Most civil engineers use AutoCAD in their drawings. AutoCAD is a computer software developed by Autodesk, Inc and is used as a drafting tool for 2D and 3D drawings or designs such as the images below.
Drafting or drawing in AutoCAD takes a little focus to learn when really beginning from scratch but is really worthwhile once you got the hang of it and would be just a walk in the park so to say. It's really a plus point to any civil engineer's resume to have a skill in AutoCAD. Well, as I civil engineer myself, I only needed to learn the basics mostly 2D drafting since I there are not so many if not none at all, 3D detailing to do. Architects are the ones involved mostly in 3D detailings.
I will skip the part of the basic drafting or detailing in AutoCAD and go directly to plotting procedure. Everyone is free to comment on this specially if you have anything to add up to the plotting steps. Thanks in advance.
How do I plot my drawings? Here are the steps I always do in plotting in AutoCAD. This works in any version of AutoCAD that you have on your computer.
1. Go to layout and create rectangle the size of the paper you will use for plotting:
A4 - (8.27 in x 11.69 in) 210.06mm x 296.93mm
A3 – (11.69 in x 16.54 in) 296.93mm x 420.12mm
Letter – (8.5 in x 11 in) 215.9mm x 279.4mm
2. You may create borderlines or title blocks if you like.
3. In command line (still in layout), write MV or mview (not case-sensitive), then enter. Then click the mouse as if you’re drawing a rectangle or window, then release. You can now see the drawings you created in your model space. Double click inside the mview you just created (this makes you go to model space while you’re still in the layout (or paper space). You can notice that the edges of the mview seem like bold lines, this means you’re indeed inside the model space. Then use the zoom or click the mouse so that the drawing is in the center of the mview or big enough for you (putting your drawing in the center or big enough or focused enough will make it easier to see it after you’ve scaled it). In command line, type Z or zoom (not case-sensitive), then enter (you’re still inside the model space through the mview while you’re doing this). Then type S or scale (not case-sensitive). Then write your desired scale (which of course should fit the paper size you preferred.) See note below for your scaling.
4. Now double click outside the mview to return to layout(paper space). You will drag now the edges of the mview lines so that your drawing is exactly inside that and visible and arranged well.
5. You may want to lock your mview to avoid rescaling/resizing of your drawing accidentally. Double clicking unintentionally inside the mview happens everytime. In command line (still in layout), type mv (mview) then enter. Type L (Lock), enter. Select ON, then enter. Select any edge of the mview line, then enter. Your drawing in the model space is now locked. You can now zoom in, zoom out, or edit without resizing the drawing in the model space.
6. Arrange the mview inside the paper to make your output presentable.
7. In command line, type Plot or click Ctrl P. Choose your Plot Style (pen assignment; usually monochrome or if you’ve made another set and saved it, you may use it too.)
8. Choose the printer or plotter. Choose the paper size.
9. Choose Window in the Plot area (what to plot) and click one edge of the paper and drag to another edge of the paper (diagonally).
10. In plot scale, type 1 opposite mm = and the type 1 opposite units (means 1:1, so that your drawing prints as per your scaling above.
11. Put check mark on Center the Plot and on Scale Lineweights. Choose also portrait or landscape.
12. Go to preview then Plot.
Note: If your drawing in MODEL is in meters, your scaling in LAYOUT is 1000/10xp (for output 1:10),1000/100xp (for out 1:100), 1000/25xp (for output 1:25) and so on…
If your drawing in MODEL is in millimeters, your scaling in LAYOUT is 1/10xp (for output
1:10), 1/100xp (for out 1000:100), 1/25xp (for output 1:25) and so on…
Note: Assign layer to mview edges as Defpoints. Use different color if you like. You may hide this later.
Note: You may only also want to see the corners of the paper size, so draw something that is for the corners and delete the rectanle. For example cross lines (as long as you can click the center for windowing)
After practicing these basic steps, try to explore more the plot dialog box such as the plot style table (pen assignments) and play around. Explore, explore and learn. Enjoy it!
"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow". - Anthony J. D'Angelo
Credits:
http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/flickrCC/index.php?terms=autocad&page=3&edit=yes&com=no#
http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/flickrCC/index.php?terms=autocad&page=2&edit=yes&com=no#
http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/flickrCC/index.php?terms=autocad&page=7&edit=yes&com=no#
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_learning5.html
