AutoCAD is not simply a digital drawing board

So many people use AutoCAD as a digital drawing board, it is SO much more than that!

We all know that you can create drawings quickly, and make changes faster than you could ever do on a drawing board, but with a little time and training, you can achieve so much more. Here are some examples:

Templates ease…

• Drawing creation to known standards, with correct layer naming and annotation styles in place ready to use.
• All plot settings are configured and ready to use on any printer and any size of paper available in the organisation.
• Reduces the chance of extraneous data “bloating” drawings.
• Creates continuity throughout your drawings.

Using layers helps to…

• Organise your services and construction materials viewed on the drawing.
• Creates continuity throughout your drawings.
• Allows easier coordination.

Blocks help to…

• Group geometry together to allow single point placement.
• Allows you to replace the multiple instances of the block with a new definition.
• Add attributes that can be extracted and used in external sources (or information on the drawing)

Layouts allow…

• Create multiple drawing sheets using the same Model Data
• Display your drawing at different scales.
• Produce call-out details with ease.
• Show configurations of varying services.
• Create coordinated layouts.

Annotative entities…

• Scale to match the viewport scale.
• Are not visible in viewports that do not support the listed scales.
• Save time creating multiple styles, layers and blocks for the same information.
• Reduce duplicate work

Tool Pallets…

• Organisation of often used blocks, hatches, layers, etc.
• The blocks can be defied to be inserted in the correct layer and orientation.
• Custom command scripts can be assigned to tool pallet buttons.
• Tool Pallets can be held on a server and distributed to the design team.

There are many other productivity tools in AutoCAD that are often underutilised or even unknown to many users that can increase productivity and reduce drawing production time, not to mention rapid drawing updates and alteration.

I will outline some of these in future posts.