AutoCAD 3 - Basic 3D Modeling

Hours: 48 / Access Length: 3 Months / Delivery: Online, Instructor Supported

Course Overview:

Learn the advanced 3D modeling techniques and basic rendering tools for the latest versions of AutoCAD. This course covers 3D editing tools, advanced solid modeling techniques, surface and mesh modeling methods, and basic render procedures including render settings, camera views, and an introduction to render materials.

The delivery format of this course is via self-directed, video lectures and demonstrations, PDF manuals, and online support via web-based discussion groups and email support.

This course is designed for the full, Windows version of AutoCAD.  Regarding running AutoCAD on a Mac, the best solution is to use the Mac's Bootcamp utility and have a copy of Windows installed on its own partition. Parallels Desktop will also work and will allow you to install the full PC version of AutoCAD on your Mac.
 
Although there is an "AutoCAD for Mac" version available, it is not widely used and is missing many of the features found in the full Windows version of AutoCAD. The current Mac version will work for the level one course but if you continue your training with the intermediate and advanced courses, the further you go the more you will run into features that simply do not exist on the Mac software.

Required prerequisite: A student must demonstrate knowledge of AutoCAD 2 - Advanced 2D to the instructor in order to enroll.

Upon successful completion of this course, the students will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Use external references to create a 2D Assembly drawing set.
• Add raster images to a 2D assembly drawing set.
• Create and work with Fields and Drawing Properties
• Create a 3D Modeling work space.
• Create 3D solid models
• Edit and modify 3D solid models.
• Document 3D solid models with automated 2D documentation procedures.
• Create custom 3D visual styles.

Students can get a free one year license of the latest version AutoCAD from Autodesk by going here.

Course Outline:

Lesson 1: Xrefs I

Introduction to methods for working with externally referenced drawings. Students will learn how to attach and overlay external references, use the Xref manager, and edit and update external references.

Lesson 2: Xrefs II

Students will learn how to resolve external reference errors, clip external references, increase xref performance with demand loading, layer and spatial indexes, and archive drawings with external references with the Bind and Xbind commands.

Lesson 3: Introduction to Raster Images

Students will learn how to attach, scale, and work with raster images. Techniques for managing raster images and tuning raster image performance will also be discussed.

Lesson 4: Fields and Drawing properties

Students will learn how to define custom properties for a drawing and how to define fields of text that will automatically update as the drawing properties change.

Lesson 5: Introduction to 3D Workspaces and the Ribbon control panels

Introduction to 3D object creation, 3D Navigation methods, and Visual Styles.

Lesson 6: Introduction to 3D Coordinates

Basic User Coordinate Systems. Advanced UCS Options, and UCS settings. Working with model space viewports. Composite solid modeling and Boolean operations, Union and Subtract.

Lesson 7: Model Documentation I

Introduction to the Model Documentation commands. Discussion on techniques for generating Base Views, Projected Orthographic Views, and Projected Isometric Views.

Lesson 8: Region, Extrude, and Revolve commands

Applying AutoCAD’s solid modeling capabilities using the Region, Extrude and Revolve commands.

Lesson 9: Model Documentation II

Discussion on techniques for generating Section and auxiliary views. Press Pull command.

Lesson 10: Model Documentation III

Solid model edits with Slice, Section, Fillet, and Chamfer commands. Accessing Solids History. Discussion on techniques for generating Detail views.

Lesson 11: Intersection Modeling

Students will learn how to create complex forms with multiple extrusions and Boolean intersections. Grip Editing Solids. Selecting and modifying 3D sub objects.

Lesson 12: Working with subobjects and Gizmos

Using 3D MOVE, 3DROTATE, 3D SCALE, 3DARRAY, ALIGN, 3DALIGNand MIRROR3D commands in the creation and layout of complex 3D models.

All necessary materials are included.

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

• Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or higher.
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions
  

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.