EXERCISE 1

Manual Drawing Plate

This is the autoCAD 2006 default window. Before starting to draw, determine the system of units. There are 2 system of units, the METRIC & IMPERIAL

So to check the unit, click using mouse the FORMAT at the menu bar.

Select DRAWING LIMITS

You will see in the command window the LIMITS, from the lower left corner, press ENTER.

to the upper right corner. If you see this 12.000, 9.000, then your unit is in IMPERIAL, change this.

To close you must exit, just click using the mouse, the red X mark at the upper right hand of the screen.

Then to open a new drawing sheet, just click the NEW icon at the upper right

In opening a new plate, click the arrow beside the OPEN tab.

Choose METRIC

420mm wide

290mm tall

This is size A3 paper, which is 420mm wide by 290mm tall.

12inches wide

9inches tall

This is LETTER size paper, which is 12inches wide by 9inches tall.

If your drawing object is just small, use IMPERIAL unit, that is, your paper size is only 12inch by 9inch. But if your drawing is quite large, better use METRIC, paper size is 420cm by 297cm.

This is the autoCAD 2006 in METRIC system.

There are many ways to make a line, 1 simple way is to click the LINE icon in the Draw Toolbar.

Or simply type l, for line in the command window and then press ENTER.

The computer is now asking you to specify first point, just type in the numbers keypad, zero comma zero (0,0), ENTER.

The computer will make a line for you, starting from (0,0). But if this DYNAMIC input comes out, disable it.

To disable the DYNAMIC input, just click in the status bar.

Just continue now typing in the numbers pad the next point of the line (0,297) then press ENTER.

Then type in the next (420,297), again type ENTER.

Then type the next (420,0), again ENTER.

Then type in back to the first point (0,0) to complete the square.

To end the line command, press twice ENTER, then the computer will wait again for you for another command.

To see the whole square, just use the roller in your mouse.

Put the cursor in the middle and roll up the roller in your mouse to reduce your drawing size.

This is called ZOOMING OUT.

Again type in L for a line command

Do again all for the smaller square.

Again type in L for the 3rd small square, enter all the coordinates.

ZOOM IN using the roller in your mouse to enlarge the drawing.

Enable (turn on) the GRID & SNAP button at the status bar using the mouse or just press F7 (GRID) & F9 (SNAP) in the keyboard.

Using your mouse, click (once) the first line & copy, CONTROL C.

The paste, CONTROL V, but disable your OSNAP.

OSNAP off.

Just continue to paste, CONTROL V and click (only once) the mouse.

Draw now the last line using the following coordinates.

Now we do the TEXT, point the mouse in the TEXT icon & click.

Click the mouse once on the upper left of the first line.

Then click the mouse on the lower right of the second line.

This will show up, change the text height & text format.

Text height is 5 so type in 5 and ENTER.

Click the text format, type B then scroll up, choose Arial Unicode MS.

Click CENTER

Click MIDDLE

Before typing, press CAPS LOCK at left side of your keyboard.

After typing & if you are finished, just click OK button.

To make the text format & text height standard, go to DIMENSION STYLE

Click MODIFY.

Go to TEXT & click the button beside TEXT STYLE.

Change FONT NAME & HEIGHT then click APPLY & click OK & CLOSE.