AutoCAD 1 – Introductory 2D

In this 56 hour, introductory online CAD course, students will learn the basic features of AutoCAD. This course has been developed and recorded using AutoCAD 2008, but the material and exercises can be completed in any recent release of AutoCAD including AutoCAD 2009, 2007 or 2006.

New concepts include: setting up a new drawing, file utility procedures, navigation methods, basic construction and editing commands, layering techniques, basic dimensioning and annotation techniques, working with viewports, and an introduction to layouts and basic plotting procedures.

Students will use these concepts and procedures in the creation of increasingly complex two-dimensional technical drawings.

Detailed Course Description

The course content begins with a series of simple mechanical style drawings designed to familiarize the student with the most common construction and editing commands. After becoming proficient with the basic techniques for creating and navigating a technical drawing, students will move on to the creation of a series of architectural style drawings including cornice brackets, an ornate iron roof cresting, and a classic pediment portico.

Time saving techniques for reusing content will be explored as the student learns how to convert the portico entrance to a matching pediment double hung window in less than 10 minutes. While creating these part files an emphasis will be placed on proper organizational layering techniques and the application of line weights to ensure readability in the final plotted set of drawings. Furniture design will be explored while learning dimensioning and annotation techniques which will be applied to all existing drawings.

Students will learn how to follow industry standards for annotation and layering and will become familiar with both Mechanical and Architectural styles of dimensioning. Finally, students will learn how to reuse content between drawings and will bring the architectural parts that they have created earlier in the course into their final project, a detailed front elevation of a classic, Second Empire style house.