Hello people, welcome to this tutorial! we are going to teach you how to fully use
and manage AutoCAD 2014 in
To understand all that it's explained here, make sure to know how to use this software
in 2D projects first, otherwise have a look in the related video in this show.
Let's suppose to start with a 2D project, here chosen at random. The first thing
to learn is how to go from a 2D project to a 3D one. Go to the
corner in your workspace, and click on one of the vertices beside the
This will make you see your 2D project in 3 dimensions, which shows up flat and plate.
You will see that the
actually working in 3D. Instead of a simple cross,
on, which represent each direction of the cartesian axes
X axis
Drawing 2D objects in 3D visualization is very simple. Let's suppose to draw a
solid with 2D objects only. If you need to follow the axes directions, you need to
enable the
are parallel to the cartesian axes. With a 2D base ready, use
height to the shape. Then press
click on the central point. In this way you create copies of the same line itself.
Once you have four of them, just use the
on each vertex. Then finish the 3D shape using a simple
To manage this 3D shape altogether in the future, just create a group that contains
all its objects, so that you can edit and move it. Assure that the
is always active. Of course, you will never do this to draw a 3D shape. We will see in
a while, how to do this easier.
When you are watching your workspace in 3D, always
Y axes represent together the 2D space in AutoCAD
any 2D shape, these are put out of the Z axis and always on the X and Y space
defined area
command
the
you can't create any curved line with these. This does value also for the most
important 2D commands, such as the
boundaries totally on the X-Y space only.
So, how do we get into 3D design? Go on top, and right-click on the black strip.
Go to
manage 3D. You may have it closed by default.
3D Tools
is used to create 3D objects. Some of them have curved surfaces, some others not.
Keep in mind that
2D space
When you draw these, especially the sphere, you can only see at its simplified
inner structure, made by simple lines. If you want to see better such 3D objects,
go to
list. You can watch at 3D objects in many ways, with or without inner structure.
For example, if you want to see 3D objects well and inner structure as well, you might
choose
further the way to see these objects, showing different lines, or different
renderings. Just try them out.
You must keep in mind that the base is always on the X-Y area. In fact, whenever
you want to draw, for example, a 3D object rotated 90 degrees, you don't have 3D
rotation easily.
horizontally instead of vertically
a rounded point. This will rotate the workspace but not the drawings inside.
So draw according to this new 2D space and then come back to the original setting.
Help yourself with the
multiples.
Notice the difference between the 3D shape made by 2D objects and the 3D objects
just drawn. For the first one, you actually don't have any true 3D space occupied.
In the future, you will need to watch carefully at your project, or you want simply
to change the point of view to draw better. You can use the
corner, as seen in the beginner tutorial. But for the 3D designs, you don't have just the
face TOP
edges of the cube to watch at your project from hot angles according to axes
directions.
The
total freedom. Press then
Use it to check, for example, if solids drawn are all aligned. Zoom in and out using
the
Let's see how to edit a 3D object. In each object with faces or curved surfaces,
you always find
The
can click on it and move it to change the size of the two faces interested.
The
indicated by such triangle. So you can stretch or shorten faces through it, or you
can use it to change the radius of a pyramid's base or a sphere. But, in this case,
differently from the 2D world,
stays a pyramid, a sphere a sphere.
Whenever you use 3D visual styles, so any visual style, except the 2D wireframe one,
you will see a
Click and drag one of the three coloured arrows to move the object through the
three directions, which correspond to the ones you have on the cartesian axes
you have on your workspace, where each color represents a direction, that you
can check.
In parallel with 2D projects, where you had the Polyline, here you have the
The
its height is fixed, so you actually draw on the X-Y 2D space. You can change the
starting height using the command line.
you want. Then press
your polysolid, just
normal 3D objects, although you have some extra editing points right in the space
where you closed the polysolid first. These are used to change completely the
polysolid in shape, extrusion and thickness in any direction. Enlarge the extrusion
to manage these points better. Then start editing your polysolid completely.
Differently from the polylines, the polysolids can have curved surfaces only
while drawing and not after, unless you use more advanced commands we won't see.
So while drawing, press
to add a curved piece of solid, and then press
come back drawing straight blocks.
There are other ways to create 3D objects. Another way is to convert 2D objects to
3D ones. Let's see the most important conversions. Let's imagine to create a 3D
shape starting from a 2D base, like at the beginning of this video. Go to
and select such 2D object. After pressing
simply by adding a vertical extrusion to the 2D object, totally vertical.
Similar is the
straight through the Z direction, but changing angles according to the axis
direction you can choose through the command line.
There is also the
complex, just try them on your own when you have experience.
You can edit your 3D objects further, using the
same one you used for 2D shapes. But mind that some of these do act just
through the X-Y 2D space, like the
all the three directions. For example
but such directions do depend on your point of view used.
You can edit your 3D objects in a more advanced level in the 3D window, under
Solid Editing section
according to its base. This does work on 2D faces, and so on 2D flat objects as well.
Slice
according to a plane you need to define two points in the space, which must be points
belonging to objects, 2D ones, or 3D ones, but existing. When you press
3D object selected will be sliced into two different 3D objects, through the direction
defined by the plane that is identified through the two points chosen.
Other editing commands are the
of a 3D object that you can directly select, one or more of them. Depending on what
you choose, Chamfer or Fillet, you will change such edge through a triangle point,
giving it a more complex shape.
Then you have the commands that operate on two or more 3D objects. Let's suppose
to have two 3D objects that do interfere each other. They are solid, but you can
still make overlappings with them, so that one is inside another. To check better
this, you can use the
which are the objects to check, and then the second one to select the objects that
you think that interfere. When you press
intersection between the two selections made in red color. You have then three
commands on the right of Solid Editing section. Use
unified 3D object with all the objects you selected while doing this command.
Subtract
occupied by the second object that you selected. This obviously has effects
if the two objects do interfere.
Use
you have selected altogether.
In 3D you have also the
like 3D objects.
In 3D Tools, the
icon on the right to draw a plain surface. And remember that such will be always
parallel with the X-Y 2D area. You will need to rotate the cartesian system to draw
with different angles. Then you can use the other buttons to edit them properly.
Make sure to leave the pointer on buttons for some time. The
appears will make you watch a very useful video that explains you what such
commands do and how to use them.
There are many and many more options to work with 3D objects, a bit more advanced.
For example, you can work with faces only, create offsets and others. Moreover, you
have the
in many regular parts. You will learn these commands with experience, when a
more complex project will make you use them.
That's all for now! Follow us in the next video to know how to fill 3D objects and
how to make a full render of them. Thanks for watching!