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This course is the final in a series of
three courses aimed at students of electrical drafting who wish
to develop an in-depth understanding of AutoCAD/IntelliCAD software.
The series of courses comprises the following:
-
Electrical CAD 1
(which provided an overview of CAD drafting in the electrical
field)>
-
Electrical CAD 2
(which concentrated on the 'draw' functions - placing entities into
a drawing)>
-
Electrical CAD 3
(and this course which concentrates on editing and presentation of
electrical drawings).
 Important: You
must have a copy of either IntelliCAD or AutoCAD installed on the
computer that you are using so that you can switch to
the CAD application and complete training exercises. It really should be
a 'proper' version of the software, not the trial version of the
software which we suggested was suitable for
Electrical CAD 1. The reason for this is that you need a
copy of the software which will enable you to save the work that you do.
Either IntelliCAD® or AutoCAD® software
can be used for instruction since they are command compatible.
Our aim here is to
make sure that
you can use the editing skills in your CAD software. The previous course,
Electrical CAD 2, concentrated on helping you develop basic drawing skills - placing
elements such as line, arcs, polygons, circles etc. into your drawings.
We will now explore and utilize all the
considerable editing power available in your CAD software. In addition, we will examine a
relatively new method of presenting your design using using the paper space
feature of your software. It is a method underutilized by drafters of
electrical schematics.
AutoCAD and IntelliCAD
offer a 'space' called presentation, or layout space, which enables simultaneous display
of different views of a design. Many electrical drafters choose not to
utilize the 'space' or 'layout' features and stay with the older model
space method of presentation. As a professional CAD drafter, we want you to be able to use paper space
if required and not shy away from it.
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Click
here to play a movie
in which we take a very simple drawing in model space and
'dress up' the model for presentation in AutoCAD's layout
space. This is just a conceptual explanation of how paper
space works. We look at some simple shapes in model space
and then arrange different views of them in paper space. |
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Click
here to show a
drawing in which paper space is being used at a much more
sophisticated level. We take a design for a building and its
surrounds (plans and elevations) and show how paper space
can be used to present may different drawings (sheets) from
the one design. One of the sheets shows the wiring diagram
for the house by turning on appropriate layers in the paper
space view. |
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Click
here to
show a drawing in which paper space is used by a
drafter working for a company (called GJC) producing electrical schematics.
The design is carried out in a 'space' equal to an A3 sheet
on a black background , but the paper space view is
presented on a white background. We show how a second sheet
can be generated from the design in model space. A series of
drawings belonging to one job can then be stored within the
one drawing file. |
 
Using paper space in a simple drawing
Start AutoCAD or IntelliCAD and open the drawing called
CubeHexSphere from the upper level of the Exercises folder.
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Simple drawing
to illustrate the value of paper space. |
The drawing should open in model
space (where we do our design work).
Switch from model space to paper
space by clicking on the Layout tab as shown in the movie. Note that it
possible to arrange three views of the single model on one sheet of
paper.
Now open the drawing
A3ElectricalDemoGJC and examine it in light of the comments made in
the last movie. There is nothing for you to do. We are trying to give
you some appreciation of where we are heading!
You may like to click on the print
preview button and note that the border you see around the design in
model space does not plot. It has been placed on a special layer (called defpoints) which does not plot.
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Paper space
view of a typical electrical schematic. |
Next we will look at an example from a
rather more esoteric field in which electrical schematic drafting is used.
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Click
here to play a
movie showing a
developing a drawing with different views
of television camera analogue and digital audio layouts in paper space.
It is an example you have seen before, but since it uses attributes embedded in the drawing sheet to carry job
information, we would like you to watch it again. We will be
studying the use of attributes in one of the modules covered later in this course. |
You already know how our
learning system works. This course is not available as a standalone
course, you need to have taken Electrical CAD 1, Electrical CAD 2 prior
to taking this course.
The course consists of a series of
linked modules which should initially be taken in sequence. Start by clicking
on the title of the first module below (called 'Editing 1'). Modules can at times be quite long,
especially when complex concepts are explained, or they can be as short as a simple one-page note.
There is of
course, the opportunity to revisit modules in any sequence at a later
stage and especially to replay any of the instructional movies.
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Editing 1 |
A detailed look at the various
edit commands found in the AutoCAD or IntelliCAD environment. Where
to find the various editing tools on the standard toolbar, the
modify toolbar and the drop down modify menu. In this module,
CUT, COPY PASTE, UNDO. The importance
of changing the general properties of and element versus
changing the geometry of an element. The
ERASE, MOVE, Selection Sets, the PICKADD variable, UNDO,
UNDELETE, using GRIPS to effect edits, overlapping
entities, REDO, OOPS, the PEDIT command - using the
Spline and Fit and De-curve options, inserting a new vertex,
moving a vertex, EXPLODE a polyline, COPY - multiple
option and vector option, OFFSET, and
PARALLEL commands are covered. We complete a symbol typical
of those used in electrical schematics - a choke symbol. Other
exercises show how to create drawings quickly by combining
editing commands. |
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Editing 2 |
More
editing commands: The
SCALE, ROTATE, MIRROR,
ARRAY - polar & rectangular, BREAK, JOIN, TRIM,
ALIGN, and EXTEND and EDIT LENGTH commands. |
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Editing 3 |
More
edit commands: The
STRETCH,
MEASURE, DIVIDE, CHAMFER,
FILLET, EDIT POLYLINE, CHANGE, and
PROPERTIES commands. |
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Text
Input |
Placing single line text in
drawings with the TEXT and DTEXT commands. Using
DTEXT to annotate several parts of the drawing 'in one go'. Creating a text style with
the STYLE command. We deal with style names, font type
SHX and True Type fonts, height obliquing angle etc. Problems
with text 'bleeding' across other entities. Installing font
files. Creating an AS1100 compliant text style. Dealing with
fixed and variable text height styles. Editing text with the
DDEDIT command. Creating a keyboard shortcut (TE) for the
DDEDIT
command. Placing multi line text with the MTEXT
command. Using external word processors to place blocks of text.
Using the shareware word processor NotesPad to manage
boiler plate text. Importing text into drawings via blocks. |
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Object Snapping |
Revising and extending the
use of object snap (entity snap) tools. Using transient entity
snaps - one time snaps. Monitoring the status of esnaps in a
drawing session. Modifying flyover markers. Using various entity
snap options from toolbars and keyboard - INT, NODE, MID, QUA,
CEN, QUICK, NEA, NODE, INT, PER. Combining osnaps. Using the OSNAP command
to set running OSNAPS. |
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Using
Blocks
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What's a block? Examples of
the use of blocks in different disciplines. Where are
blocks stored? The reasons for using blocks in CAD drawings.
Blocks in the database. The BLOCK command. Making a ball
valve block suitable for P&ID drawings. Horizontal and vertical
versions of block. Listing blocks in a drawing. Blocks for
landscape use. Using PDSIZE. The IntelliCAD (block)
Drawing Explorer. The WBLOCK command from blocks already
present. Using WBLOCK if no block definition is available. Block
and the importance of layer zero. Colour and linetypes in
blocks. The block path. Counting blocks with an AutoLISP
program. Using object snaps with blocks. Blocks for electrical,
civil, mechanical, architecture, landscape. Building intelligent
blocks.
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Electrical Drafting |
A case study showing how an
electrical design drafter might use paper space. We set up a
drawing with an A3 sheet drawn to Australian standard and title
block in paper space with a 10mm grid and 1.25mm snap setting
for layout in model space. A named view allows the complete
design to be presented in paper space without any need to adjust
scaling factors. |
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Attributes |
The value of using attributes with blocks.
Inserting an A1 drawing sheet containing two blocks, each with
attributes. Creating a sheet with 3 attributes for project
title, drafter, scale, drawing file name etc. Using the sheet.
Using the DDATTE command to
edit attribute information. |
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Printing Overview |
Sending drawings to the
printer - an overview.
Producing paper plots. Mapping
colour to line thickness. Pens, paper colour line
thickness pen tables, PCP files etc. |
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Advanced Printing
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An overview of plotters and plotting.
Pen and pencil plotters, large format inkjet printers. System and non-system
plotters. Plotting a test drawing without assigning line
weights. Plotting with line weights. Colour and line thickness.
Paper space complications. the value of the DEFPOINTS layer.
Scaling drawings. Scaling in paper space viewports. Using PCP
files. Configuring a plotter. Testing a system plotter.
Colours, line weights, paper space, model space plotting.
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Creating PDF
files |
Plotting CAD drawings to PDF.
Transmitting PDF files to external consultants. |
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Preliminaries |
Setting up AutoCAD and
IntelliCAD for maximum efficiency prior to using paper space. We
show how to tune the drawing environment - loading different line type files
- the ICADISO.LIN and ACADLTISO.LIN linetype definition files,
loading hatch pattern files etc. We set the path to the fonts
library, and set the path to your block
library etc. |
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Prototype drawings |
Understanding prototype
drawings. Examining a prototype suitable for the type of
electrical schematic drawings that are produced by a group of
station broadcast engineers at a television station. Which
prototype drawing should I use? Building a prototype drawing by
'cannibalizing' existing drawings. Building a prototype drawing
from scratch. setting units, text styles, set linetype styles,
dimension styles, layers, views, adjust VPLAYER settings in
paper space, testing title block attributes, matching AS1100,
UCSICON, UCS, Limits, snap and grid settings etc. |
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Using scanned
images in paper space
(and tiled model space) |
Creating hybrid CAD files. Types of importable image files
- TIFF, JPG, BMP, file formats etc. in CAD drawings. Preparing image files for
insertion into CAD drawings in both paper space and tiled model
space. As backdrops to CAD drawings. Rendering 3D images with
different backgrounds. Scaling images. Using monochrome images
in CAD drawings. |
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Protecting
your work |
Protecting CAD drawings.
Understanding the DWG, BAK, AC $ and SV$
formats. How to analyze drawings that others have produced.
Using Externally referenced drawings. A check list for dealing with drawings
that have been produced by others. What to do with a foreign
drawing before you use it? |
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Methods for presenting CAD
drawings |
A 'high level' examination
of the two methods for
presenting CAD drawings - in model space or from paper
space. Simple plotting from model space, plotting to a
defined scale, creating and plotting details, problems when plotting VPORTS.
An overview of paper space presentation - plotting multiple views of the model on
single sheets, plotting perspective views, enabling hidden line removal
in paper space views. |
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Guidelines for using paper space |
A check list for the smooth production of drawings
using paper space presentation - five rules. |
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The Electrical CAD 3 course is a full day course
and runs on demand. It is a group or one-on-one course although
we will take several students at a time if you come from
the same company (and discipline). We do not publish a
schedule of course dates and simply book you in at a
convenient time. If you wish to enrol for an
in-house course,
please send an email
to
info@designcad.com.au and we will reply with some
possible dates.
The cost
of the course for in-house training is $A750.00 per
day and includes GST. We can take up to three students
in our design studio at that price.
We
will invoice you after the day and encourage payment by direct deposit to our bank. The
details of our account will be on the invoice which we
will provide after the course has been delivered. If you
cannot attend after booking a course, there is no
penalty, we will simply re-schedule.
If you wish to pay by credit card, you
can do so via
PayPal, an organization which takes all credit cards
using a secure Internet facility. PayPal is a partner
within the eBay system. We have chosen PayPal because it
is independent of us, allows us to hold money in trust
until we have delivered the course and is now
operational in Australia.
This course can be taken by distance learning using
CD-ROM at a
considerable discount - $A285.00.
We ship a printed workbook and CD-ROM
containing a large collection of these instructional
movies. Together they enable you to learn to use the
software. We provide email support while you
work though the course.
Here is a link to
background material on the way our distance courses
work.
If your company or
organization is paying for the course, all we need is a
purchase order and an address to send the course
materials. If you are taking the course as a private
student, we want you to pay in advance and encourage payment via
PayPal, an
organization which takes all credit cards using a secure
Internet facility. PayPal is a partner within the eBay
system. We have chosen PayPal because it is independent
of us, allows us to hold money in trust until we have
delivered the course and is now operational in
Australia.
This course can also be taken by broadband learning at an
even
lower cost -A$250.00. Click
here to visit our
broadband learning site.
When taken in-house, Electrical CAD
1 normally runs over a full day session.
When taken
externally, experience has shown us that students take
significantly longer to complete the course, primarily
because they are able to break up their learning into
small 'chunks' as time permits. AutoCAD and IntelliCAD
are large
programs - please allow plenty of time to work through
our materials. We would estimate that you have 40-50
hours of work in front of you!
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