autocad drawing and model of an 3d office setup

Create a 3D Site Plan Using CADMapper and AutoCAD

Need to quickly create a 3D site plan in AutoCAD?

Here'southward how to practise it.

This tutorial covers the following data:

1. Setting up a 3D site in CADMapper

2. Converting Units: Metric to Purple

3. External References: Separating Layers into Drawings

Disclosure:

CADMapper is a website that tin can salve architects, designers, and planners tons of time by automatically generating iii-Dimensional information for over 200 cities around the world. CADMapper generates 3D models that can be used with AutoCAD, Sketchup, Rhino, and Illustrator. To generate information for topography, buildings, and streets, CADMapper pulls data from OpenStreetMap.

I should start by saying that my design work primarily involves the schematic design phase of architectural blueprint. I understand that site data should be field-verified by professionals in surveying, ceremonious engineering science, etc. to ensure accuracy. The intention of this tutorial is to use CADMapper to create a footing for architectural schematic designs.

Setting upward a 3D site in CADMapper

Footstep one: Find your site - Start with Google Maps.

I like to start by finding my site in Google Maps. Often, there is footling information given that specifies coordinates or a physical address of a site. Searching for the site in Google Maps gives me a better agreement of what my site looks similar from an aerial perspective.

One time you find your site in Google Maps, head over to CADMapper.com and type in the approximate accost - or two intersecting streets.

CADMapper merely provides vector line information, so it might be cumbersome to try to search for your site starting in CADMapper. Expect between Google Maps and CADMapper to hone in on your site, and create a box in CADMapper that captures the data you demand from your site. CADMapper is free, but up to 1km of information.

Always endeavour to capture more information than you think you need. You never know when you lot might demand the data in the future. Information technology'southward amend to have it and not demand it, than to need information technology and not have it - I've had to stitch multiple CADMapper files together earlier because I left out some of import information when I created my initial file, and information technology's a real pain to go through that process.

Step 2: Turn on 3D Buildings

If you desire building peak information, check the box for 3D Buildings. If building information is available (which it oftentimes is in large cities), CADMapper volition create mesh geometry of buildings in the CAD file. You tin specify "Faux Height Data", in which CADMapper volition generate buildings without height data to a value that you specify. Not a necessary pace, but it can you lot save drawing fourth dimension.

Step 3: Select 3D Topography, topography contours spaced at four meters.

Information technology'due south adept practice to just collect as much information every bit we tin can become, early in a project. The lowest spacing that CADMapper will generate for profile lines is iv meters, which should be plenty of information to go you started in your design.

Footstep 4: Road Geometry, Select "Outlines"

CADMapper provides options for generating road graphics. Roads can be depicted as unmarried eye-lines, outlines, or mesh surfaces. If you intend on using this site file for fabrication, such as 3D press or light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation-cutting, I would suggest choosing an selection that best suits your needs. For this tutorial, selecting "Outlines" will provide graphic separation betwixt types of roads, and allow easy scaling of the drawing in AutoCAD. Additionally, "Outlines" is a good option to choose for laser-cut site models.

Change the road dimensions to specific dimensions: I recommend the following:

• Highways: ten meters

• Major Roads: 8 meters

• Modest Roads: vi meters

• Paths: four meters

Step 5: Generate the CADMapper File

If everything is fix to your liking, click on "Create File". Information technology will have a moment to generate the file.

Once the file is generated, you can examine the map in 3 views:

• 3D Axonometric View

• 2D View

• Topography

At this signal, select download. The file will download equally a single .zip, containing one .dxf file that you lot can open with AutoCAD.

Converting Units - Metric to Regal

By default, CADMapper exports units in meters. For our purposes, we need to convert meters to feet.'

Step 1: In the "Units" Menu, Change 'Decimal' to 'Architectural'

Type in command, "UN" to open the Units menu. Change 'Decimal' to 'Architectural', and 'Millimeters' to 'Inches', respectively. Note that simply irresolute the units will not change the scale the drawing. For example, 2 meters will be converted to two feet, which is incorrect.

So, we'll need to scale the drawing after changing the units from metric to imperial.

Step 2: Verify the Distance of a Road

Use the control "DIST" to measure out the distance of one of the roads generated past the CADMapper file. It should read as 1 of the measurements that was specified on the CADMapper website. For this example, the road is half dozen meters.

Step 3: Scale the Drawing

If the road altitude is half dozen meters, it volition need to be scaled to nineteen.685 feet (because one meter = iii.28084 anxiety) after changing the Units from metric to imperial.

Depict a polyline (command "PL") off to the side of your drawing in model space somewhere. Below that half dozen meter line, describe a line of altitude, xix.685.

Use command "AL" for 'Align', and select EVERYTHING in model infinite. Deselect the (19.685) line. Nosotros desire to calibration everything in the drawing except that line.

Select the first indicate of the (6 units) line, and the first point of the (nineteen.685 units) line. Then, select the second point of the (6 units) line, and the second point of the (19.685 units) line.

When prompted to 'Scale', select Yes.

If done correctly, all of the elements in the drawing will take scaled with the (six units) line, which at present matches the distance of 19.685. Then now, when the Units are set to "Architectural" and "Inches", all of the roads should read as the equivalent imperial measurement.

External References: Separating Layers into Drawings

CADMapper conveniently sorts drawings elements into split layers. This is useful in terms of arrangement, withal, we should ready up our drawings in a way that allows multiple people to work on them. This may non exist necessary for your particular project, but information technology'south good practice to learn the conventions of creating external references to keep file systems organized, and to allow the potential for multiple people to work on a single project.

Streamlined file systems = saved time on drafting work. And saving drafting fourth dimension will open time for more of import stuff, like designing!

Here's how to quickly create external references from layers:

Step 1: Open the Layer Menu

Type "LA" to open the Layer Card. Freeze all layers, then unfreeze the first layer that you desire to catechumen into an external reference. In this case, nosotros'll start the the layer called "buildings".

Next, blazon "Select" and "All" to select everything on that layer.

"Re-create Base" with, CRTL+SHIFT+C, then specify the origin betoken as 0,0,0 (x,y,z, respectively).

This is important, because copying the information with the origin bespeak will allow you to bring all of the drawings into the new "Master Cartoon" at the same point. This will ensure that the drawings are lined up correctly, maintaining accuracy in the information.

Step two: Create the "Principal Cartoon"

Open a new drawing. This will get the "Master Drawing", which will hold all of the xrefs that we will be creating for each layer. The "Master Cartoon" will expect exactly like the original file containing all of the private layer information. The benefit of setting upwards a master drawing this fashion, is that multiple people can work on private files within i project.

For case, one person can work on the "Buildings" layer. Some other person tin piece of work on the "Roads" layer, and so on.

This is non just convenient for group drafting projects, simply it will aid you build a consequent file system that can be practical to a number of different programs outside of AutoCAD. It'southward only a system of file linkage, and these types of systems offer the most flexibility for organization, and drafting workflows.

One final note: the "Primary Drawing" should serve as a file for reference, and should not be drawn on or referenced to other drawings. Changes made on all of the other external references will reflect on the Main Drawing, however, changes made on the Master Cartoon will non reflect on the linked external references. It's a i-way street, and maintaining this system will ensure that your project is clean and organized.

Good luck!

You might also like…

halcombagentic.blogspot.com

Source: https://rascoh.studio/blog/3d-site-plan-cadmapper-autocad-tutorial

Share this post