Firstly, CAD stands for Computer Aided Design & Drafting. And it is termed as AUTO-cad because of its company named Autodesk, Inc. But my blogs name is AutoCAD Mechnaical, Yes first we will know about AutoCAD then we will flyover to Mechanical part. It is a non-parametric & low-end software which means simply Non-Editable. Another Low-end software name is also in my mind that is MasterCAM.
And high end software is just anonymous of low-end, and some examples are CATIA, Pro-E, Autodesk Inventor ... etc. I want to share a practical fact that AutoCAD is vast software with a tons-of-tons of functions and options and sub-options, its vastness is due to its way of development. This single software is developed by a lot of developers. Each developer gives there own views to develop the software and to make it more user friendly. According to my experience this Software can be learnt without the help of anybody else. But I'm just here to help you up with an extra flavor of Experience and nothing and off course with its practical use.
Let me show you the icon, isn't it dynamic ? The icon shown to the left side of the screen is AutoCAD icon, and the icon of its mechanical version is just same with a 'M' at the right side of the bottom black band.
Okay now let us have a look to its home screen.
How to download Auto CAD or any Autodesk Software ?
And high end software is just anonymous of low-end, and some examples are CATIA, Pro-E, Autodesk Inventor ... etc. I want to share a practical fact that AutoCAD is vast software with a tons-of-tons of functions and options and sub-options, its vastness is due to its way of development. This single software is developed by a lot of developers. Each developer gives there own views to develop the software and to make it more user friendly. According to my experience this Software can be learnt without the help of anybody else. But I'm just here to help you up with an extra flavor of Experience and nothing and off course with its practical use.
 |
| AutoCAD icon |
Let me show you the icon, isn't it dynamic ? The icon shown to the left side of the screen is AutoCAD icon, and the icon of its mechanical version is just same with a 'M' at the right side of the bottom black band.
 |
| Home View of AutoCAD Mechanical |
Okay now let us have a look to its home screen.
How to download Auto CAD or any Autodesk Software ?
- Go to students.autodesk.com
- Register yourself and choose your college.
- Now choose a software you want from Free Products.
- Autodesk will provide you a Serial No. and Product Code which you will need while registering the product.
- Now you are eligible to download the software you have choosen.
- While installing give the serial no. & prod. code which the company will provide you 3-years license to use the Student version of the product.
Some Basics
Selection Procedures
- Left Click of Mouse:- Selection purpose or Enter
- Right Click of Mouse:- Open pop-up menu
- Scroll up & down:- Zoom in & Zoom out
- Scroll press and drag:- Pan (it means moving the graphical screen)
- Double Scroll Click:- Smart Zoom (it means it will zoom to screen fit)
Function Keys
F1:- Help window for the software where you can search for any help as you generally do in windows.
F2:- Text Window, it shows you the list of commands used during the current projects.
F3:- O-Snap On/Off, it means Object snap, it shows you different types of position of an object like
midpoint, endpoint, tangent, perpendicular point, nearest point...etc
F4:- Set 2D structure mode to Bottom up / Top Down
F5:- Isoplane top / right / left ( it will be explained afterwards )
F6:- Dynamic UCS(user coordinate system)
F7:- Grid On/Off, it shows the grids, grids are used for reference during Drafting.
F8:- Ortho On/Off, it is an widely used function, it is used to move your pointer or Crosshair in and
only perpendicular directions.
F9:- Snap On/Off, it is used to move your pointer in a specific gap
F10:- Polar tracking On/Off, it will show you some dotted lines in a particular angle position as
specified.
F11:- Object snap tracking, It is used to track back the object.
Format of Drawing:- AutoCAD drawings are saved in a specific format that is *.dwg, this format can only
be read by AutoCAD software.
Another format is also used that is *iges, and this can be read by all design and drafting
softwares.
Tool Bars:- There are several tool bars and several tools under each tool bar. There are tools for
both 2D and 3D and obviously we will first go for 2D one by one in my next posts.
Tool Bars:- There are several tool bars and several tools under each tool bar. There are tools for
both 2D and 3D and obviously we will first go for 2D one by one in my next posts.
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