Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Transcript
00:00
[MUSIC PLAYING]
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Hello, and welcome to this accelerated presentation
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where I will be discussing the tools and features in AutoCAD
00:19
Mechanical that automate tasks, and therefore,
00:23
reduce drafting time.
00:25
Some of the features that I'll be discussing today
00:28
are the power dimensions, annotation symbols,
00:31
and layer manager.
00:33
This is the safe harbor statement,
00:35
and it is just a reminder that the Autodesk software changes
00:39
regularly to improve the software
00:41
and make it a better experience for you.
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If I happen to make any forward looking
00:46
statements in this presentation, please
00:48
do not make any buying decisions based on it.
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So let me introduce myself.
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I am Renu Muthoo, and I'm a learning content developer
00:57
with ASCENT.
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I have over 23 years of experience in various Autodesk
01:02
products, such as AutoCAD and other AutoCAD verticals,
01:05
which include AutoCAD Mechanical.
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I'm also experienced in the Autodesk visualization software
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products that include Autodesk
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I create the course wear and training materials
01:20
for the Autodesk products, and I also
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provide support for these products.
01:25
In addition, I have co-authored few books
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on both AutoCAD and 3ds Max.
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The purpose of this accelerator is
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to teach you about the features and tools within AutoCAD
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Mechanical that are designed to automate repetitive drawing
01:41
tasks in order to reduce drafting time.
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So let us start with the learning objectives
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and start by giving you an introduction about the AutoCAD
01:51
Mechanical toolset, then I will show you
01:54
how to create multiple types of dimensions using the power
01:58
dimension command and also how to communicate
02:01
critical characteristics for the part
02:04
by using text and special annotation symbols.
02:07
I'll discuss how to add balloons to parts in an assembly.
02:11
I will then explain how to create different drawing
02:15
views using construction lines.
02:17
I'll show you how to place center lines
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to indicate symmetry, hole centers, and alignment
02:23
in a drawing, and also explain how
02:26
to work with layers in the AutoCAD Mechanical
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software, which are intelligent and automated.
02:32
Then I'll show you how to create associate
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to hide situations to calculate where the visibility of parts
02:39
is obstructed by other parts, and I will talk
02:42
about the use of power snaps to precisely position geometry
02:47
during its creation and manipulation.
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I will teach you to communicate the size
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and position of multiple holes using the hole charts.
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And finally, I will provide you with a brief understanding
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of how to use the content libraries.
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So let's start with the introduction about AutoCAD
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Mechanical.
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The AutoCAD Mechanical toolset adds a library
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of standards based parts and tools
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to help you create, modify, and document mechanical designs
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for manufacturing.
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You can use AutoCAD Mechanical to automate
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mechanical engineering tasks, such as generating
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machine components, dimensions, and creating bills of material,
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and create parts subassemblies and other joints for project
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design using specialized tools.
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As mentioned, AutoCAD Mechanical enables you to create standards
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based design, which means that you create geometry
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and annotations that meet industry accepted
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standards, such as ANSI, ISO, DIN, and others.
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It also means that you meet any company specific variation
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to those industry standards as well.
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AutoCAD Mechanical comes equipped
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with 700,000 plus intelligent manufacturing parts,
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features, and symbols to support ISO, ANSI, DIN, JIS, BSI,
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CSN, and GB standards.
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This includes fasteners, which include nuts, bolts, washers,
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shaft components that are clips, rings, bearings,
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and structural steel shapes.
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The AutoCAD Mechanical software uses the automatic management
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of layers and object properties, which together comprise
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automatic property management.
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Automatic property management refers to the process
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where every AutoCAD Mechanical command checks
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a group of settings known as the object property settings
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and honors them during execution.
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This enables each command to be aware of the other commands
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and intelligently react to objects in the drawing area.
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Automatic property management and the object property
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settings are central to the intelligence behind AutoCAD
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Mechanical commands.
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Each command has its own unique logic
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for dealing with object property settings.
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One of the biggest advantages of AutoCAD Mechanical
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is the use of annotations.
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You can add dimensions that automatically follow a drawing
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standards.
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You can also add design information
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to a drawing in the form of mechanical symbols and text,
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such as symbols for surface texture, welds, datums,
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and geometry dimensioning and tolerancing.
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Dimensions play a crucial role in communicating your designs
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to others.
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They specify the size of the part and its features
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or the part's location in an assembly.
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By using the power dimension command
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to generate angular linear radial and diameter dimensions,
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you have a lot of flexibility in defining the appearance
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and content of the dimension.
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The power dimension command enables
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you to create multiple types of dimensions
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using the same command.
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You can use it to place linear, angular, radial diameter
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baseline and chain dimensions.
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You can access and start specific power dimension
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commands by using the dimension [? precision ?] tools
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that are located on the Annotate tab Dimension panel.
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Power dimensions can be added in model space
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or in a layout while referencing the geometry in model space.
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Power dimensions added to a scaled area in the model space
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automatically adjusts based on the area scale factors.
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Dimensions added to a layout also automatically adjusts
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the linear scale based on the points or geometry selected.
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You can confirm or modify the style and the appearance
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of the dimension on the Power Dimensioning Contextual Ribbon
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tab.
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You can control the look, style, and behavior of the power
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dimensions in the mechanical standards in the Options dialog
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box.
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The dimensions are automatically placed on the AM 5 layer
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and are scaled appropriately.
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To help identify which type of dimension
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you are in the process of creating,
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an icon indicating the dimension type
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displays next to the cursor.
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When multiple dimensions share a common format such as baseline
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or continuous damage in format, you can save a lot of time
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by adding multiple dimensions to a drawing at the same time.
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This can be achieved by using Multiple Dimension
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tool in the ribbon or entering the AMAUTODIM command.
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This command places a group of multiple parallel, ordinate,
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shaft, and symmetry dimensions at the same time.
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You can place multiple dimensions
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for both horizontal and vertical dimensions at the same time.
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The multiple dimension command only
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selects the standard objects and line
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types that require dimensions.
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Filtering is automatically toggled on
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to prevent you from dimensioning hidden lines, auxiliary lines,
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text, phantom lines, section lines, hatch,
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or other dimension lines.
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If an additional dimension location is required,
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you can add it manually.
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After you start any of the power dimensioning commands,
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the power Dimensioning Contextual Ribbon tab displays.
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Within it, you can set how you want the dimensions to be
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represented and whether the dimension should include
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fit or tolerance information.
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On the representation panel, you can
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select how you want the dimension to be displayed.
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Your representation options include dimension
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not to scale, theoretically exact, inspection dimension,
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and reference dimension.
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The representation option that you select
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is only applied to the dimensions
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that you create during that power dimension command.
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On the fit tolerance panel, you can
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control whether or not to include fit or tolerance
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information with the dimension.
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After you click fit or tolerance,
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you specify the required notation information.
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The fit or tolerance information is then added to the dimensions
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during the use of that power dimension command
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and all subsequent power dimensions
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use the same settings until you reopen the Power Dimensioning
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Contextual tab and change the setting to toggle it off.
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Now, let's talk about the annotation symbols.
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You can add design information to a drawing in the form
09:51
of mechanical symbols and text.
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These include symbols for surface texture,
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valves, and geometry dimensioning and tolerancing.
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You can add this annotation information
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to your drawings to communicate important manufacturing
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information to others in text and symbol form.
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By knowing how to use the tools to add the required
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annotations, you can add them quickly while easily
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following industry and company standards.
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In the upper right image on the screen,
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the drawing sheet contains annotations
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in the form of standard text and in special symbols and text
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that communicate critical or unique final characteristics
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for the part.
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Some of the annotation symbols are text which can be used
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to annotate your drawing with text by selecting from one
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of the three preset text tools which are Text M3.5, Text M5,
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and Text M7.
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You can access the three preset text
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commands in the Annotate tab text panel
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multi-line text fly out.
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Then there is the surface texture,
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which lets you add the surface texture symbols to define
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the material finish on the face of the part
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when the finish is important to the performance
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or appearance of the design.
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Surface texture is associated with the type
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of manufacturing methods used to create the part.
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You can define a finish by setting
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the roughness average or RA, which
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is defined as the average value of all absolute distances
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of the roughness profile from the center line.
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The smaller the number used, the finer the finish.
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You can access the surface texture command
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from the Annotate tab symbol panel.
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Similarly, there are the weld symbols.
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You can place a welding symbol in a drawing
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to convey the complete welding information about a design.
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A welding simple comprises many parts,
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including a reference line with weld symbol
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above and below, weld dimensions, contour symbols,
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and tail specifications.
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Again, you can access the welding command
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from the Annotate tab symbol panel.
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Other annotation symbols such as feature control frames,
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and datum identifiers are all available through the Annotate
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tab symbol panel.
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So let's talk about the feature control frames
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that help you precisely define the precise permitted variation
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in size and shape of a part.
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You can use feature frames to define information
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such as the position, run out, cylindricity, flatness,
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angularity, and profile of a surface.
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The rectangular frame is divided into multiple sections
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to display the control symbol tolerances and datums.
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You can attach the feature control frame
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to objects and edges in the drawing.
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Feature control frames are part of geometry
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dimensioning and tolerancing commonly
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referred to as GD and T.
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Then there is the edge symbol, which
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you can use to represent the edge of a part.
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The information in the edge symbol
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describes how the edge is finished.
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The option to add edge symbols depends on the current drawing
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standard, and whether or not that standard
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supports edge symbols.
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DEN, ISO, GB, and JIS are standards
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that support edge symbols.
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You can use the datum identifier to reference actual part
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surfaces or features so that you can establish datums
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in your drawing.
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You can place the datum identifier by itself
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or attach it to geometry in the drawing.
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You can assign a different letter for each datum.
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Then there is a feature identifier
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that can be used when you need to call out
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a specific feature for tolerancing.
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You can use featured identifiers for ISO, DIN, BSI, CSN, JIS
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and similar drawing standards.
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Feature identifiers are not supported in the NC standard.
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You can use datum targets to establish the datum plane
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and part orientation.
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You can use datum targets on irregular contours
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such as forging, castings, and steel metal.
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A datum target establishes a theoretically exact plane,
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line, or profile.
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You can use datum targets on points, lines, or faces
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of a part.
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Now, let's talk about the balloon annotations.
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When you create an assembly, you typically
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need to list the parts and subassemblies, their quantities
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and the specific properties and also identify those parts
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in the drawing.
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All this information is displayed
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on the drawing sheet in the form of a parts list and balloons.
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The information that is required for creating the balloons
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and parts list comes from the bill of materials
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or what is commonly referred to as the BOM
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and is stored in the assembly file.
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As the parts list and balloons are created from the BOM,
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the BOM must exist before you can use those features.
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If you begin to create the balloons or parts lists
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before you create a BOM, the AutoCAD mechanic software
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automatically creates the BOM for you.
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The balloons are associated to the information in the BOM
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for the selected component or part reference.
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This associated relationship means
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that if the information is changed in the balloon, parts
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list, or BOM, all of the others display the same changes.
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Therefore, adding balloons to an assembly drawing
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is an important part of tying your work together
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and communicating the design to others.
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With the parts list item number in the balloon and the balloon
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LiDAR line pointing to the part, anyone
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who reviews a row of information in the parts list
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can identify which part it is in the drawing
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and where it is located in the assembly.
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In order to initiate the command to balloon a drawing,
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you must create part references to locate and identify
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the parts in your design.
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You can create these part references
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before adding a balloon or during the process
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of adding balloons.
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You can use the Balloons tool or use the AMBALLOON command
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to add balloons to a drawing.
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After you initiate the AMBALLOON command,
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a number of command line options can
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be used for creating and editing balloons.
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The options that can be used with the balloons command
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are auto, which creates balloons for selected port references.
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You can select from the alignment options
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of angled, horizontal, vertical, or stand alone.
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The first three options which are the angled, horizontal,
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and vertical position the balloons based on a direction,
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whereas stand alone inserts the balloons
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on top of the part reference.
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Then there's AutoAll, which creates
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balloons for all of the selected part references.
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Part references that are already ballooned are omitted.
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Then is the set BOM or the set BOM
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that sets the BOM to be current so that the balloon associates
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to the correct item number.
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When ballooning an annotation view in a layout,
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you must use this option each time you initiate the command.
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Otherwise the balloon is based on the main BOM.
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The collect option creates a collection
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of balloons that are connected to a single LiDAR
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or attaches new balloons to an existing balloon.
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Manual creates a new part reference
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and adds a balloon for it at the same time.
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The part reference is added to the main BOM.
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Annotation view selects the annotation view to balloon.
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The BOM associated with that view
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is automatically set to it too.
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To modify an existing balloon's appearance or the value
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it displays, you can use the Power Edit
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command or the AMEDIT command for parts list and balloons.
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You can quickly initiate a power edit of a balloon
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by double clicking on the balloon in the drawing
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window, which opens the balloon dialog
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box where you can change the balloon's properties or values.
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You can reposition the balloon or the start of its LiDAR line
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by adjusting its grips as you would adjust grip
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edits on the ends of a line.
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In the balloon dialog box, you can change the LiDAR line,
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balloon style, and type, arrow type, and balloon collection.
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You can add or remove LiDAR segments
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and collect, delete, or attach balloons.
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In the balloon style list, you can
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set the balloon's appearance to be
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based on the standard balloon or custom block.
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The custom block displays in the list
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if it has already been defined in the drawing
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and contains attributes.
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You can also use a different arrow type from the one set
19:10
as the default. Under Balloon Contents,
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you can set new values for the part.
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Changing the values in the cells in the table
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is the same as changing the values in the BOM, parts
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list, part reference, or properties dialog boxes.
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Now, let's take a look at an end product
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demo that demonstrates power dimensions and annotation
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symbols.
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This demonstration illustrates how the AutoCAD Mechanical
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toolset automates key tasks associated with dimensioning
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and annotating to add design information quickly
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while following industry and company standards.
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In the Annotate tab dimension panel, select Power Dimension.
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Note the Preview icon for lead in dimension with the cursor.
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Press Enter.
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Hover your cursor over the circle.
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Note the diameter dimension preview icon.
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Hover your cursor over the line and note the linear dimension
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preview icon.
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Click on the outermost circle.
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Click to place the diameter dimension.
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Press Enter.
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Note you are still in the power dimensioning command.
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Right click and select Radial.
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Select Radius.
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Select the middle circle.
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Click to place the radial dimension.
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In the power dimensioning contextual tab in the Fit
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Tolerance panel, click Fit.
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Click on the innermost circle and place the radial dimension
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along with the whole definition.
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Right click and click Exit.
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Click Exit again.
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Note you are still in the power dimensioning tool.
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In the Power Dimensioning contextual tab,
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select Fit to exit it.
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Click on the midpoint of the upper left side line.
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Click on the midpoint of the upper right side line.
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Click to place the dimension.
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Press Enter and continue to dimension the left side line.
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Press Escape to exit the power dimensioning.
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Double click on the left linear dimension.
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It opens the power dimensioning tab again.
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In the fit tolerance panel, select Tolerance.
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Click on Close Editor and note the tolerancing information
21:22
with the linear dimension.
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In the Annotate tab symbol panel, select Datum Identifier.
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Select the upper extension line.
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Click to place the datum identifier.
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Move up and click again.
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Press Enter.
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Note A in the datum identifier dialog box.
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Click OK to accept it.
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In the Annotate tab symbol panel, select Datum Target.
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In the termination type dialog box, select None.
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Select the upper left horizontal line as the object to attach.
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Click on the midpoint and move it up.
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Click to place.
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Press Enter.
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In the datum target dialog box, note dimension as one,
22:01
datum as A. Click OK to accept it.
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The datum target has been placed.
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Similarly, place another datum target
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on the right horizontal line.
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In the datum target dialog box, change the dimension to two.
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Click OK.
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The datum target has been placed.
22:19
Now, let's discuss the construction lines
22:22
tool in AutoCAD Mechanical.
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To communicate the design of a part or assembly,
22:27
you need to create drawings that view the design
22:30
from different directions.
22:33
Construction lines enable you to project
22:35
the location of something in one view to another view.
22:40
Construction lines refer to the construction geometry
22:44
that you add to your drawings to help locate and align
22:47
points between views and within a view.
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The construction geometry that you create
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can include x lines, rays, circles, and rectangles.
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Construction geometry is automatically
22:60
placed on the AMCL layer, also referred
23:03
to as the C line layer.
23:05
Instead of adding horizontal or vertical construction lines
23:09
to the drawing one at a time, you
23:11
can use automatic construction line tools
23:14
to generate construction lines from all relevant points
23:18
of selected objects.
23:20
You can automatically create horizontal
23:22
and vertical construction lines, projecting
23:24
logical snap points such as intersections, quadrants,
23:28
end points, et cetera with construction lines and rays.
23:32
You can project construction lines
23:34
in any combination of directions.
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You can insert construction line projection crosshairs
23:40
to help with projecting locations
23:42
in one autographic view to another.
23:45
You can insert the cross hair and define the quadrant
23:49
to place the 45 degree bisecting projection angle.
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As you insert construction lines that are parallel
23:57
to the cross hair axis and intersect
24:00
the 45 degree bisecting construction line,
24:04
the projection tool automatically
24:05
creates construction rays in the other direction.
24:09
When construction lines are no longer required,
24:12
some or all of the construction geometry
24:14
can be erased using the erase construction lines
24:17
and erase all construction lines tools.
24:22
Next are the center lines.
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To indicate symmetry, hole centers, and alignment
24:27
in a drawing, you are required to place center lines.
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Two types of center lines can be added to your drawings.
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One is the crossing of center lines
24:37
at 90 degrees to each other to indicate the center
24:40
point of a circle or arc at the intersection of the center
24:44
lines.
24:44
The other is a single linear center line
24:47
to indicate the center axis of a cylinder or hole when
24:52
viewing it from the side or to show
24:54
symmetry of the part about that center line.
24:58
You can access the commands from creating center lines
25:01
in the Home tab draw panels center
25:04
line dropdown list where all the various center line creation
25:07
tools are listed.
25:09
After you have added a center line or pattern of center lines
25:13
with holes to a drawing view, you
25:15
can edit them from following the prompts that you followed when
25:19
you initially created them.
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To edit a center line, double click on one of the center
25:25
line segments in the drawing window.
25:27
The options and procedures that display depend on which command
25:30
was initially used to create the center line.
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Drawing layer management.
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To meet the drafting standards in most companies,
25:40
it is critical that drawing geometry
25:42
be created on the correct layer and
25:45
with the correct properties, such as color and line type.
25:48
The AutoCAD Mechanical software provides you
25:51
with intelligent and automated layers
25:54
where the current layer might change
25:57
or the layers might automatically
25:59
be set to on or off.
26:01
They become locked or unlocked or be filtered out
26:05
of a selection set.
26:06
When you start drawing in the AutoCAD mechanics software,
26:10
it might only contain one or two layers.
26:13
As you access AutoCAD mechanical drawing and annotation tools,
26:17
predefined mechanical layers are automatically
26:20
added to the list.
26:22
You can use the mechanical layer manager dialog box
26:25
to control the layer states, set layers to be current,
26:29
add predefined layers to the drawing, and create new layers.
26:34
Layers either already exist in the drawing
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or are only defined in the drawing and not yet created.
26:42
You can identify layers that exist
26:44
or layers that are only defined based
26:47
on the way they display in the mechanical layer manager.
26:51
The mechanical layers that are only defined in the drawing
26:55
file have their layer names displayed in the layer
26:58
list in a light gray text.
27:00
And no icons are displayed in the freeze, lock,
27:04
or plot property columns.
27:06
You can add a predefined layer to the drawing
27:09
by double clicking on its name in the layer list.
27:12
By default, only the layers used in the drawing
27:15
are displays in the layer list to make
27:17
it more concise and easier to work
27:19
with when editing a drawing.
27:21
You can toggle on the display of all AutoCAD mechanical software
27:24
layer definitions to reconfigure a layer's properties
27:28
or to make it current and add it to the drawing.
27:31
In the Mechanical Layer Manager, use the Show/Hide layer
27:36
definitions tool to display the list of layers
27:39
with or without listing the mechanical layers that
27:41
were predefined in the drawing.
27:45
Let's talk about the predefined mechanical layers.
27:49
Because mechanical layers are created on the fly
27:52
as they are required by the geometry creation commands
27:55
that you execute, the layers to be created
27:58
must be predefined in the drawing.
27:60
The AutoCAD mechanical software includes
28:02
several predefined mechanical layers.
28:05
By default, the naming format of layers
28:08
follows a convention of AM underscore star.
28:12
The actual layer name in a drawing
28:14
depends on its configuration in the active standard.
28:18
The layer names and settings can be
28:20
different between drafting standards
28:22
and between drawing files.
28:24
Each layer in the standard has its own designated use.
28:28
Some layers are shared among several objects,
28:32
while other layers are exclusive to specific objects.
28:36
The default layer assignments have been tried and tested
28:39
for optimum use over several releases of AutoCAD
28:43
mechanical software.
28:44
If required, you can change the configuration settings
28:47
for object properties so that you automatically
28:50
adhere to the company standards or customer requirements.
28:54
There are two ways to customize layer assignments.
28:57
You can either rename existing layers
29:00
to reflect the company standards or create
29:03
a custom set of mechanical layers
29:05
and assign them to objects.
29:07
There are many tools and options that
29:10
can be performed in the mechanical layer manager.
29:13
Let's discuss a few of them.
29:15
If the drawing you are working on
29:17
was initially created in the traditional AutoCAD software,
29:20
the layers that we created can be
29:22
converted to mechanical layers, enabling you to map objects
29:26
through that layer.
29:28
You can convert a layer to a mechanical layer
29:31
by right clicking on the AutoCAD software layer in the list
29:34
and clicking Convert to Mechanical Layer.
29:38
The next option is to set a layer
29:41
to be the current layer by double clicking on it,
29:43
selecting the layer, and then clicking the Set Current option
29:47
or by right clicking on the layer and clicking Set Current.
29:51
There are many different properties
29:52
for a layer such as on/off, freeze/thaw, lock/unlock,
29:56
colored line, weight, plot/noplot, replicate
29:59
and layer groups which can be controlled through the Layer
30:03
Manager tools.
30:04
To make it easier to view the list of layers
30:07
and make changes, you can toggle on and off
30:10
the display of mechanical layer definitions
30:12
and limit the layers that are listed
30:15
to those that pertain to a specific mechanical category.
30:19
You can display the layer list information in two
30:23
different ways, full or simple.
30:25
Full is the default view and is similar to the AutoCAD software
30:29
option in that it lists all the layered properties.
30:33
Simple removes columns of information
30:35
so that only the properties of on/off,
30:38
freeze/thaw, lock/unlock, and description are displayed.
30:42
You might want to switch to simple if the layers are
30:45
configured correctly and you no longer
30:48
require the additional information.
30:51
Now, let's take a look at an end product demo
30:54
that demonstrates construction lines, center lines,
30:57
and drawing layer management.
30:59
The purpose of this demonstration
31:02
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical tool set contains
31:06
a variety of tools such as center lines and construction
31:09
lines to easily communicate the design with others
31:13
and how the intelligent AutoCAD mechanical layer management
31:16
system automatically places them on the correct layer
31:20
with the correct properties based on the set standards.
31:25
In the Home tab layers panel, click Layers Manager.
31:30
In the mechanical layer manager note that only four layers
31:35
are used in the drawing.
31:37
Click on the Layer Definitions icon
31:39
and note the predefined mechanical layers.
31:43
Scroll down and check AMCL layer.
31:46
It is not currently used as it is
31:49
gray in color and the on/off, freeze,
31:51
and lock icons are not displayed.
31:54
Close the layers manager.
31:56
In the Home tab expanded construction panel click
31:60
Projection.
32:00
Click On and track and place the projection in the Home tab
32:06
construction panel in the construction dropdown list
32:10
select Automatic Construction Lines.
32:13
Select one of the required icons.
32:15
Using the window selection, select all the objects
32:19
in the drawing.
32:20
Right click and note the construction lines.
32:23
With the help of the construction lines,
32:25
draw a rectangle in the right side view.
32:28
In the Home tab drop panel in the center line dropdown list,
32:32
select Center Line.
32:34
Draw a center line in the rectangle that represents
32:38
the center of the home.
32:40
Open the Layer Manager and note that AMCL layer has
32:45
been automatically added as the construction
32:47
lines are automatically placed on its layer.
32:50
Similarly, note that the center line is blue in color
32:54
and is automatically placed on AM7 layer.
32:58
In the Layer Manager, right click on AM3
33:01
and select Set Current.
33:03
Click OK in the dialog box.
33:05
In the Home tab expanded layers panel,
33:08
select Construction Lines On Off.
33:11
Check the geometry clearly.
33:13
Switch it back on.
33:15
In the construction lines dropdown list, select Vertical.
33:19
Using the top view, place two construction lines
33:23
for the notch.
33:24
Press Escape.
33:25
Draw two lines in the front view to represent the notch.
33:32
In the Home tab construction panel,
33:34
in the erase construction lines dropdown lists click Selected.
33:39
Create a window around the front and the right field.
33:42
The bottom portion of the construction lines is erased.
33:47
Moving on to hide situations.
33:49
You can create associated hide situations
33:52
to calculate whether the visibility of parts
33:55
is obstructed by other parts and to automatically change
33:59
the display of the obstructed geometry.
34:02
Depending on the settings for the associate to hide,
34:05
the obstructed geometry is set to be invisible
34:08
or set to display with a hidden line type.
34:11
A key aspect of SOC2 hide is that the display change
34:15
occurs without the geometry being
34:17
broken into multiple objects.
34:20
For example, a long line segment obstructed in the middle
34:24
is still a single line, although it
34:26
might display the dashed segments in the middle
34:29
where it is obstructed by another part.
34:32
SOC2 hide simply modifies the visibility
34:35
of the objects in the drawing by assigning them
34:37
to the foreground and background.
34:40
Background objects are then displayed
34:42
as hidden or dashed lines.
34:45
You can toggle the display of background hidden lines
34:47
on and off to match your display requirements.
34:51
SOC2 hide always update to display
34:54
the current hide situation as you move objects.
34:57
You can create multiple levels in a hide situation.
35:01
You can also create multiple hide situations
35:04
to create complex combinations of geometry display.
35:08
You can create and edit multiple level hides
35:11
in an intuitive interface with a tree structure organization.
35:17
Established SOC2 hide conditions are listed in the browser.
35:22
This enables you to easily review and edit
35:25
the hide conditions.
35:26
You can use the SOC2 hide command AMS
35:30
hide or the Create tool in the Home tab detail panel
35:35
to create SOC2 hides.
35:37
When you create a hide situation,
35:40
its storage location depends on whether structure
35:43
is enabled in the drawing.
35:45
In a non structured drawing, hide situations
35:48
are stored at the drawing file level.
35:51
In a drawing in which structure is enabled,
35:53
the storage location for the hide situation
35:56
depends on which component view is active when
35:59
the hide situation is created.
36:01
Note that the performance of hide situation
36:05
is not the same if using mechanical structure.
36:09
When creating a hide situation you
36:12
can set objects to be in the foreground or background.
36:16
The initial foreground objects are based
36:18
on your initial selection set.
36:20
The automatic selection of background objects
36:23
depends on the current hide options settings.
36:26
The first level listed in the tree list in the hide situation
36:30
dialog box is the level of foreground objects.
36:33
The other levels are background objects
36:35
and each level is calculated behind the objects in the level
36:39
listed above in the tree.
36:41
By default, a hide situation only has two levels.
36:45
You can add more levels to create a more complex
36:48
multi-tiered hide situation.
36:50
Changing the order of the levels changes the foreground
36:53
to background relationship between the levels.
36:56
You can use the tree view to review
36:59
the levels and its content for the hide situation.
37:03
Re-arrange the levels or selected content
37:06
by dragging them to a new location in the tree.
37:09
The tools in the vertical toolbar in the hide situation
37:12
dialog box enable you to accomplish the common tasks
37:16
of adding levels, adding objects to the levels,
37:18
deleting objects and levels, and changing
37:21
the order of the levels.
37:23
Along the right side of the dialog box
37:25
you can change the settings for the selected item in the tree
37:28
list.
37:28
The available options depend on what is selected in that tree.
37:33
Now, let's take a look at an end product demo that will show you
37:37
how to create hide situations.
37:40
The purpose of this demonstration
37:41
is to show how with the AutoCAD Mechanical tool set
37:45
you can easily create hide situations to automatically
37:49
change the display of obstructed geometry
37:52
without breaking the geometry into multiple pieces.
37:56
In the Home tab detail panel in the Hide Situation dropdown
38:01
list, select Create.
38:04
Select the required objects as foreground objects.
38:09
Right click to exit the selection mode.
38:12
The hide situation dialog box opens
38:16
with level one containing the selected objects
38:19
and level 2 containing the objects that
38:22
were automatically added.
38:24
Click on the Free Objects for level two and click Remove.
38:28
Verify that level 2 is still selected.
38:31
In the dialog box, click Select objects.
38:35
Select the objects for level 2.
38:42
Right click to exit the selection mode.
38:44
Note the objects in level two.
38:46
In the dialog box, click the New Level icon.
38:50
A third level is added.
38:52
Click Select Objects and select the required objects
38:57
for level 3.
38:58
Right click to exit the selection mode.
39:00
Expand level three in dialog box and note the objects added.
39:05
Click on Free Objects for level 1
39:08
and note the objects in the drawing.
39:10
Similarly, click on three objects for level 2
39:13
and note the objects selected in the drawing.
39:17
Click on the top node Hide and change its name.
39:21
Click OK.
39:22
In the mechanical browser note that the hide situations
39:27
has been added.
39:28
Expand the hide situation and note the hide situation
39:32
like that has been created.
39:36
Let's discuss the power snaps in AutoCAD mechanical.
39:40
To create accurate drawings, you need
39:42
to precisely position geometry during its creation
39:46
and manipulation.
39:47
In many cases, the precise position
39:50
is based on existing geometry.
39:52
Object snaps locate points relevant to objects
39:56
in the drawing.
39:57
Toggling on multiple Object Snaps for
40:00
use while a creation or modification command is active.
40:04
It makes it easier for you to snap to the geometry
40:07
because you do not have to specify the object snap
40:10
mode for each click.
40:12
Using power snaps you can set and save up
40:15
to four different configurations that you
40:18
can activate at any time while you're creating or modifying
40:21
geometry.
40:23
This enables you to select a power snap configuration
40:26
to change the settings instead of selecting and clearing
40:29
the modes to achieve the required configuration.
40:33
You can pre-configure object snap combinations once
40:36
and use them often throughout the creation of your design.
40:40
You can also filter out object snapping
40:43
to specific types of geometry or ignore any z values.
40:47
Filtering out specific types of geometry
40:50
ensures that you do not accidentally
40:53
snap to it when you want to snap to a piece of geometry nearby.
40:57
In the power snap settings dialog box,
40:60
you can pre-configure the object snap combinations.
41:03
First, you can select the setting number
41:06
that you want to configure, toggle on or off the settings
41:09
for running object snaps, grid snap,
41:12
or object snap tracking to match your requirements
41:15
for the currently selected power snap configuration.
41:19
Then select which object snap modes are
41:21
to be considered when clicking a location in the drawing window
41:25
and set the size of the crosshair.
41:27
Each power snap configuration can have a different crosshair
41:31
size.
41:32
Additionally, you can set it to ignore the z value returned
41:36
from an object snap location and ignore
41:40
any object that is determined to be in the filters list.
41:44
After you have configured the power snap settings,
41:48
you can select them to use while creating your designs.
41:51
You can select the required configuration
41:54
from the power snap list in the Home tab utilities panel.
41:59
Talking about hole charts.
42:02
You can use hole charts to communicate
42:04
the size and position of multiple holes
42:07
in a table format.
42:09
In other words, you can use hole charts
42:11
to add dimensional annotations about holes
42:15
to a drawing using a chart.
42:17
When you insert a hole chart, each hole is labeled
42:21
and the corresponding value is placed in the chart.
42:24
You can use the holes label name in the hole chart
42:27
to determine its location, size, and description.
42:31
You can also place a hole chart for holes
42:33
created as circles or as hole features
42:36
from the standard library.
42:38
There are two styles of hole charts, cartesian or polar.
42:43
The difference between the two is how the location dimension
42:46
is defined with respect to a predefined point of origin
42:50
or the work piece.
42:51
The cartesian hole chart displays location values
42:54
in x and y-coordinates from the origin.
42:58
The polar hole chart displays location values
43:01
and their distance and angle from the origin.
43:04
You can place one or two charts in a drawing for hole charts
43:07
depending on the current standard.
43:09
Holes that are deleted from the drawing
43:12
are removed from the hole chart.
43:14
Labels associated with the holes are also deleted.
43:17
However, you can retainage each hole's numbering
43:21
as the holes are deleted.
43:23
The hole chart updates to reflect any size changes that
43:27
are made to the holes.
43:28
You can add new holes to the hole chart
43:31
by copying existing holes with their hole chart label
43:34
or by using the tools available in the hole chart dialog box.
43:38
Within the hole chart dialog box,
43:40
you can adjust the information that is displayed
43:43
and split the selected holes into multiple charts.
43:46
To split the holes into multiple tables,
43:49
you can create a custom filter using
43:51
the properties of the holes or create a filter
43:54
based on selected holes.
43:57
Finally, a brief introduction about the content
43:60
libraries in AutoCAD Mechanical.
44:02
The AutoCAD Mechanical toolset contains
44:05
over 700,000 standard parts such as screws, nuts, washers, pins,
44:11
rivets, and bushings.
44:13
It also includes many standard pre-drawn features,
44:16
including undercuts, key ways, and a variety
44:19
of holes such as through holes, countersunk holes and others.
44:24
When you need a standard part you
44:26
don't need to worry about drawing it.
44:29
You are just able to pick a type, select a size,
44:32
and insert it.
44:33
As simple as that.
44:35
The content library is also 100% customizable.
44:40
You can modify the content by adding or removing
44:43
sizes and adding company specific information,
44:47
such as stock numbers and you can even
44:49
add your own custom components into the same library.
44:52
It's a great way to have all your content
44:55
in a single location.
44:57
Thank you for joining me today for this accelerated
45:00
presentation about the tools that automate tasks in AutoCAD
45:05
Mechanical, and I hope that you found the information useful.
Video transcript
00:00
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11
Hello, and welcome to this accelerated presentation
00:15
where I will be discussing the tools and features in AutoCAD
00:19
Mechanical that automate tasks, and therefore,
00:23
reduce drafting time.
00:25
Some of the features that I'll be discussing today
00:28
are the power dimensions, annotation symbols,
00:31
and layer manager.
00:33
This is the safe harbor statement,
00:35
and it is just a reminder that the Autodesk software changes
00:39
regularly to improve the software
00:41
and make it a better experience for you.
00:43
If I happen to make any forward looking
00:46
statements in this presentation, please
00:48
do not make any buying decisions based on it.
00:52
So let me introduce myself.
00:54
I am Renu Muthoo, and I'm a learning content developer
00:57
with ASCENT.
00:58
I have over 23 years of experience in various Autodesk
01:02
products, such as AutoCAD and other AutoCAD verticals,
01:05
which include AutoCAD Mechanical.
01:08
I'm also experienced in the Autodesk visualization software
01:12
products that include Autodesk
01:16
I create the course wear and training materials
01:20
for the Autodesk products, and I also
01:22
provide support for these products.
01:25
In addition, I have co-authored few books
01:28
on both AutoCAD and 3ds Max.
01:31
The purpose of this accelerator is
01:34
to teach you about the features and tools within AutoCAD
01:37
Mechanical that are designed to automate repetitive drawing
01:41
tasks in order to reduce drafting time.
01:45
So let us start with the learning objectives
01:48
and start by giving you an introduction about the AutoCAD
01:51
Mechanical toolset, then I will show you
01:54
how to create multiple types of dimensions using the power
01:58
dimension command and also how to communicate
02:01
critical characteristics for the part
02:04
by using text and special annotation symbols.
02:07
I'll discuss how to add balloons to parts in an assembly.
02:11
I will then explain how to create different drawing
02:15
views using construction lines.
02:17
I'll show you how to place center lines
02:20
to indicate symmetry, hole centers, and alignment
02:23
in a drawing, and also explain how
02:26
to work with layers in the AutoCAD Mechanical
02:29
software, which are intelligent and automated.
02:32
Then I'll show you how to create associate
02:35
to hide situations to calculate where the visibility of parts
02:39
is obstructed by other parts, and I will talk
02:42
about the use of power snaps to precisely position geometry
02:47
during its creation and manipulation.
02:50
I will teach you to communicate the size
02:53
and position of multiple holes using the hole charts.
02:57
And finally, I will provide you with a brief understanding
03:01
of how to use the content libraries.
03:05
So let's start with the introduction about AutoCAD
03:08
Mechanical.
03:09
The AutoCAD Mechanical toolset adds a library
03:13
of standards based parts and tools
03:16
to help you create, modify, and document mechanical designs
03:21
for manufacturing.
03:22
You can use AutoCAD Mechanical to automate
03:25
mechanical engineering tasks, such as generating
03:28
machine components, dimensions, and creating bills of material,
03:32
and create parts subassemblies and other joints for project
03:37
design using specialized tools.
03:40
As mentioned, AutoCAD Mechanical enables you to create standards
03:45
based design, which means that you create geometry
03:48
and annotations that meet industry accepted
03:51
standards, such as ANSI, ISO, DIN, and others.
03:56
It also means that you meet any company specific variation
03:60
to those industry standards as well.
04:03
AutoCAD Mechanical comes equipped
04:05
with 700,000 plus intelligent manufacturing parts,
04:10
features, and symbols to support ISO, ANSI, DIN, JIS, BSI,
04:17
CSN, and GB standards.
04:20
This includes fasteners, which include nuts, bolts, washers,
04:24
shaft components that are clips, rings, bearings,
04:27
and structural steel shapes.
04:30
The AutoCAD Mechanical software uses the automatic management
04:34
of layers and object properties, which together comprise
04:38
automatic property management.
04:41
Automatic property management refers to the process
04:44
where every AutoCAD Mechanical command checks
04:47
a group of settings known as the object property settings
04:51
and honors them during execution.
04:53
This enables each command to be aware of the other commands
04:57
and intelligently react to objects in the drawing area.
05:01
Automatic property management and the object property
05:05
settings are central to the intelligence behind AutoCAD
05:08
Mechanical commands.
05:10
Each command has its own unique logic
05:13
for dealing with object property settings.
05:16
One of the biggest advantages of AutoCAD Mechanical
05:19
is the use of annotations.
05:21
You can add dimensions that automatically follow a drawing
05:25
standards.
05:26
You can also add design information
05:29
to a drawing in the form of mechanical symbols and text,
05:32
such as symbols for surface texture, welds, datums,
05:37
and geometry dimensioning and tolerancing.
05:40
Dimensions play a crucial role in communicating your designs
05:44
to others.
05:45
They specify the size of the part and its features
05:49
or the part's location in an assembly.
05:52
By using the power dimension command
05:54
to generate angular linear radial and diameter dimensions,
05:58
you have a lot of flexibility in defining the appearance
06:02
and content of the dimension.
06:04
The power dimension command enables
06:06
you to create multiple types of dimensions
06:09
using the same command.
06:11
You can use it to place linear, angular, radial diameter
06:15
baseline and chain dimensions.
06:18
You can access and start specific power dimension
06:21
commands by using the dimension [? precision ?] tools
06:24
that are located on the Annotate tab Dimension panel.
06:28
Power dimensions can be added in model space
06:31
or in a layout while referencing the geometry in model space.
06:36
Power dimensions added to a scaled area in the model space
06:40
automatically adjusts based on the area scale factors.
06:45
Dimensions added to a layout also automatically adjusts
06:49
the linear scale based on the points or geometry selected.
06:53
You can confirm or modify the style and the appearance
06:57
of the dimension on the Power Dimensioning Contextual Ribbon
07:01
tab.
07:02
You can control the look, style, and behavior of the power
07:05
dimensions in the mechanical standards in the Options dialog
07:09
box.
07:10
The dimensions are automatically placed on the AM 5 layer
07:14
and are scaled appropriately.
07:17
To help identify which type of dimension
07:20
you are in the process of creating,
07:22
an icon indicating the dimension type
07:25
displays next to the cursor.
07:27
When multiple dimensions share a common format such as baseline
07:32
or continuous damage in format, you can save a lot of time
07:36
by adding multiple dimensions to a drawing at the same time.
07:40
This can be achieved by using Multiple Dimension
07:43
tool in the ribbon or entering the AMAUTODIM command.
07:47
This command places a group of multiple parallel, ordinate,
07:52
shaft, and symmetry dimensions at the same time.
07:55
You can place multiple dimensions
07:57
for both horizontal and vertical dimensions at the same time.
08:01
The multiple dimension command only
08:03
selects the standard objects and line
08:06
types that require dimensions.
08:08
Filtering is automatically toggled on
08:10
to prevent you from dimensioning hidden lines, auxiliary lines,
08:14
text, phantom lines, section lines, hatch,
08:18
or other dimension lines.
08:20
If an additional dimension location is required,
08:23
you can add it manually.
08:27
After you start any of the power dimensioning commands,
08:31
the power Dimensioning Contextual Ribbon tab displays.
08:35
Within it, you can set how you want the dimensions to be
08:39
represented and whether the dimension should include
08:42
fit or tolerance information.
08:45
On the representation panel, you can
08:48
select how you want the dimension to be displayed.
08:51
Your representation options include dimension
08:54
not to scale, theoretically exact, inspection dimension,
08:58
and reference dimension.
09:00
The representation option that you select
09:03
is only applied to the dimensions
09:05
that you create during that power dimension command.
09:09
On the fit tolerance panel, you can
09:12
control whether or not to include fit or tolerance
09:15
information with the dimension.
09:18
After you click fit or tolerance,
09:20
you specify the required notation information.
09:24
The fit or tolerance information is then added to the dimensions
09:29
during the use of that power dimension command
09:31
and all subsequent power dimensions
09:34
use the same settings until you reopen the Power Dimensioning
09:38
Contextual tab and change the setting to toggle it off.
09:44
Now, let's talk about the annotation symbols.
09:47
You can add design information to a drawing in the form
09:51
of mechanical symbols and text.
09:54
These include symbols for surface texture,
09:57
valves, and geometry dimensioning and tolerancing.
10:00
You can add this annotation information
10:03
to your drawings to communicate important manufacturing
10:07
information to others in text and symbol form.
10:10
By knowing how to use the tools to add the required
10:14
annotations, you can add them quickly while easily
10:17
following industry and company standards.
10:20
In the upper right image on the screen,
10:23
the drawing sheet contains annotations
10:26
in the form of standard text and in special symbols and text
10:30
that communicate critical or unique final characteristics
10:34
for the part.
10:35
Some of the annotation symbols are text which can be used
10:39
to annotate your drawing with text by selecting from one
10:43
of the three preset text tools which are Text M3.5, Text M5,
10:50
and Text M7.
10:52
You can access the three preset text
10:55
commands in the Annotate tab text panel
10:58
multi-line text fly out.
10:60
Then there is the surface texture,
11:02
which lets you add the surface texture symbols to define
11:06
the material finish on the face of the part
11:09
when the finish is important to the performance
11:11
or appearance of the design.
11:13
Surface texture is associated with the type
11:16
of manufacturing methods used to create the part.
11:19
You can define a finish by setting
11:21
the roughness average or RA, which
11:24
is defined as the average value of all absolute distances
11:29
of the roughness profile from the center line.
11:31
The smaller the number used, the finer the finish.
11:35
You can access the surface texture command
11:37
from the Annotate tab symbol panel.
11:40
Similarly, there are the weld symbols.
11:42
You can place a welding symbol in a drawing
11:45
to convey the complete welding information about a design.
11:49
A welding simple comprises many parts,
11:52
including a reference line with weld symbol
11:55
above and below, weld dimensions, contour symbols,
11:59
and tail specifications.
12:02
Again, you can access the welding command
12:04
from the Annotate tab symbol panel.
12:08
Other annotation symbols such as feature control frames,
12:11
and datum identifiers are all available through the Annotate
12:15
tab symbol panel.
12:17
So let's talk about the feature control frames
12:20
that help you precisely define the precise permitted variation
12:25
in size and shape of a part.
12:27
You can use feature frames to define information
12:30
such as the position, run out, cylindricity, flatness,
12:35
angularity, and profile of a surface.
12:38
The rectangular frame is divided into multiple sections
12:41
to display the control symbol tolerances and datums.
12:45
You can attach the feature control frame
12:48
to objects and edges in the drawing.
12:51
Feature control frames are part of geometry
12:54
dimensioning and tolerancing commonly
12:56
referred to as GD and T.
12:59
Then there is the edge symbol, which
13:01
you can use to represent the edge of a part.
13:04
The information in the edge symbol
13:06
describes how the edge is finished.
13:09
The option to add edge symbols depends on the current drawing
13:13
standard, and whether or not that standard
13:15
supports edge symbols.
13:18
DEN, ISO, GB, and JIS are standards
13:22
that support edge symbols.
13:24
You can use the datum identifier to reference actual part
13:28
surfaces or features so that you can establish datums
13:32
in your drawing.
13:33
You can place the datum identifier by itself
13:36
or attach it to geometry in the drawing.
13:39
You can assign a different letter for each datum.
13:42
Then there is a feature identifier
13:45
that can be used when you need to call out
13:47
a specific feature for tolerancing.
13:50
You can use featured identifiers for ISO, DIN, BSI, CSN, JIS
13:56
and similar drawing standards.
13:59
Feature identifiers are not supported in the NC standard.
14:03
You can use datum targets to establish the datum plane
14:07
and part orientation.
14:09
You can use datum targets on irregular contours
14:12
such as forging, castings, and steel metal.
14:16
A datum target establishes a theoretically exact plane,
14:21
line, or profile.
14:22
You can use datum targets on points, lines, or faces
14:27
of a part.
14:28
Now, let's talk about the balloon annotations.
14:32
When you create an assembly, you typically
14:34
need to list the parts and subassemblies, their quantities
14:38
and the specific properties and also identify those parts
14:42
in the drawing.
14:44
All this information is displayed
14:46
on the drawing sheet in the form of a parts list and balloons.
14:51
The information that is required for creating the balloons
14:54
and parts list comes from the bill of materials
14:58
or what is commonly referred to as the BOM
15:01
and is stored in the assembly file.
15:04
As the parts list and balloons are created from the BOM,
15:08
the BOM must exist before you can use those features.
15:12
If you begin to create the balloons or parts lists
15:16
before you create a BOM, the AutoCAD mechanic software
15:20
automatically creates the BOM for you.
15:22
The balloons are associated to the information in the BOM
15:26
for the selected component or part reference.
15:29
This associated relationship means
15:32
that if the information is changed in the balloon, parts
15:35
list, or BOM, all of the others display the same changes.
15:40
Therefore, adding balloons to an assembly drawing
15:43
is an important part of tying your work together
15:47
and communicating the design to others.
15:50
With the parts list item number in the balloon and the balloon
15:53
LiDAR line pointing to the part, anyone
15:56
who reviews a row of information in the parts list
15:60
can identify which part it is in the drawing
16:03
and where it is located in the assembly.
16:06
In order to initiate the command to balloon a drawing,
16:10
you must create part references to locate and identify
16:14
the parts in your design.
16:16
You can create these part references
16:18
before adding a balloon or during the process
16:21
of adding balloons.
16:22
You can use the Balloons tool or use the AMBALLOON command
16:27
to add balloons to a drawing.
16:30
After you initiate the AMBALLOON command,
16:33
a number of command line options can
16:36
be used for creating and editing balloons.
16:39
The options that can be used with the balloons command
16:42
are auto, which creates balloons for selected port references.
16:47
You can select from the alignment options
16:50
of angled, horizontal, vertical, or stand alone.
16:53
The first three options which are the angled, horizontal,
16:56
and vertical position the balloons based on a direction,
17:00
whereas stand alone inserts the balloons
17:03
on top of the part reference.
17:05
Then there's AutoAll, which creates
17:08
balloons for all of the selected part references.
17:11
Part references that are already ballooned are omitted.
17:15
Then is the set BOM or the set BOM
17:19
that sets the BOM to be current so that the balloon associates
17:23
to the correct item number.
17:25
When ballooning an annotation view in a layout,
17:28
you must use this option each time you initiate the command.
17:32
Otherwise the balloon is based on the main BOM.
17:35
The collect option creates a collection
17:38
of balloons that are connected to a single LiDAR
17:41
or attaches new balloons to an existing balloon.
17:45
Manual creates a new part reference
17:48
and adds a balloon for it at the same time.
17:50
The part reference is added to the main BOM.
17:54
Annotation view selects the annotation view to balloon.
17:57
The BOM associated with that view
17:59
is automatically set to it too.
18:03
To modify an existing balloon's appearance or the value
18:07
it displays, you can use the Power Edit
18:09
command or the AMEDIT command for parts list and balloons.
18:14
You can quickly initiate a power edit of a balloon
18:18
by double clicking on the balloon in the drawing
18:20
window, which opens the balloon dialog
18:22
box where you can change the balloon's properties or values.
18:26
You can reposition the balloon or the start of its LiDAR line
18:31
by adjusting its grips as you would adjust grip
18:34
edits on the ends of a line.
18:37
In the balloon dialog box, you can change the LiDAR line,
18:41
balloon style, and type, arrow type, and balloon collection.
18:46
You can add or remove LiDAR segments
18:48
and collect, delete, or attach balloons.
18:51
In the balloon style list, you can
18:53
set the balloon's appearance to be
18:56
based on the standard balloon or custom block.
18:59
The custom block displays in the list
19:01
if it has already been defined in the drawing
19:04
and contains attributes.
19:07
You can also use a different arrow type from the one set
19:10
as the default. Under Balloon Contents,
19:14
you can set new values for the part.
19:17
Changing the values in the cells in the table
19:20
is the same as changing the values in the BOM, parts
19:23
list, part reference, or properties dialog boxes.
19:27
Now, let's take a look at an end product
19:30
demo that demonstrates power dimensions and annotation
19:33
symbols.
19:34
This demonstration illustrates how the AutoCAD Mechanical
19:38
toolset automates key tasks associated with dimensioning
19:43
and annotating to add design information quickly
19:46
while following industry and company standards.
19:50
In the Annotate tab dimension panel, select Power Dimension.
19:55
Note the Preview icon for lead in dimension with the cursor.
19:58
Press Enter.
19:59
Hover your cursor over the circle.
20:01
Note the diameter dimension preview icon.
20:05
Hover your cursor over the line and note the linear dimension
20:09
preview icon.
20:11
Click on the outermost circle.
20:13
Click to place the diameter dimension.
20:16
Press Enter.
20:17
Note you are still in the power dimensioning command.
20:20
Right click and select Radial.
20:22
Select Radius.
20:24
Select the middle circle.
20:26
Click to place the radial dimension.
20:28
In the power dimensioning contextual tab in the Fit
20:31
Tolerance panel, click Fit.
20:34
Click on the innermost circle and place the radial dimension
20:38
along with the whole definition.
20:40
Right click and click Exit.
20:42
Click Exit again.
20:44
Note you are still in the power dimensioning tool.
20:47
In the Power Dimensioning contextual tab,
20:49
select Fit to exit it.
20:52
Click on the midpoint of the upper left side line.
20:56
Click on the midpoint of the upper right side line.
20:59
Click to place the dimension.
21:02
Press Enter and continue to dimension the left side line.
21:06
Press Escape to exit the power dimensioning.
21:09
Double click on the left linear dimension.
21:12
It opens the power dimensioning tab again.
21:14
In the fit tolerance panel, select Tolerance.
21:18
Click on Close Editor and note the tolerancing information
21:22
with the linear dimension.
21:23
In the Annotate tab symbol panel, select Datum Identifier.
21:28
Select the upper extension line.
21:30
Click to place the datum identifier.
21:33
Move up and click again.
21:35
Press Enter.
21:36
Note A in the datum identifier dialog box.
21:39
Click OK to accept it.
21:41
In the Annotate tab symbol panel, select Datum Target.
21:46
In the termination type dialog box, select None.
21:48
Select the upper left horizontal line as the object to attach.
21:52
Click on the midpoint and move it up.
21:54
Click to place.
21:56
Press Enter.
21:57
In the datum target dialog box, note dimension as one,
22:01
datum as A. Click OK to accept it.
22:04
The datum target has been placed.
22:06
Similarly, place another datum target
22:09
on the right horizontal line.
22:12
In the datum target dialog box, change the dimension to two.
22:15
Click OK.
22:16
The datum target has been placed.
22:19
Now, let's discuss the construction lines
22:22
tool in AutoCAD Mechanical.
22:24
To communicate the design of a part or assembly,
22:27
you need to create drawings that view the design
22:30
from different directions.
22:33
Construction lines enable you to project
22:35
the location of something in one view to another view.
22:40
Construction lines refer to the construction geometry
22:44
that you add to your drawings to help locate and align
22:47
points between views and within a view.
22:50
The construction geometry that you create
22:53
can include x lines, rays, circles, and rectangles.
22:58
Construction geometry is automatically
22:60
placed on the AMCL layer, also referred
23:03
to as the C line layer.
23:05
Instead of adding horizontal or vertical construction lines
23:09
to the drawing one at a time, you
23:11
can use automatic construction line tools
23:14
to generate construction lines from all relevant points
23:18
of selected objects.
23:20
You can automatically create horizontal
23:22
and vertical construction lines, projecting
23:24
logical snap points such as intersections, quadrants,
23:28
end points, et cetera with construction lines and rays.
23:32
You can project construction lines
23:34
in any combination of directions.
23:36
You can insert construction line projection crosshairs
23:40
to help with projecting locations
23:42
in one autographic view to another.
23:45
You can insert the cross hair and define the quadrant
23:49
to place the 45 degree bisecting projection angle.
23:54
As you insert construction lines that are parallel
23:57
to the cross hair axis and intersect
24:00
the 45 degree bisecting construction line,
24:04
the projection tool automatically
24:05
creates construction rays in the other direction.
24:09
When construction lines are no longer required,
24:12
some or all of the construction geometry
24:14
can be erased using the erase construction lines
24:17
and erase all construction lines tools.
24:22
Next are the center lines.
24:24
To indicate symmetry, hole centers, and alignment
24:27
in a drawing, you are required to place center lines.
24:31
Two types of center lines can be added to your drawings.
24:34
One is the crossing of center lines
24:37
at 90 degrees to each other to indicate the center
24:40
point of a circle or arc at the intersection of the center
24:44
lines.
24:44
The other is a single linear center line
24:47
to indicate the center axis of a cylinder or hole when
24:52
viewing it from the side or to show
24:54
symmetry of the part about that center line.
24:58
You can access the commands from creating center lines
25:01
in the Home tab draw panels center
25:04
line dropdown list where all the various center line creation
25:07
tools are listed.
25:09
After you have added a center line or pattern of center lines
25:13
with holes to a drawing view, you
25:15
can edit them from following the prompts that you followed when
25:19
you initially created them.
25:21
To edit a center line, double click on one of the center
25:25
line segments in the drawing window.
25:27
The options and procedures that display depend on which command
25:30
was initially used to create the center line.
25:34
Drawing layer management.
25:36
To meet the drafting standards in most companies,
25:40
it is critical that drawing geometry
25:42
be created on the correct layer and
25:45
with the correct properties, such as color and line type.
25:48
The AutoCAD Mechanical software provides you
25:51
with intelligent and automated layers
25:54
where the current layer might change
25:57
or the layers might automatically
25:59
be set to on or off.
26:01
They become locked or unlocked or be filtered out
26:05
of a selection set.
26:06
When you start drawing in the AutoCAD mechanics software,
26:10
it might only contain one or two layers.
26:13
As you access AutoCAD mechanical drawing and annotation tools,
26:17
predefined mechanical layers are automatically
26:20
added to the list.
26:22
You can use the mechanical layer manager dialog box
26:25
to control the layer states, set layers to be current,
26:29
add predefined layers to the drawing, and create new layers.
26:34
Layers either already exist in the drawing
26:37
or are only defined in the drawing and not yet created.
26:42
You can identify layers that exist
26:44
or layers that are only defined based
26:47
on the way they display in the mechanical layer manager.
26:51
The mechanical layers that are only defined in the drawing
26:55
file have their layer names displayed in the layer
26:58
list in a light gray text.
27:00
And no icons are displayed in the freeze, lock,
27:04
or plot property columns.
27:06
You can add a predefined layer to the drawing
27:09
by double clicking on its name in the layer list.
27:12
By default, only the layers used in the drawing
27:15
are displays in the layer list to make
27:17
it more concise and easier to work
27:19
with when editing a drawing.
27:21
You can toggle on the display of all AutoCAD mechanical software
27:24
layer definitions to reconfigure a layer's properties
27:28
or to make it current and add it to the drawing.
27:31
In the Mechanical Layer Manager, use the Show/Hide layer
27:36
definitions tool to display the list of layers
27:39
with or without listing the mechanical layers that
27:41
were predefined in the drawing.
27:45
Let's talk about the predefined mechanical layers.
27:49
Because mechanical layers are created on the fly
27:52
as they are required by the geometry creation commands
27:55
that you execute, the layers to be created
27:58
must be predefined in the drawing.
27:60
The AutoCAD mechanical software includes
28:02
several predefined mechanical layers.
28:05
By default, the naming format of layers
28:08
follows a convention of AM underscore star.
28:12
The actual layer name in a drawing
28:14
depends on its configuration in the active standard.
28:18
The layer names and settings can be
28:20
different between drafting standards
28:22
and between drawing files.
28:24
Each layer in the standard has its own designated use.
28:28
Some layers are shared among several objects,
28:32
while other layers are exclusive to specific objects.
28:36
The default layer assignments have been tried and tested
28:39
for optimum use over several releases of AutoCAD
28:43
mechanical software.
28:44
If required, you can change the configuration settings
28:47
for object properties so that you automatically
28:50
adhere to the company standards or customer requirements.
28:54
There are two ways to customize layer assignments.
28:57
You can either rename existing layers
29:00
to reflect the company standards or create
29:03
a custom set of mechanical layers
29:05
and assign them to objects.
29:07
There are many tools and options that
29:10
can be performed in the mechanical layer manager.
29:13
Let's discuss a few of them.
29:15
If the drawing you are working on
29:17
was initially created in the traditional AutoCAD software,
29:20
the layers that we created can be
29:22
converted to mechanical layers, enabling you to map objects
29:26
through that layer.
29:28
You can convert a layer to a mechanical layer
29:31
by right clicking on the AutoCAD software layer in the list
29:34
and clicking Convert to Mechanical Layer.
29:38
The next option is to set a layer
29:41
to be the current layer by double clicking on it,
29:43
selecting the layer, and then clicking the Set Current option
29:47
or by right clicking on the layer and clicking Set Current.
29:51
There are many different properties
29:52
for a layer such as on/off, freeze/thaw, lock/unlock,
29:56
colored line, weight, plot/noplot, replicate
29:59
and layer groups which can be controlled through the Layer
30:03
Manager tools.
30:04
To make it easier to view the list of layers
30:07
and make changes, you can toggle on and off
30:10
the display of mechanical layer definitions
30:12
and limit the layers that are listed
30:15
to those that pertain to a specific mechanical category.
30:19
You can display the layer list information in two
30:23
different ways, full or simple.
30:25
Full is the default view and is similar to the AutoCAD software
30:29
option in that it lists all the layered properties.
30:33
Simple removes columns of information
30:35
so that only the properties of on/off,
30:38
freeze/thaw, lock/unlock, and description are displayed.
30:42
You might want to switch to simple if the layers are
30:45
configured correctly and you no longer
30:48
require the additional information.
30:51
Now, let's take a look at an end product demo
30:54
that demonstrates construction lines, center lines,
30:57
and drawing layer management.
30:59
The purpose of this demonstration
31:02
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical tool set contains
31:06
a variety of tools such as center lines and construction
31:09
lines to easily communicate the design with others
31:13
and how the intelligent AutoCAD mechanical layer management
31:16
system automatically places them on the correct layer
31:20
with the correct properties based on the set standards.
31:25
In the Home tab layers panel, click Layers Manager.
31:30
In the mechanical layer manager note that only four layers
31:35
are used in the drawing.
31:37
Click on the Layer Definitions icon
31:39
and note the predefined mechanical layers.
31:43
Scroll down and check AMCL layer.
31:46
It is not currently used as it is
31:49
gray in color and the on/off, freeze,
31:51
and lock icons are not displayed.
31:54
Close the layers manager.
31:56
In the Home tab expanded construction panel click
31:60
Projection.
32:00
Click On and track and place the projection in the Home tab
32:06
construction panel in the construction dropdown list
32:10
select Automatic Construction Lines.
32:13
Select one of the required icons.
32:15
Using the window selection, select all the objects
32:19
in the drawing.
32:20
Right click and note the construction lines.
32:23
With the help of the construction lines,
32:25
draw a rectangle in the right side view.
32:28
In the Home tab drop panel in the center line dropdown list,
32:32
select Center Line.
32:34
Draw a center line in the rectangle that represents
32:38
the center of the home.
32:40
Open the Layer Manager and note that AMCL layer has
32:45
been automatically added as the construction
32:47
lines are automatically placed on its layer.
32:50
Similarly, note that the center line is blue in color
32:54
and is automatically placed on AM7 layer.
32:58
In the Layer Manager, right click on AM3
33:01
and select Set Current.
33:03
Click OK in the dialog box.
33:05
In the Home tab expanded layers panel,
33:08
select Construction Lines On Off.
33:11
Check the geometry clearly.
33:13
Switch it back on.
33:15
In the construction lines dropdown list, select Vertical.
33:19
Using the top view, place two construction lines
33:23
for the notch.
33:24
Press Escape.
33:25
Draw two lines in the front view to represent the notch.
33:32
In the Home tab construction panel,
33:34
in the erase construction lines dropdown lists click Selected.
33:39
Create a window around the front and the right field.
33:42
The bottom portion of the construction lines is erased.
33:47
Moving on to hide situations.
33:49
You can create associated hide situations
33:52
to calculate whether the visibility of parts
33:55
is obstructed by other parts and to automatically change
33:59
the display of the obstructed geometry.
34:02
Depending on the settings for the associate to hide,
34:05
the obstructed geometry is set to be invisible
34:08
or set to display with a hidden line type.
34:11
A key aspect of SOC2 hide is that the display change
34:15
occurs without the geometry being
34:17
broken into multiple objects.
34:20
For example, a long line segment obstructed in the middle
34:24
is still a single line, although it
34:26
might display the dashed segments in the middle
34:29
where it is obstructed by another part.
34:32
SOC2 hide simply modifies the visibility
34:35
of the objects in the drawing by assigning them
34:37
to the foreground and background.
34:40
Background objects are then displayed
34:42
as hidden or dashed lines.
34:45
You can toggle the display of background hidden lines
34:47
on and off to match your display requirements.
34:51
SOC2 hide always update to display
34:54
the current hide situation as you move objects.
34:57
You can create multiple levels in a hide situation.
35:01
You can also create multiple hide situations
35:04
to create complex combinations of geometry display.
35:08
You can create and edit multiple level hides
35:11
in an intuitive interface with a tree structure organization.
35:17
Established SOC2 hide conditions are listed in the browser.
35:22
This enables you to easily review and edit
35:25
the hide conditions.
35:26
You can use the SOC2 hide command AMS
35:30
hide or the Create tool in the Home tab detail panel
35:35
to create SOC2 hides.
35:37
When you create a hide situation,
35:40
its storage location depends on whether structure
35:43
is enabled in the drawing.
35:45
In a non structured drawing, hide situations
35:48
are stored at the drawing file level.
35:51
In a drawing in which structure is enabled,
35:53
the storage location for the hide situation
35:56
depends on which component view is active when
35:59
the hide situation is created.
36:01
Note that the performance of hide situation
36:05
is not the same if using mechanical structure.
36:09
When creating a hide situation you
36:12
can set objects to be in the foreground or background.
36:16
The initial foreground objects are based
36:18
on your initial selection set.
36:20
The automatic selection of background objects
36:23
depends on the current hide options settings.
36:26
The first level listed in the tree list in the hide situation
36:30
dialog box is the level of foreground objects.
36:33
The other levels are background objects
36:35
and each level is calculated behind the objects in the level
36:39
listed above in the tree.
36:41
By default, a hide situation only has two levels.
36:45
You can add more levels to create a more complex
36:48
multi-tiered hide situation.
36:50
Changing the order of the levels changes the foreground
36:53
to background relationship between the levels.
36:56
You can use the tree view to review
36:59
the levels and its content for the hide situation.
37:03
Re-arrange the levels or selected content
37:06
by dragging them to a new location in the tree.
37:09
The tools in the vertical toolbar in the hide situation
37:12
dialog box enable you to accomplish the common tasks
37:16
of adding levels, adding objects to the levels,
37:18
deleting objects and levels, and changing
37:21
the order of the levels.
37:23
Along the right side of the dialog box
37:25
you can change the settings for the selected item in the tree
37:28
list.
37:28
The available options depend on what is selected in that tree.
37:33
Now, let's take a look at an end product demo that will show you
37:37
how to create hide situations.
37:40
The purpose of this demonstration
37:41
is to show how with the AutoCAD Mechanical tool set
37:45
you can easily create hide situations to automatically
37:49
change the display of obstructed geometry
37:52
without breaking the geometry into multiple pieces.
37:56
In the Home tab detail panel in the Hide Situation dropdown
38:01
list, select Create.
38:04
Select the required objects as foreground objects.
38:09
Right click to exit the selection mode.
38:12
The hide situation dialog box opens
38:16
with level one containing the selected objects
38:19
and level 2 containing the objects that
38:22
were automatically added.
38:24
Click on the Free Objects for level two and click Remove.
38:28
Verify that level 2 is still selected.
38:31
In the dialog box, click Select objects.
38:35
Select the objects for level 2.
38:42
Right click to exit the selection mode.
38:44
Note the objects in level two.
38:46
In the dialog box, click the New Level icon.
38:50
A third level is added.
38:52
Click Select Objects and select the required objects
38:57
for level 3.
38:58
Right click to exit the selection mode.
39:00
Expand level three in dialog box and note the objects added.
39:05
Click on Free Objects for level 1
39:08
and note the objects in the drawing.
39:10
Similarly, click on three objects for level 2
39:13
and note the objects selected in the drawing.
39:17
Click on the top node Hide and change its name.
39:21
Click OK.
39:22
In the mechanical browser note that the hide situations
39:27
has been added.
39:28
Expand the hide situation and note the hide situation
39:32
like that has been created.
39:36
Let's discuss the power snaps in AutoCAD mechanical.
39:40
To create accurate drawings, you need
39:42
to precisely position geometry during its creation
39:46
and manipulation.
39:47
In many cases, the precise position
39:50
is based on existing geometry.
39:52
Object snaps locate points relevant to objects
39:56
in the drawing.
39:57
Toggling on multiple Object Snaps for
40:00
use while a creation or modification command is active.
40:04
It makes it easier for you to snap to the geometry
40:07
because you do not have to specify the object snap
40:10
mode for each click.
40:12
Using power snaps you can set and save up
40:15
to four different configurations that you
40:18
can activate at any time while you're creating or modifying
40:21
geometry.
40:23
This enables you to select a power snap configuration
40:26
to change the settings instead of selecting and clearing
40:29
the modes to achieve the required configuration.
40:33
You can pre-configure object snap combinations once
40:36
and use them often throughout the creation of your design.
40:40
You can also filter out object snapping
40:43
to specific types of geometry or ignore any z values.
40:47
Filtering out specific types of geometry
40:50
ensures that you do not accidentally
40:53
snap to it when you want to snap to a piece of geometry nearby.
40:57
In the power snap settings dialog box,
40:60
you can pre-configure the object snap combinations.
41:03
First, you can select the setting number
41:06
that you want to configure, toggle on or off the settings
41:09
for running object snaps, grid snap,
41:12
or object snap tracking to match your requirements
41:15
for the currently selected power snap configuration.
41:19
Then select which object snap modes are
41:21
to be considered when clicking a location in the drawing window
41:25
and set the size of the crosshair.
41:27
Each power snap configuration can have a different crosshair
41:31
size.
41:32
Additionally, you can set it to ignore the z value returned
41:36
from an object snap location and ignore
41:40
any object that is determined to be in the filters list.
41:44
After you have configured the power snap settings,
41:48
you can select them to use while creating your designs.
41:51
You can select the required configuration
41:54
from the power snap list in the Home tab utilities panel.
41:59
Talking about hole charts.
42:02
You can use hole charts to communicate
42:04
the size and position of multiple holes
42:07
in a table format.
42:09
In other words, you can use hole charts
42:11
to add dimensional annotations about holes
42:15
to a drawing using a chart.
42:17
When you insert a hole chart, each hole is labeled
42:21
and the corresponding value is placed in the chart.
42:24
You can use the holes label name in the hole chart
42:27
to determine its location, size, and description.
42:31
You can also place a hole chart for holes
42:33
created as circles or as hole features
42:36
from the standard library.
42:38
There are two styles of hole charts, cartesian or polar.
42:43
The difference between the two is how the location dimension
42:46
is defined with respect to a predefined point of origin
42:50
or the work piece.
42:51
The cartesian hole chart displays location values
42:54
in x and y-coordinates from the origin.
42:58
The polar hole chart displays location values
43:01
and their distance and angle from the origin.
43:04
You can place one or two charts in a drawing for hole charts
43:07
depending on the current standard.
43:09
Holes that are deleted from the drawing
43:12
are removed from the hole chart.
43:14
Labels associated with the holes are also deleted.
43:17
However, you can retainage each hole's numbering
43:21
as the holes are deleted.
43:23
The hole chart updates to reflect any size changes that
43:27
are made to the holes.
43:28
You can add new holes to the hole chart
43:31
by copying existing holes with their hole chart label
43:34
or by using the tools available in the hole chart dialog box.
43:38
Within the hole chart dialog box,
43:40
you can adjust the information that is displayed
43:43
and split the selected holes into multiple charts.
43:46
To split the holes into multiple tables,
43:49
you can create a custom filter using
43:51
the properties of the holes or create a filter
43:54
based on selected holes.
43:57
Finally, a brief introduction about the content
43:60
libraries in AutoCAD Mechanical.
44:02
The AutoCAD Mechanical toolset contains
44:05
over 700,000 standard parts such as screws, nuts, washers, pins,
44:11
rivets, and bushings.
44:13
It also includes many standard pre-drawn features,
44:16
including undercuts, key ways, and a variety
44:19
of holes such as through holes, countersunk holes and others.
44:24
When you need a standard part you
44:26
don't need to worry about drawing it.
44:29
You are just able to pick a type, select a size,
44:32
and insert it.
44:33
As simple as that.
44:35
The content library is also 100% customizable.
44:40
You can modify the content by adding or removing
44:43
sizes and adding company specific information,
44:47
such as stock numbers and you can even
44:49
add your own custom components into the same library.
44:52
It's a great way to have all your content
44:55
in a single location.
44:57
Thank you for joining me today for this accelerated
45:00
presentation about the tools that automate tasks in AutoCAD
45:05
Mechanical, and I hope that you found the information useful.
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