Delve into the process of creating a detailed section hat using AutoCAD, as this article outlines the step-by-step instructions for creating this design. Learn how to effectively use different tools and commands like Ray, Draw, Fillet, Trim, and Hatch to craft intricate 2D designs.
Key Insights
- The process begins by setting up a new File and template, naming it 'Section Hat', and adding the 'Asyms' layer with color 120. The design starts with a half-inch diameter circle.
- Several commands are used throughout the design process. The 'Ray' command is used to draw lines at specific angles, 'Fillet' is used to trim and shape the lines, and 'Trim' is used to remove unnecessary geometry. The 'Hatch' tool is then used to fill specific regions within the drawing.
- AutoCAD allows for two workflows, noun-verb and verb-noun, and accepts both as long as the option is checked in the Options dialog box. For example, the delete key workflow uses the noun-verb sequence, while the Eraser tool uses the verb-noun sequence.
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In this video, we will continue with the section hat. Just like the detail hat, the beginning steps are fairly simple, but we will introduce some additional tools to complete this process.
Let's go up to File, New, choose our template and hit Open. Let's go File, Save. And again, this one will be named Section Hat.
And I'll hit Save. Let's add our A-SYMS layer. I'll go up to Layer Properties, New Layer.
This is named A-SYMS. I'll click the color to choose color 120. Enter.
And I'll double click to make this my current layer. I'll close the window. CTRL+S to save, and let's begin to draw.
Again, because this symbol fits on top of our detail symbol, we want to start with our circle with a half inch diameter. Let's go up to Circle, specify 0,0 as our center point. Enter.
Specify D for diameter. Enter. And 1 over 2 or 0.5. Both are valid.
Enter. I'll do a zoom extents by double-clicking my middle mouse wheel. I'll scroll out on the scroll wheel, and I'll hold the scroll wheel and pan up.
CTRL+S to save. Remember, we have our polar tracking on, and to double check, I will see that it is at 15 degrees. And let's draw those top two lines again.
They fall in the exact same place. We will begin with Ray. I'll choose Draw, Ray.
And here, I know that the center of my circle is at 0,0, so I could do Shift + Right-Click and choose Center. But I also know that it is 0,0, so it's easier for me to do 0,0, Enter to start this command. Then I'll find my 45 degree angle and click, and then I will find my 135 degree angle and click Enter to say that I am done.
Now, I can do the same thing as I did previously with my Ray tool. I'll go back to Draw, Ray, Shift + Right-Click to find the Intersection tool. Here is that intersection.
This time, I'm showing my 135 degree angle, click, Enter to say that I am done. Go back to Draw, Ray, Shift + Right-Click, Intersection. This time, it is here.
Click, find my 45 degree angle, click to lock in that Ray, Enter to say that I am done. Now, in the previous workflow, we used the Eraser tool to get rid of the bottom two rays, which were construction geometry. We can also, with no tool active, so I can hit Escape key three times to make sure that no tool is active, pick this line with a single click, and pick this line with a single click, and I can hit the Delete key on my keyboard.
Remember the noun-verb relationship we discussed in an earlier video? The Delete key workflow will always have the noun first. I'm picking my geometry, then I delete. If I use the Eraser tool, I can choose my verb first.
I am choosing to erase these objects, and Enter says that I am done. AutoCAD accepts both workflows, as long as you have that option checked in the Options dialog box. The section hat has one more bit of geometry we need before we can start to create this shape.
It is the horizontal line that runs across the center of the circle. Now, we remember that in our detail symbol, we used the Line tool, Shift + Right-Click Quadrant to the Shift + Right-Click Quadrant, and Enter. That is an easy workflow.
But in this case, I want to use the X line, or construction line. So, I will go to Draw, and I will choose my construction line. Now, in this case, I want to draw a horizontal line that goes through 0,0. So, my first point can be 0,0. Enter.
And the construction line acts as a ray, but it points in both directions. So, I can lock this in at my 0 degree angle, or I can come over and lock this in at 180 degrees. Or, I could Shift + Right-Click Quadrant, and choose a quadrant.
Click. Once I have done one of those options, I will hit ENTER. I'll undo and do it one more time.
Draw, construction line, 0,0, Enter. And this time, I will find 0 degrees, and click. Move my mouse away to make sure that I have drawn that line, and hit ENTER to say that I am done.
This one might be a little harder to visualize. But, we can start by cleaning up the top two lines with Fillet, like we did previously. I will go to Fillet.
Again, I'm checking to make sure my radius is 0. It is. So, I can click the lines I want to keep. I want to keep this section, and this section.
Now, we used Trim in the previous workflow as well, to get rid of the bottom half of the circle. This time, however, the trimming edges will not be these two diagonal lines. It will be the horizontal line.
So, I can go Trim. I will make sure not to click here, or here, because those are existing in our symbol. Instead, I will come to the bottom of the circle, and click to remove that geometry.
And notice on our handout, there is no line running through the circle. So, we can also click here, to remove this piece of geometry. Enter to say that I am done.
Now, in this case, we need to finish the triangle piece that goes here, and the triangle piece that goes here. Fillet has an interesting feature, where it can shorten geometry, or lengthen geometry. But, it will always make those two lines meet at the specified radius.
In this case, it's zero, so it is a sharp point. But, it will always make the two endpoints meet. So, if I go Fillet, and choose this line, when I come down to this line, I can see that when I hover on this section, it will shorten my horizontal line, and lengthen my diagonal line, and have them meet at a point.
I'll click to lock it in. I'll go back to Fillet one more time, and I will again choose my top diagonal line. And remember, Fillet is what we want to keep.
So, I'm making sure not to click outside, or else I would keep the outside part of this ray. Instead, I will choose the inner part, and click CTRL+S to save. Finally, all we need to add is our hatch.
So, I can go up to the hatch tool. Again, I'm going to make sure to choose solid, and pick points. And again, this is picking points inside the lines like a coloring book.
So, I will click in this region, in this region, and in this region. These regions appear to be connected, but because the diagonal lines intersect with the circles in a tangent relationship, the regions are actually separated. So, I have to click three times.
Make sure to hit ENTER to lock in your hatch. Zoom extents with your mouse wheel, and CTRL+S to save. In the next video, we will talk more about circles with the door symbol.
