COURSE CODE: ES 103 – Computer Aided Drafting

Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

A.Y. 2021 – 2022, Second Semester
Module 1
INTRODUCTION
As a future Naval Architect, do you ever wonder if your drafting skills are good enough?
Like most first years during my time in college, do you see yourself questioning the
following:
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1. Do I need to be great at manual drawing to be a good Naval Architect?

2. Am I going to fail the Board Exam if I cannot draw properly?

If you have ever wondered about any of those, this course is here to let you rest easy!
Drawing is a skill but it certainly does not predetermine your future as a Naval Architect.
Sure, you would need to practice using your rulers and French curves but manual drawing
won’t be forever. A higher percentage of your time as Naval Architects will be allotted to
using CAD software compared to using a pen and paper.

This course shall aide you into becoming more skilled in AutoCAD, a widely-used CAD
software in the maritime industry. Whether you have prior knowledge on AutoCAD or a
complete beginner, this course will help you hone your skills.

In this Module 1, you will learn about the history of Computer Aided Drafting and you can
also catch a glimpse of some basic terminologies that will help you feel more comfortable
later on our future Modules.

Intended Learning Outcome/s

At the end of this Module, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of CAD history timeline by creating a simple infographic by

group

• Show mastery of CAD terminology and history by completing Quiz 1

• Explain the relevance of understanding the history of CAD through an essay

Topic 1 – What is Computer Aided Drafting?

STARTING ACTIVITY
Your neighbor, Peter, is a well-known scientist. He has been dabbling in his
laboratory for forever. One day, when you came home from a tiring class day
in USTP - Jasaan, he asked you to go to his backyard. There, you found out that
he successfully built a time machine!

As you are an enthusiastic soon-to-be Naval Architect, you wanted to go back

in time to see how the pioneer Naval Architects dealt with ship drawings (you
really love your program, huh?).

List at least 5 possible scenarios/events that you can think of that the pioneer
Naval Architects had to deal with before the introduction of Computer Aided
Drafting. There are no wrong answers so feel free to list down as many as you
can!
 YOUR THOUGHTS MATTER!
Give the Starting Activity a try and feel free to write all your ideas on a clean
piece of paper (make sure to write down your full name on the upper left-
hand corner of the paper). After which, take a snap of your paper and upload
it through this link: https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1_StartingActivity
Due Date: Friday, February 18, 2022 at 3:00 PM
FILE NAME FORMAT: ES103_Module 1_Starting Activity_Surname_First
Name

If the words “difficult” and “challenging” crossed your mind while writing down the
scenarios, then that would be 100% accurate! Life before Computer Aided Drafting
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software was surely one for the books and gave the pioneers a tough time.

Figure 1. Sample vintage drawing of a vessel plan.

Source: 1800s Ship Plans Deck and Section Warship by CarambasVintage

Figure 1 shows a sample of a drawing that you would have to complete without the use of
a CAD software if you had been one of the pioneer Naval Architects. The patience,
determination, and dedication of past Naval Architects would have been unparalleled
considering that a vessel has numerous essential plans.

Due to the length of time it took to finish vessel drawings, modern Naval Architects are
surely thankful for CAD software! Learning the new software may take some time and
practice, but would surely pay off in the long-run. This life-long skill surely aides current
Naval Architects and even other professionals in different industries.

SO..WHAT IS COMPUTER
AIDED DRAFTING?

Computer Aided Drafting is a technique of conveying engineering

design with the help of a computer and software. For this course,
you will be learning about two-dimensional (2D) computer aided drafting. This means that
the objects you will be drafting will only contain X and Y coordinates.

In this time and age, we now have numerous CAD software that Naval Architects
and other professional use! Before we dive into today, let’s go back to the past
and learn more about the journey of the improvements of CAD software.
 Topic 2 – History of CAD
In 1957, one of the biggest highlights in the history of CAD occurred. Dr. Patrick J. Hanratty
created the PRONTO, the first commercial, numerical-
control programming system. The creation of this
system sparked and paved the way for the
improvements of the CAD Software. Because of this, Dr.
Hanratty is hailed as the “Father of CAD”.

If you really think about it, this was just 65 years ago
(2022-1957)! You might know grandparents who are
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over 70 years old who have seen the development of

computer aided drafting.

History really is not too long ago!

After the creation of PRONTO, the first designs system

to use a graphic interface was made at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1963. This system was called Sketchpad.

Figure 3. Shows early CAD hardware (ie Sketchpad).

Source: Introduction to Computer Aided Drawing by: Dr C Erdem Imrak

In the same year, Dr. Patrick J. Hanratty, General Motors, and IBM created DAC (Design
Automated by Computer). Fast forward to 1982, Autodesk has finally joined the market
for CAD systems and introduced AutoCAD which is now one of the most widely-used
design software! The AutoCAD software is especially very useful in terms of 2D drafting in
the maritime industry. Although some companies may prefer other 2D drafting software,
you cannot deny the vast application of AutoCAD, from machinery drawings to something
as vast as a General Arrangement Plan of a vessel! The most recent version released by
Autodesk is AutoCAD 2022.

Figure 4. Sample of a General Arrangement Plan of a Vessel.

Source: https://www.smtshipping.com/en/ship/mv-curacao-pearl/
 Due to demand, various other competitors have also released their own CAD software
for 2D and/or 3D such as:

Program Date Creator Description

one of the first
commercial CAD
Digigraphics 1967 Itek systems. The
system cost
$500,000.
designed to work
ADAM
Dr. Patrick J. on virtually all
(Automated Drafting 1971
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Hanratty mainframe
and Machinery)
computers
NURBS
helped define
(Non-Uniform 1975 Dr. Ken Versprille
surfaces
Rational B-Splines)
introduced
CATIA 1981 Dassault Systèmes engineers to 3D
modeling
allowed more
engineers than
SolidWorks 1995 Dassault Systèmes ever to take
advantage of 3D
CAD technology
allowed designers
to create complex
Inventor 1999 Autodesk
assemblies in
record time
an easy-to-use, 3D
modeling tool for
SketchUp 2000 @Last Software
several different
fields
Source: https://partsolutions.com/60-years-of-cad-infographic-the-history-of-cad-since-1957/

The programs listed above are just a few of those created by ingenious individuals in
history who hoped to help the industry. Even right at this moment, several updates and
improvements are being done so that all the systems and software are up-to-date with the
demands of the modern age.

Want to know more details regarding the history of CAD? Give the links below a visit!

THESE MIGHT HELP!

Additional Reading:
• Introduction to Computer Aided Drawing – Dr C Erdem Imrak
https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1SuppRef1
Supplementary Video:
• What is CAD or Computer Aided Drafting?
https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1SuppVid1
 GROUP ACTIVITY!
Form a Group of 3 and collaborate with each other to create a
simple infographic showing the history timeline of CAD.

Format: PDF / Images (if you prefer to draw them by hand)

Rubrics: https://bit.ly/ES103Rubrics
Sample: https://www.providence1903.com/history
Submission: https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1_GroupActivity
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Due Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 3:00 PM

FILE NAME FORMAT: ES103_Module 1_Group Activity_Surnames
of Group Members

Topic 3 – Terminologies
Have you ever tried diving into something new and you get bombarded by a truckload of
new terminologies? Well, if you’re answer is a BIG YES, then you’re not alone!

Since some of you are beginners in AutoCAD (which we will be using for this course), let
me introduce you to some basic terminologies that will help ease your way in to getting to
know this helpful CAD software.
ARE YOU NEW TO AUTOCAD?

• AutoCAD
- a CAD software and is a general drawing tool with a broad application (2D &
3D)

• Absolute Coordinates
- coordinate values measured relative to the coordinate system's origin point
(0,0,0)

• Annotations
- text, dimensions, tolerances, symbols, notes, and other types of explanatory
symbols or objects

• Block
- generic term for one or more objects that are combined to create a single
object

• Command Line
- text area reserved for keyboard input, prompts, and messages

• Crosshairs
- type of cursor consisting of two lines that intersect

• Data Link
- connection between a table and an external source of data
 • Drawing Area
- area in which your drawings are displayed and modified

• Drawing Extents
- smallest rectangular area that contains all objects in a drawing

• DWF
- open, published, and secure file format developed by Autodesk, DWF
enables you to combine and publish design data and share it with others

• DWG
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- standard file format for saving AutoCAD-based vector graphics

• IGES
- For Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. A standard format for digital
representation and exchange of information between CAD/CAM systems

• Layer
- logical grouping of data that are like transparent acetate overlays on a
drawing

• Layout
- 2D environment in which you create layout viewports and place title blocks
for plotting

• NURBS
- For nonuniform rational B-spline curve. A B-spline curve or surface defined
by a series of weighted control points and one or more knot vectors

The above-mentioned terminologies are worth noting as you will be encountering them
numerous times in different CAD software used in the maritime industry.

For example, IGES and NURBS are terminologies that do not come up often when using
AutoCAD. However, in instances when you need to import your drawing to another
software, you will need to understand these terminologies.

A good software as an example is STRAND7, a finite element analysis software used to

check the stress distribution in a given structure. This software is often used when dealing
with the structural integrity of the designed structures, an area that a Naval Architect must
be great at analyzing.

Figure 5. Sample of an analysis for a vessel in STRAND7

Source: https://www.strand7.com/html/catamaran.htm

I hope you will not have any trouble familiarizing yourself with the introductory
terminologies. As with all other terminologies and jargons used in the maritime industry,
you will be able to integrate them into your daily conversations when you use them often.
 THESE MIGHT HELP!
Additional Reading:
• Glossary of AutoCAD Terms by Autodesk
https://autode.sk/3HVPow5
Supplementary Video:
• Terminology || Introduction to AutoCAD [CHAP 01] || AutoCAD
https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1SuppVid2
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ENDING ACTIVITY
Great to see you make it to the end of Module 1! Congrats on a job well done!

To end this Module, I’d like for you to think back on the Starting Activity. Since you
already have an idea on the history and some knowledge of the basic terminologies
used in CAD, what do you think is the relevance of learning about all of this? Feel
free to write your thoughts and ideas!

Format: Word File / Images (if you prefer to write manually)

Content: English Language, at least 10 sentences
Rubrics: https://bit.ly/ES103Rubrics
Submission: https://bit.ly/ES103Mod1_EndingActivity
Due Date: Friday, February 18, 2022 at 3:00 PM
FILE NAME FORMAT: ES103_Module 1_Ending Activity_Surname_First
Name

Thanks for taking the time to read ES 103: Module 1! I hope everything was clear to you.
Before you go about your day, be reminded on the following submissions:

SELF CHECK!
Have I uploaded all of these activities? Let’s found out:

Starting Activity Friday, February 18, 2022 at 3:00 PM

Ending Activity Friday, February 18, 2022 at 3:00 PM

Group Activity Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 3:00 PM

References
Introduction to Computer Aided Drawing by: Dr C Erdem Imrak
https://transport.itu.edu.tr/docs/librariesprovider99/dersnotlari/dersnotlarires112
e/not/cadd-1.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Glossary of AutoCAD Terms by Autodesk

https://autode.sk/3HVPow5