One of the biggest reasons for the growing popularity of AutoCAD is its ability to print drawings efficiently. From architects to engineers, anyone who knows the importance of accuracy and scale relies on AutoCAD for efficiency.
If you have been thinking about how to use AutoCAD drawings to your benefit, this guide can help you make the process easier.
1. Set the Drawing Units
Before you start printing, you must make sure that the measurements are set correctly. It is always a good idea to use the UNITS command to check and set your units most effectively. If the scale printing is not set correctly, you may not get the most accurate results.
Once the measurements are in the relevant units and have been set correctly, you can go on to use the layout. Make sure to lock the settings so that they settings do not change during the steps ahead.
2. Set Layout for Scaled View
Model space and layout space are two of the primary workspaces in AutoCAD. If you are using model space, you can draw a design at full scale. On the contrary, you create the sheets to print with layout space.
Once you have selected the sealed view, you can switch to the layout tab. After that, set up the paper size according to your intended printed sheet. From there on, create a viewport using the MV command to display the part of your model.
3. Lock the Viewport Scale
Once you have created a viewport in the paper space, the next step is to assign a scale to it. After you have made the selection, check inside the viewport to activate it by choosing a standard scale from the viewport scale control.
Once you have set the scale, make sure to lock the viewport. It is one of the most important things to keep in mind while learning how to print to scale in autocad. It helps to prevent accidental changes.
4. Use Correct Plot Settings
Now that you are ready to print, open the plot dialogue box. You can do so by pressing Ctrl+P or opening the plot dialogue box manually. Next, go to the plot area and set it to layout and set it to full scale. You can change it to the desired scale manually if you are printing from model space.
Before you print, make sure that it is configured with the correct paper size for a perfect result.
5. Choose the Right Orientation
Make sure that your layout matches the sheet size that you are planning to use. It is always a good idea to take some time and ensure that the size corresponds with your sheet.
If you see a problem, check and adjust the plot offset. You can also use the preview option to make sure that the drawing fits fully on the sheet. If your layout does not match the paper size, your drawing may be clipped.
