FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND

TECHNOLOGY

ACADEMIC SESSION 2024/2025

EMK 12003
COMPUTER AIDED DRAWING

Lab Module Laboratory 1: Introduction to Computer Aided Drawing

Date of
laboratory
Student Name Matrix No.

Lecturer Name Marks

 UTOCAD Lab 1

OBJECTIVES :

At the end of this tutorial you will be able to:

1. Open a blank AutoCAD file.
2. Draw lines using Absolute Coordinates and the OFFSET command;
3. Add text to a drawing;
4. Create a Titleblock;
5. Insert a Block into Layout (Paper) Space;
6. Save a file for later use; and
7. Methods to print a drawing.

STEP 1

1) When you start an AutoCAD 2007 session, a dialog box as in Figure 1.1
appeared in which of two standard workspaces you want to start drawing
session:

a. 3D Modeling : Opens a new drawing file configured for a 3D

modeling environment with navigation,
visualization, and modeling tools suitable for
working in 3D.

b. AutoCAD Classic : Opens a new drawing configured for a 2D

drafting environment, with drafting and drawing
management tools suitable for working in 2D.

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 Figure 1.1: Starting Dialog box

2) Maximize window so that it fills up the entire computer screen.

Larger illustrations can be seen.
3) Use the current file as your drawing template. Template drawings store all the
settings for a drawing and may also include predefined layers, dimension styles,
and views.

STEP 2

1) Resize your windows to full screen.

2) Save your file as Tutorial1 as in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2: Save as drawing template.

3) Click OK at the Template Description dialogue box.

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STEP 3

1) Look at Figure 1.3 below. This illustration labels the parts of the AutoCAD screen.

Figure 1.3: AutoCAD screen.

2) The toolbars shows MAY NOT MATCH the example in Figure 1.3. Toolbars can
be added or removed through the Toolbars... option under the View Menu.

3) To carry out actions in AutoCAD, you use AutoCAD COMMANDS.

Commands can be activated in several ways:
a. Using the PULL-DOWN MENU,
b. Using the TOOLBARS, and
c. By typing in the COMMAND PROMPT.

4) To cancel a command, you just need to press <ESC>.

5) To complete a command, you just need to press <ENTER> or right-click the
mouse button.

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STEP 4

Look at Figure 1.4 below. This is the titleblock that you have to construct in this
tutorial.

Figure 1.4: Titleblock

1) Begin titleblock drawing.

a. Drawing first line (see Figure 1.5)

i. Command : LINE or <click Line >

ii. Specify first point: 0,0
iii. Specify next point or [Undo]: 262,0
iv. Specify next point or [Undo]: <press Enter to exit line command>

Note: - Typed commands and their aliases are NOT case-sensitive.

- Try to Zoom your drawing using the Zoom toolbars.

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 Figure 1.5: Line should appear as above.

b. Add second line. See Figure 1.6 below.

i. Command : LINE
ii. Specify first point: 0,7
iii. Specify next point or [Undo]: 262,7
iv. Specify next point or [Undo]: <press Enter to exit line command>

Figure 1.6: Second line.

c. Save file
d. Type qsave or select save from File Menu.

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STEP 5

OFFSET
Offset command copies or creates a new object parallel to the shape of a selected object.
Offsetting a circle or arc creates a larger or smaller circle or arc, depending on which
side you specify for the offset.

1) Command : OFFSET or <click Offset button, >

2) Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <Through>: 7
3) Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>: < click on the second (TOP) line
you added.It will change into a dashed line to indicate that it is selected>.
4) Specify point on side to offset: <click in the drawing area ABOVE the line>.
5) Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>: <press Enter to exit the command>.
6) See Figure 1.7.

Figure 1.7: Offset.

7) Offset again.
8) Add a line 186 mm above the last line you added. See Figure 1.8.
9) Zoom All to see all lines.

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 Figure 1.8: Offset
STEP 6

ABSOLUTE COORDINATES
Add 2 more lines using Absolute Coordinates.
1) Draw a line begin at (0,0) and ends at (0,200).
2) Add second line at (262,0) and ends at (262,200).
3) See Figure 1.9. Save your file.

Figure 1.9: Titleblock

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STEP 7

Your titleblock needs short divider lines in the title bar area for the text blocks.
1) Restart line command.
2) Begin line at (131,0) and ends at (131,14).
3) Enter twice (to bring up the line command again).
4) Begin second line at (70,0) and end at (70,7)
5) Save your file.
6) Use Offset to duplicate the last line you drew into 131 mm to its right.
7) See Figure 1.10.

Figure 1.10: Titleblock

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STEP 8

Add text to titleblock. Before adding text, you must change the layer.
1) Click the Layer Properties Manager button (Figure 1.11) on Layers toolbar.
Layer Properties Manager allows you to set the drawing that suits your need.

Layer Properties Manager Layer Status

Figure 1.11: Layers toolbar.

2) Click on New Layer button, (the little yellow explosion just above
the Status column) on the Layer Properties Manager (Figure 1.12) to
create a
new layer.

Figure 1.12: Layer Properties Manager dialogue box.

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 3) Type the new layer name as Text in the name slot.
4) Change the color to blue and click OK.
5) Click the Set Current Button, . Click OK to accept the new layer settings.

Note: The Layer Status Window drop-down list on the Layers toolbar now
displays the Text Layer as the current layer. Everything drawn
within this layer is blue in color.

ADD TEXT
6) Command : DTEXT or click Draw Menu >Text > Single Line Text
7) Specify start point of text or [Justify/Style]: 2,2
8) Specify height: <2.5>: 3
9) Specify Rotation angle of text <0>: 0 or press Enter to select the default value
and maintain the text’s horizontal orientation.
10) Enter text: SUBJECT:
11) Press Enter again to reactivate Dtext command.
12) Specify start point of text or [Justify/Style]: 2,9
13) Specify height: <3.0>: 3 or Enter
14) Specify Rotation angle of text <0>: 0 or Enter.
15) Enter text: DRAWN BY: <YOUR NAME>
16) Restart Dtext
17) For position 72,2 , same height , same rotation, type in TITLE:
18) For position 133,9 , same height, same rotation, type: COURSE: <YOUR
COURSE>
19) For position 133,2 , same height, same rotation, type: SCALE: 1:1
20) For position 202,2 , type DATE: <TODAY’S DATE>
21) Change back to 0 layer. Save your file. Your drawing should look like
Figure 1.13 below.

Figure 1.13: Text in the Titleblock.

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STEP 9

BLOCK
Block command allows you to select part or all of a drawing, group it, and reuse it over
and over. Once it is a block, you can use Insert to place as many copies of a block you
need.
1) Make sure the Layer Status Window is in 0 layer.
2) Type BLOCK or go to Draw Menu, then Block then Make.
3) A dialogue box appears. See Figure 1.14.

Figure 1.14: Block Definition dialogue box.

4) Type Titleblock on Name: window

5) Under the heading Objects, click Select Objects button.
AutoCAD will return to the drawing.
6) Select the entire titleblock then Enter. Use Zoom All if necessary.

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 7) Under Basepoint heading, select the absolute coordinate (0,0,0). In this case,
just click OK because the X,Y and Z points is 0.000. A Basepoint is the
position on the block that AutoCAD will use when inserting it into the MODEL
or PAPER Space.

STEP 10

INSERT
You are to insert the titleblock into Layout 1.
1) At the bottom of AutoCAD screen, there are three tabs, labeled Model, Layout
1 and Layout 2. You are now working in MODEL Space. MODEL Space
is three-dimensional space where you create drawings and models.
2) Click at the Layout 1 tab. .
3) Go to File Menu, then Page Setup Manager…. A dialogue box as in
Figure 1.15 appears. Click Modify button to change the page settings.

Figure 1.15: Page Setup Manager dialogue box.

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 Figure 1.16: Page Setup dialogue box.

4) Make sure your settings are the same as in Figure 1.16 above. Click OK.
5) When the Page Setup dialogue box closes, a white Layout 1 screen can be seen.
You will see a continuous line rectangle with the titleblock inside and a dash
line rectangle.

Viewport

Figure 1.17: Layout 1

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 6) A window (Viewport) usually is cut in the paper so that a drawing or model in
MODEL Space shows through and can be printed.
7) However, we wish to place the Titleblock on Layout 1.With the titleblock on
Layout 1, you can cut Viewport in it so a drawing created in Model Space will
appear to be inside of the titleblock.
8) To remove viewport, click on the rectangle and erase it.

INSERT TITLEBLOCK
9) Go to Insert Menu then Block or type INSERT.
10) Insert dialogue box will appear as shown in Figure 1.18. Click OK.

Figure 1.18: Insert dialogue box.

11) You will return to the Layout 1 screen. The titleblock will appear in the
Layout 1 screen, but can be moved by dragging the cursor.
12) Place it about center see Figure 1.19 and save your drawing.

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 Figure 1.19: A finish classtemplate drawing.

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STEP 11

PRINT
This tutorial gives methods to print your drawing.

1) Type Plot or Print or click the Plot button, .

Figure 1.20: Plot dialogue box.

2) Click the Preview button to examine the way your file will look like when it
is printed.
3) To Exit Print Preview, hit the esc button. You will return to Plot
Configuration dialogue box.
4) Now you can print your drawing.

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