D drawing projections. 3D designs
generally follow a pattern of firstly doing models, and then using them to derive
drawings at suitable intervals thereafter. This online free Cad tutorial follows
the same pattern so that the rest of the online free cad tutorials can be
understood in context.
The user is shown how to set up a work area, produce a six faced box with shapes
on some of the faces, and to obtain the drawing projections. View scaling and UCS
(User Co-ordinate System) manipulation are introduced.
The first two tasks create a suitable 3D working environment, JUST IN CASE some
users have inappropriate software configurations. The settings are like
'Setvar' variables and will ensure the environment is suitable for 3D
design but will NOT affect the default CAD settings of your computer. The settings
in the first 2 tasks take only a few moments to complete, and are explained fully
at the appropriate time as the free Cad tutorials tasks unfold. If you are using one of the latest versions of software, start the drawing
as 'Classic Autocad' not 3D Autocad. After completing this FREE training, the 3D option will be very
easy to use.
Start a new drawing in your usual way.
Blue text is a direct instruction of what to do or TYPE, and a symbol '>' means to press the
'Return / Enter' key once.
(It is unfortunate that the only consistent method of command input
for the different Autocad releases is by keyboard. We apologise for this, but it was not possible to have a
different website for each version of Autocad. On newer releases, the typed command appears at the cursor,
while on older releases it is in the command window at the bottom.)
Follow the prompts below for Tilemode, for Limits, and for Grid. The commands are
as follows:-
| Autocad Command Sequence | Note |
| Command: TILEMODE > ( " > " means the Return / Enter key needs to be pressed once.) (Software varies so see a/ below) | a/ |
Enter value for TILEMODE <x>:1 > (> = Return) |
|
Command: limits > |
|
| Reset Model space limits: | |
| Specify lower left corner or [ON/OFF] <x.xx,y.yy>: 0,0 > | b/ |
| Specify upper right corner <x.xx,y.yy>:17,11 > (For the metric equivalent, ISO=420,300 mm) | |
| Command: grid > | c/ |
Specify grid spacing(x) or [ON/OFF/Snap..etc] <x.x>: 0.6 > (ISO=15 mm) |
|
Command: zoom > |
|
| Specify corner of window, enter a scale factor (nX or nXP), or
[All/Center/...etc] <real time>: a > Regenerating model Command: |
|
| a. Newer software allows 2 options for this tilemode command, so do one of the following:- Either type 'tilemode - 1' as shown, or click on the 'model' tab at the lower left area of the screen to ensure that 'model' is the active environment. Older software versions do not have a 'model' tab, so typing tilemode - 1' is the only option. If you choose to click on the 'model' tab, move directly to the 'limits' command on the next line. b. X and y are your current values. Use just " > " if your values are already 0,0 c. On newer versions of software, the 'grid' command offers a 'Limits' option. If the 'Limits' option is available on your version of software, use the 'Grid' command a second time and choose the 'L' option. A prompt appears at the cursor. Choose the option that restricts the grid to being the same size as the limits. Older software defaults to displaying the grid at the same size as the limits, and invoking the 'L' parameter forces newer software to behave the same way as older software. Having the grid at the same size as the limits is useful because it helps clarify view points as will be seen in 'Fig Tsk 3a' image in Task 3. |
|
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(Troubleshooting)
Please feel welcome to make use of the free resources at the side and bottom of these webpages. Many of them contain very useful 3D CAD material.
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