Before AutoCAD was introduced, most commercial CAD programs ran on mainframe computers or minicomputers, with each CAD operator (user) working at a separate graphics terminal.ĪutoCAD does not run on Windows 3.1x and Windows 3.11x it requires an operating system with at least Windows NT 4.0. Starting in 2017, versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux are available, as well as versions available on mobile and tablet devices.ĪutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers.
The new version was later enhanced with additional functionality in 2015 with AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015. Also in 2011, AutoCAD 2012 SP2 was released, bringing extensive changes to the user interface. In 2011, AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 were introduced, bringing new functionality to the program. In March 2009, AutoCAD was moved to a new operating system, Vista, making it the first AutoCAD application for Vista. Starting with AutoCAD LT for Windows, which was released in 1998, the user interface was revamped again in 2006 and AutoCAD LT became AutoCAD with additional functionality and features.
The multidisciplinary approach of this text and its supporting materials are intended to broaden the appeal of the curriculum and increase student interest and, it is hoped, future enrollments.Originally designed as a drafting program, Autodesk changed the user interface with the first major update in August 1989 to make it easier to use for both architects and engineers. We include architectural drawing because our experience has shown that many (if not most) first-semester drafting students are interested in careers in the architectural design field, and that a traditional technical drawing text, which focuses solely on mechanical drawing projects, holds little interest for these students. In recognition of the diverse career interests of our students, Technical Drawing 101 includes projects in which students create working drawings for a mechanical assembly as well as for an architectural project. By focusing on the fundamental building blocks of CAD, Technical Drawing 101 provides a solid foundation for students going on to learn advanced CAD concepts and techniques (paper space, viewports, xrefs, annotative scaling, etc.) in intermediate CAD courses. The CAD portion of the text incorporates drafting theory whenever possible and covers the basics of drawing setup (units, limits, and layers), the tools of the Draw, Modify, and Dimension toolbars, and the fundamentals of 3D modeling. The videos progress to more advanced topics where the authors walk students through completing several of the projects in the book.
In these videos the authors start off by getting students comfortable with the user interface and demonstrating how to use many of AutoCAD's commands and features.
The authors have also created extensive video training (176 videos, 26 hours total) that is included with every copy of the book.
Both mechanical and architectural projects are introduced to capture the interest of more students and to offer a broader appeal. But unlike the massive technical drawing reference texts on the market, Technical Drawing 101 aims to present just the right mix of information and projects that can be reasonably covered by faculty, and assimilated by students, in one semester. Technical Drawing 101 covers topics ranging from the most basic, such as making freehand, multiview sketches of machine parts, to the advanced-creating an AutoCAD dimension style containing the style settings defined by the ASME Y14.5-2009 Dimensioning and Tolerancing standard.