When you are looking to transition into a new career or make yourself more valuable in your current role, it can be difficult to find a single skill to focus your development. Familiarizing yourself with AutoCAD might just be an avenue for you to open countless doors in your career path while adding a future-proof skillset to your arsenal.
There are countless use cases for AutoCAD. The software is widely adopted in the workplace across various industries and has become a sought-after competency for many roles in the US and beyond.
Whether you are or have aspirations of becoming an architect, engineer or simply someone intrigued by CAD, mastering AutoCAD can open up a world of opportunities for you, perhaps even more than you might think!
The goal of this article is to walk you through the basics of the software so that you are up to speed with its functionality and on your way to crafting all of the great designs you have locked up in your imagination.
What Is AutoCAD?
Before we delve any further into AutoCAD or talk about how it works, it's important that we are on the same page as to what exactly AutoCAD is.
Perhaps the best way to describe software is by breaking down what the letters abbreviate. The letters CAD stand for computer-aided design and encompass, which are relatively self-descriptive.
Well, AutoCAD is actually a computer-aided design or ‘CAD’ software created by an American company called Autodesk. As with any dominant design software, it gained significant traction all around the world, with creative organizations flocking to the platform for the flexibility it provides in both 2D and 3D design and drafting.
One of the reasons the software has enjoyed so much success, and perhaps the reason we are even talking about it right now, is that it allows users to craft and adjust models with virtually limitless potential.
With uncapped creative potential, it's no wonder why so many industries have harnessed the platform capabilities to construct a wide range of structures and objects. However, this potential does come at the cost of a learning curve.
The software is only a powerful tool for those who know how to use it, and this will only come with time, experience and a lot of tutorials!
In an era when computers and software were still emerging technologies, the popularity of AutoCAD propelled Autodesk's growth solidifying its status as a frontrunner in the industry.
The status that the software has earned as a favorite among professionals across a wide range of industries has only acted as a catalyst for further development.
You can be reassured that you will be learning software that not only has an expansive community of users to help you solve any queries you might have but also comes with continuous updates and brand-new tools that you can implement in your work!
Learning the most important AutoCAD commands will help you devote time to the design process's more value-adding tasks.
Why Should You Learn AutoCAD?
If you find yourself on the fence about embarking on a new skill, especially one such as AutoCAD, where it can be easy to be left feeling overwhelmed or behind, It's important to have a strong ‘why’.
You should take a lot of comfort in knowing that there are currently over four hundred thousand jobs across the US that directly rely on CAD skills, and this number is expected to climb in the foreseeable future. Enhance your AutoCAD skills with extra insights, building on essential beginner shortcuts.
Although initially tailored for architecture and engineering purposes, the platform's versatility across domains has enabled it to transcend its scope. Today it is widely utilized in areas such as design, interior design and diverse industrial sectors, so there really is no cap to the roles that you can enter once you get up to speed with the software.
The podcast above presents an interesting discussion with Autodesk's VP of Products, Marcus O'Brien, about how the software has evolved over the years. It definitely presents some exciting insights about the future of the tool and its implementation in the working world going forward.
So, suppose you are looking to learn new skills that will provide you with great job security and make you an attractive candidate for future years. In that case, investing your time and effort into learning AutoCAD is a great avenue for you to accomplish just that!
Adopting best-practice methods from the outset is essential if you are looking to accelerate the learning process, so make sure to familiarize yourself with the top tips for beginners.
Understanding the AutoCAD Interface
If you have ever opened the software on your computer or glanced at tutorials on the internet, then you may have already seen the platform’s interface.
This is where most beginners begin to panic, which is only natural when you are staring at a screen that looks entirely foreign to you.
Apart from being entirely new, you will likely find that the platform’s layout is user-friendly and efficient, making it easy to create and edit any designs from the get-go.
However, you might want to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the different tools before jumping right in to avoid any needless trial and error.
To simplify things for you, we’ll start with the main interface components, such as the ribbon and panels that provide access to tools and commands.
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The Ribbon and Panels
The ribbon and panels can be considered an artist’s palette. It displays all the essential tools that you might want to implement in your work.
Everyone works differently and has their own unique set of preferences, so you can adjust the position of the ribbons to best fit your working style. Whether it's at the top along the sides or as a floating window, this flexibility allows for a workspace tailored to your needs.
You can cycle through different ribbon states to control the amount of information displayed, maximizing the drawing area when needed. Panels can even be dragged onto the drawing area so that they are always in sight while you work through your designs.
Playing around with these tabs can really make a difference in your productivity by tubing it to your liking, you’ll have everything where you need it to be!
The Command Window
It is easy to be thrown off at the sight of the command window, but once you realize the amount of time that this helpful tool can save you, you’ll quickly change your mind about it.
This tool offers keystroke access to commands, system variables, and different kinds of drawing content like blocks and layers.
Instead of navigating an already stacked menu to find the exact tool you are looking for, you can simply enter the respective command into the Command window in a matter of seconds.
This tie can really add up over the course of an entire project, so it is definitely worth learning a few of the commands that you intend to use the most.
Navigating the Drawing Area
The next feature that you will likely come across in the design process is the drawing area.
Thankfully, there are tools in place, such as the navigation bar and ViewCube, that make it quite easy for beginners to move around their designs with little difficulty.
The navigation bar is rather self-explanatory, and the ViewCube actually gives you a guide to your model's position, making it simple to change your perspective with a simple click or drag. At this point, you’re likely itching to get started, so let’s look at how you can set up a new drawing.
Diversifying the AutoCAD resources you depend on for your learning will help you become a more well-rounded designer.
Setting Up a New Drawing
All great designs start with a blank page, and that is exactly what we’re after. In order to get started with a blank canvas in AutoCAD, you’ll need to navigate the ribbon that we touched on earlier to create a drawing.
To do this, go to the File menu and choose the option for ‘New’. This will open a drawing window that uses the default template. This template establishes the setup for your drawing, such as the page dimensions, title block design, and layer arrangement.
The SourceCAD YouTube channel does a great job of teaching beginners how to set up a drawing and the design process in a step-by-step manner that is easy to digest. This video is the first of a three-part series that will help bring you up to speed with the software.
The next important step that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with is configuring the drawing units and scale based on your project specifications. To do this, again you’ll want to revisit the ribbon and navigate to the Format menu over to ‘Pick Units’.
Here, you can select your preferred unit measurements, whether that’s inches, millimeters or centimeters and define the scale of your drawing.
While the default template is definitely a great starting point, as you progress and gather your bearings using the software, you may want to look at personalizing it to better fit your requirements.
While this point might feel like a world away, the time will likely come sooner than you think. To do this, you can access the ‘Tools’ menu and go to ‘Options’ then click on Template Settings within the Files section.
This allows you to make changes to elements of the template, such as page size, title block layout and layer setup for a customized framework for all of the projects you craft going forward!
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Modifying and Editing Objects
Now that you can start working on your own projects using the software, we’ll take a look at how you can edit your work and make some more advanced modifications that will help you satisfy your employer or clients.
The editing process on AutoCAD starts with selecting objects. You can do this either by clicking on them or using the Window or Crossing selection modes to select objects within a defined area.
Once you have the desired items selected, you can start using editing commands to get your designs looking just how you want.
As the name might suggest, the ‘Move’ command allows you to relocate objects by specifying a base point and new position.
If you ask any designer who has experience working on AutoCAD, they will likely tell you just how important the ‘Copy’ command can be. It essentially duplicates objects at a specified distance and direction and saves you from having to spend hours creating the same or similar objects a number of times.
With the Rotate command, you can pivot objects around a base point, whereas the Scale command adjusts object sizes proportionally. If you have a pen and paper handy, or the notes application on your device, it’s definitely worth keeping track of these modifications so you know what to look for once you get to the editing stage!
Learn Alongside an AutoCAD Tutor with Superprof
Learning AutoCAD can be a journey, yet with the guidance of a tutor, the process can become both enjoyable and effective. While it might not be your number one criterion when selecting a tutor, your enjoyment of your lessons will be a major determinant of your consistency and attitude towards improving.
If you head over to the platform, you’ll find plenty of AutoCAD instructors who are professionals across a number of different fields who offer a wealth of knowledge and real-world insights in their virtual classrooms.
As you can see from your reading, AutoCAD provides an array of tools for effectively handling various drawing and editing tasks. For beginners, all of this customization capacity can be difficult to navigate.
By working alongside a professional who has years of experience under their belt using the software, you can clear up any uncertainties you might have instantly.
Whether you are just starting out or aiming to refine your skills, the platform’s instructors will lead you through engaging hands-on lessons tailored to your own pace.
Through their expertise, you will not only grasp the essential aspects of AutoCAD but also gain insights into industry best practices and workflows that can elevate your performance and design capabilities.
Why not explore the various tools alongside one of Superprof’s tutors and discover ways to increase creativity and accuracy in your AutoCAD work process? Find AutoCAD classes near me on Superprof today!
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