AUTOCAD BASICS PREPARED BY:

ENGR. JONNAH MAE D. LOANG

WHAT IS CAD?
Computer Aided Design (CAD) is simply, design,
and drafting with the aid of a computer. Design is
creating a real product from an idea. Drafting is the
production of the drawings that are used to
document a design. CAD can be used to create 2D
or 3D computer models.
GUIDE TO AUTOCAD
BASICS
BASICS: This section reviews the basic
AUTOCAD controls.

VIEWING: Pan and zoom in a drawing,

and control the order of overlapping
the objects.

GEOMETRY: Create basic geometric

objects such as lines, circles, and
hatched areas.
GUIDE TO AUTOCAD
BASICS
PRECISION: Ensure the precision
required for your models.

LAYERS: Organize your drawings by

assigning objects to layers.

PROPERTIES: You can assign properties

such as color and linetype to individual
objects, or as default properties
assigned to layers.
GUIDE TO AUTOCAD
BASICS
MODIFYING: Perform editing
operations such as erase, move, and trim
on the objects in a drawing.

BLOCKS: Insert symbols and details into

your drawings from commercial online
sources or from your own designs.

LAYOUTS: Display one or more sealed

views of your design on a standard-size
drawing sheet called layout.
GUIDE TO AUTOCAD
BASICS
NOTES & LABELS: Create notes, labels,
bubbles and callouts, save and restore
style settings by name.

DIMENSIONS: Create several types of

dimension and save dimension settings
by name.

PRINTING: Output a drawing layout to

a printer, a plotter, or a file, save and
restore the printer settings for each
layout.
9 TIPS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE USING
AUTOCAD
 “OSNAP”
1 OBJECT SNAP
2 AUTOCAD MOUSE SHORTCUTS
3 AUTOCAD ORTHO MODE

PRESS F8
4 SETTING THE RIGHT UNITS

TYPE “UNITS” ON THE

COMMAND WINDOW
5 AUTOCAD KEYBOARD SHORCUTS

“ESC”

“ENTER” or “SPACEBAR”

“DELETE”
6 DYNAMIC INPUT

PRESS F12
6 DYNAMIC INPUT
Helps you have information about the position of the cursor in
the drawing interface such as angle & length of object.

PRESS F12
7 AUTOCAD POLAR TRACKING

Helps you draw with a

specific angle.
8 COMMUNICATION WITH AUTOCAD
“COMMAND WINDOW”
9 DRAWING YOUR FIRST LINE ON AUTOCAD
LINE EXERCISES
LINES

Draw the figure by using

coordinates.
LINES

Draw the figure.

Draw the figure.
CIRCLES
CIRCLES

Center, Radius: (Default option)

1. Specify the center (P1) location.
2. Specify the Radius (P2).
CIRCLES
Center, Diameter:
1. Specify the center (P1) location.
2. Specify the Diameter option
using the shortcut menu or type
“D” <enter>.
3. Specify the Diameter (P2).
CIRCLES
2 Points:
1. Select the 2 point option using
the short cut menu or type 2P
<enter>.
2. Specify the 2 points (P1 & P2)
that will determine the
Diameter.
CIRCLES
3 Points:
1. Select the 3 Point option using
the shortcut menu or type 3P
<enter>.
2. Specify the 3 points (P1, P2,
P3) on the circumference. The
Circle will pass through all three
points.
CIRCLES
Tangent, Tangent, Radius
1. Select the Tangent, Tangent, Radius
option using the shortcut menu or
type T <enter>.
2. Select two objects (P1 and P2) for
the Circle to be tangent to by
placing the cursor on the object and
pressing the left mouse button.
3. Specify the radius.
CIRCLES
Tangent, Tangent, Tangent
1. Select the Tangent, Tangent, Tangent
option using the pull down menu.
2. Specify three objects (P1, P2 and
P3) for the Circle to be tangent to
by placing the cursor on the object
and pressing the left mouse button.
(The diameter will be calculated by
the computer.)
Draw the figure.
GRID &SNAP SETTINGS
 Changing the Grid Setting

1. Type Grid <Enter>.

2. Enter a new value.

Changing the Snap Setting

1. Open Drafting Settings by typing DSETTINGS or ds, or right-click the

Snap Mode and select Snap Settings.
2. Enter a new snap value.
3. Click OK to exit the dialog box.
DRAFTING SETTINGS

Grid On/Off (F7)

Snap On/Off (F9)
 Changing the Grid Setting

1. Type Grid.
2. Enter a new value.
RECTANGLE
RECTANGLE

1. Select the Rectangle tool from the

Draw panel of the ribbon.
2. Pick the first corner point.
3. Pick another corner point.
Draw the figure.

GRID = 0.25
ROLLER SNAP = 0.125
 HOLE SIZE
A Ø0.75
B Ø1.50
C 0.50 H x 1.50 W
D 1.00 SQ.

GRID = 0.5
SNAP = 0.25

SWITCH PLATE