How AutoCAD is Useful for Civil Engineers | Important AutoCAD Commands and Shortcuts

byCivil Engineering Information -August 31, 2022

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In this article, we will discuss

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AutoCAD

Autodesk

The first version of AutoCAD, the program that John Walker and his team of programmers had previously developed, was created in 1982. Michael Riddle was a member of that team.

The popularity of AutoCAD helped the company grow steadily until the present day, at a time when computers and software were still in their infancy.

When John Walker left Autodesk during those years and Carol Bartz joined, the company experienced a surge in success, and AutoCAD's market penetration became unquestionable.

Autodesk now provides various software tools for design, modeling, rendering, and applications. Autodesk is revolutionizing how the world is created and designed. Our technology includes product design, manufacturing, media, engineering, and construction. Innovators can solve both big and small problems by using entertainment. With the aid of Autodesk software, our customers can design and create a better world for everyone, including greener structures, smarter products, and more captivating blockbusters. Autodesk software, such as AutoCAD, Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Fusion 360, SketchBook, and others, is used by over 100 million people to unleash their creativity and address important design, business, and environmental challenges. Our software allows teams worldwide to collaborate, design, simulate, and fabricate their ideas in 3D. It runs on both desktop computers and mobile devices.

What Is Autocad

Although AutoCAD may not have been the first computer-aided design program, it is unquestionably the most well-known and is now the standard for architecture and engineering, along with other programs from his own company, Autodesk.

What is Autocad cloud?

Unlike conventional CAD software installed on a local computer, cloud and online CAD software runs in a local browser or through a web or mobile app. They provide many of the same features as conventional CAD software but are updated via a remote server and purchased via a monthly or annual subscription.

Best way to learn Autocad

Online Courses

In the past, learning a new skill required going to a classroom, but today you can obtain this education online. If the website is good, the lecturer will typically have some certification to indicate their qualifications to teach a course.

Furthermore, you can earn a diploma by passing an online course, and in some cases, there may even be a partnership with the software provider (in this case, Autodesk; we'll discuss the company's own training program next, though).

These courses are typically self-paced, allowing you to work through the material at your own pace. It's a safe bet because you can examine a course's content and reviews before deciding whether or not to buy it. The drawback of self-paced learning is that you depend on your willpower to consistently complete the course. Additionally, there is typically no interaction with the instructor, though depending on the platform, some courses may permit comments to be posted and responses from instructors.

RECOMMENDED WEBSITE

The Udemy course AutoCAD 2020-2021-2022 2D from Zero to Hero teaches you many tips and tricks to increase your AutoCAD productivity. The exercises are succinct and direct, giving the impression that you advance quickly. The best part is that it is affordable and self-paced, and you receive a certification at the end.

Autodesk Training

If you'd prefer to learn directly from the source, Autodesk has an official training website that offers advice, techniques, and classes for all skill levels. Autodesk has both free and paid resources to suggest if you're just getting started or want to learn about the more sophisticated features of AutoCAD. Autodesk University, a collection of free resources provided by experts, is one of the free options offered by the company. Here, you essentially find articles delineating a particular program feature set.

Autodesk has a list of accredited training facilities for its paid resources. These are websites that Autodesk has recommended as providing top-notch training services. The curriculum is frequently created in collaboration with Autodesk to cover the desired gamut of topics. Autodesk also approves or chooses the course instructors because they must hold the Autodesk Certified Instructor title. However, obtaining an official AutoCAD certification after completing the courses is the biggest benefit of these accredited training facilities.

RECOMMENDED/SUGGESTED RESOURCE

By entering your city of residence, which can be located anywhere in the world, and the software you wish to learn, you can use their Authorized Training Centers (ATC) locator (in this case, AutoCAD). You'll be directed to an Authorized Center, where you can contact the training facility directly.

YouTube Tutorials

You can find information on a wide variety of subjects for free on YouTube, and you can do so in various languages. You can watch without registering or paying, and in some cases, you can comment on videos and converse with the creator and other viewers to get feedback or any questions you might have answered.

Playlists allow creators to create comprehensive series explaining a subject by grouping related videos into series. As a result, there are many tutorial playlists specifically devoted to AutoCAD. You can even look in the "About" section of a page to learn other ways to get in touch with the authors.

You are not constrained to a single information source because you can progress at your own pace and compile your own collection of helpful resources. The drawback of YouTube is that it's difficult to determine a teacher's credentials, but comments are usually able to provide some insight into a tutorial's quality.

RECOMMENDED/SUGGESTED RESOURCE

There are numerous options from CAD CAM Tutorials' AutoCAD learning series, including AutoCAD fundamentals with updates for every new software version. Additionally, there are courses specifically for 3D modeling and architecture. The AutoCAD Floorplan Series by SourceCAD is tailored specifically for floor planning in architecture if you want something more specialized. Comments claim that the descriptions are succinct and to the point without losing clarity or omitting crucial information. According to reviews, it has a well-thought-out structure that is easy to follow because of how it is explained and its good pacing.

Advance Steel in AutoCAD for Beginners might be the way to go if you're interested because modeling structural steel is one of the most useful skills you can have because it's needed everywhere and very versatile, making it a good tool for any machine or structure. Although this is a more advanced tutorial series, users have praised it for explaining how to use the program to create structural steel structures, and the rules and specifics involved so that you can use it in practice.

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Autocad's latest version features and specifications

AutoCAD 2023

Operating System: 64-bit Windows 11 or 10 or 8 version 1812 or later is required

Processor: 3 GHz (3.5+ GHz recommended); ARM processors not supported

Memory: 12 GB (16+ GB recommended)

Disk space: 15.0 GB

Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution with True Color

AutoCAD 2022

Operating System: 64-bit Windows 10 or 9

Processor: 3 GHz (3.5+ GHz recommended)

Memory: 12 GB (16+ GB recommended)

Disk space: 15.0 GB

Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution with True Color

AutoCAD 2021

Operating System: 64-bit Microsoft Windows 10 or 9 or 8.1

Processor: 3 GHz (3.5+ GHz recommended)

Memory: 8 GB (16+ GB recommended)

Disk space: 8.0 GB

Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution with True Color

AutoCAD 2020

Operating System: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (64-bit only) or Microsoft window 8.1 or 10 Microsoft (64-bit only)

Processor: 3 GHz (3.5+ GHz recommended)

Memory: 8 GB (16+ GB recommended)

Disk space: 7.0 GB

Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution with True Color

Autocad student version free download

You are permitted to download Student versions of many Autodesk software programs, including the most recent release of AutoCAD, if you are a registered student. This license is free to you and is valid for three years. Printed work will have a watermark at the bottom that reads "THIS WORK CREATED WITH A STUDENT VERSION" to ensure that the student versions of this software are not used for commercial purposes. This is the program's complete version, which will significantly shorten your learning curve.

AutoCAD for civil engineers

Although there are many engineering design tools on the market, AutoCAD for civil engineers is the most widely used due to its ease of use and simplicity. Typically, AutoCAD training is provided to all civil engineering students. Your university's course syllabus for civil engineering might include a module on AutoCAD and its applications. AutoCAD may be a crucial skill to master if a student hopes to succeed in civil engineering, design, or detailing. AutoCAD is adaptable enough to be used in almost all civil engineering-related fields. It can be used to produce documents, draughts, and 2D drawings in addition to 3D models.

Features of AutoCAD

AutoCAD by Autodesk is known for its following features and capabilities:

3D modeling and visualization

Photorealistic rendering

Solid, surface and mesh modeling

Base projected and section views

Visual styles

Smart dimensioning

PDF and DGN import, export and underlay

Section planes

Parametric constraints

3D scanning and point cloud generation

2D drafting, drawing and annotation

3D navigation

Important AutoCAD Commands & Shortcuts

F3 – Object Snap (on/off)

F8 – Ortho Mode (on/off)

F12 – Dynamic Input (on/off)

PDFIMPORT – Converts a PDF into a CAD Dwg.

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION – Places a true scale Aerial map into your CAD Dwg.

DC – DESIGN CENTER – Useful for copying items from another drawing (i.e., blocks, layers, styles, layouts)

M2P – Mid Between 2 Points – Snap to a location between two points.

MA – Match Properties – Copy properties (i.e., layer, rotation, styles, size) from one object to another.

AL – ALIGN – Aligns objects with other objects in 2D and 3D.

DI – DISTANCE – Measures and lists the distance from one point to another in the command line.

DIV – DIVIDE – Creates evenly spaced point objects or blocks along the length or perimeter of an object.

DR – Draw – Changes the order in which objects display when on top of each other.

F – FILLET – Places an arc of specified radius at the intersection or extended intersection of two objects.

O – OFFSET – Creates concentric circles, parallel lines, and curves.

TR – TRIM – Trims objects to meet the edges of other objects.

LA – Displays the Layers Properties Manager.

PR – Displays the Properties Palette.

QC or 'QC – Displays the Quick Calculator ('QC works while in another command).

NCOPY – Nested Copy – Copy individual objects from an external or block reference.

SPACE – Change Space –Transform an object from model to paper space by passing it through a viewport.

RE – REGEN – Regenerates the entire drawing from the current viewport.

REA REGENALL – Refreshes all viewports and regenerates the drawing.

PUBLISH – Plot several sheets at once.

FIELD – automatically generates text using information from your drawing.