Computer Aided Drafting

Dr. Sewar Faisal

College of Engineering
Mu’tah University
Jordan
Lecture 8
 Lecture 8
D: 3D modeling: Coordinates
UCS
UCS: User coordinates system is
indicated by the x,y,z axes icon

Top view SE isometric view

The way the axes relate to each other and situated in the above figures is the
default UCS = WCS. X,Y plane is the active plane, and AutoCAD will not
draw except on X,Y plane. If you want to draw on a different plane, for
example X,Z, then you need to flip the UCS, so that what is now (X,Z)
becomes (X,Y).
 UCS

Lets understand the methods of flipping the UCS by this example.

Another X,Y plane

The figure shows 2 circles and a
X,Z plane
rectangle drawn on 3 planes that are
not the default X,Y plane. In order to
draw any of these 2d objects, there
is a need to make their planes X,Y,
therefore, a need to flip the UCS.

Y,Z plane There are three methods to flip the

UCS.
1- Going to the corresponding view.
Going to the front view, for example,
will flip the UCS such that, X stays X,
and Z becomes Y. The front vie is
now the drawing plan.
 UCS

The rectangle can now be drawn on the front plan. But this does not
mean that the drawing plane is the front plan of the box, but the front
plane that passes through the origin point (0,0,0). You might need to
create the rectangle and move it to apply on the surface of the box.

If you go to the SE
isometric view directly
from the front view,
you will see that the
UCS has been flipped.
You will also notice that
the rectangle needs to
be moved to apply on
the box.
 UCS
To go back to the default UCS, enter “ucs” then “space bar” then “space
bar” again.
2. Depending on the automatic UCS detector. AutoCAD has the ability to
detect surfaces of existing 3D objects and flip the UCS accordingly. This
functionality is active by default. To activate and deactivate automatic
UCS detector, enter “ucsdetect”, and enter “1” to activate and “0” to
deactivate.

Click rectangle and hover the mouse over the desired plane, it should be
highlighted, when highlight click to determine the first point of the
rectangle, and the other point. (@ x , y)
 UCS
3. Manual flipping of the UCS. You can flip the UCS using three points: the
new origin, a point on X axis, and a point on Y axis. To make the side
plane of the box (with the smaller circle), to make it the drawing plane,
follow the steps below. (deactivate ucs detector for better control)
PC Prompt Your Response
ucs
Specify origin of ucs Click on this point
Specify point on x axis Click on this point
Specify point on y axis Click on this point
UCS
The side plane of the box is now
ready to draw on it. Use Otrack or
other methods to draw the circle.
It is important to notice that polylines
applied to the side plane, for
example, can not be edited
(joined, etc..) except if the side
plane is the working plane; i.e. X,Y.
 Extrude
D: 3D modeling: Modeling
2D objects (line, circle, rectangle, polygon, polyline,
and regions) can be extruded to third dimension,
and 3D objects can be created.

Line Line Circle Rectangle Polygon Open Closed Region

Pline Pline
 Extrude
M: Modeling- extrude
T:
C : Ext ˥

PC Prompt Your Response

Select objects to extrude Click or cross the object
Select objects to extrude ˥ (enter or space bar)
Specify height of extrusion Enter height (10 for example)

You might have noticed from the previous slide that different types of 2D
objects produce different types of 3D objects.
1- Lines always produces 3d surfaces no matter if they are closed or open
2- Open polylines always produce 3d surfaces.
3- circles, rectangles, polygons, and closed polylines always produce 3d
solids. (Boolean operation only apply to 3D solids.)
 Extrude
You can distinguish 3D surfaces by the 2d mesh surfaces. Also, if you enter
“hi” for hide, you can see how 3Dsurface are different from 3D solids.

Extrude will take objects

to the 3rd dimension
along z axis, but also,
if you create a path in
advance, you can
extrude the object
along that path.
Follow the steps in the
next slide
 Extrude
Extrude a long a path needs:
1- profile object and
2- path object.

Create a rectangle (40,20) as a profile. The path will be an arc with r=100.
1- flip the ucs to match the side view (path and profile can not be in the same
plane). “Ucs”– click any where – (with ortho on) click a point on the new x
axis – click a point on the new y axis.

1 2 3
 Extrude
Draw
Draw the
the arc
arc :: A
A ┐˥
PC Prompt Your Response
Specify start point of arc C ┐
Specify center point Click any where
Specify start point of arc (with ortho on), point the mouse to the +ve x
axis and enter “100” ┐
Specify endpoint of arc 180 ┐┐
180°

Extrude a long a path: ext ┐

PC Prompt Your Response

Select object to extrude Click on the
rectangle
Select object to extrude ┐
Specify height of extrusion P┐
Select extrusion path Click the arc
 PressPull
PressPull is able to extrude the surface of an existing object outwards or
inwards. Outwards builds a new object, while inwards hollow out (dig)
the exiting object. It works with any closed area on any 3Dsolid object.

D: 3D modeling:
Modeling
 Sweep
Sweep works like “extrude along a path”. Profile and Path do not have to be
in different planes; you can create them in the same plane.

Draw both profile and path, click “sweep”, select profile, spacebar, select
path.
D: 3D modeling: Modeling
path

profile

The profile is aligned automatically with to be perpendicular to the path

 Revolve
Revolve: “rev”, creates cylindrical objects that are based on certain
sections.

Click revolve, click on the section, then specify axis of revolution by clicking 2
points on the section. The section can be drawn in the side view or in the
front view. To get the result in the figure.

D: 3D modeling:
Modeling
 Loft D: 3D modeling: Modeling

Loft is used to produce special objects that have different

section along their length, with gradual change in the shape
of the section in between.

Create a square and a circle as shown. The 2 objects are concentric in the top
view. Click loft, click the square, then the circle, then accept all following
questions.

top view

Section in the middle show

the transient nature of the
object