The CAD Overview

Introduction

BobCAD-CAM provides an extensive and powerful set of CAD tools for creating 2D and 3D geometry including wireframe, text, dimensions, shapes, surfaces, and solids. The main ribbons and the toolbars of the BobCAD-CAM user interface contain all of the CAD tools for creating, modifying, and viewing geometry in the graphics area (also known as the CAD window or graphics area). This topic provides an overview of the important CAD topics in this Help System and acts as a navigation tool to find more information about all CAD functionality and usage in BobCAD-CAM.

Important CAD Information

User Interface

Getting to Know the User interface is an important part of using BobCAD-CAM. The information provided in the User Interface topics is an essential part of understanding the BobCAD-CAM software and CAD.

Selection Methods

It is important to understand the selection methods in BobCAD-CAM when creating or modifying geometry.

CAD Drawing Plane (UCS)

CAD geometry is created using the Active UCS, or user coordinate system, which determines drawing plane. This is selected in the The UCS Manager.

CAD Drawing Layer

CAD geometry is created on the Active Layer that is selected in The Layers Manager.

Views

The view options contains many important commands for modifying the current viewing position and display states of the graphics area and the geometry in it. For more information, see The Document Toolbar topic.

CAD Preview

The CAD functions include a preview that shows you what the result will be before you create the geometry. Because most CAD functions can be performed using various methods, the way that the preview works depends on the method used.

Using the CAD Preview

When typing values in the Data Entry boxes, the preview is updated when you press Tab.
For functions that require geometry selection, you must first select the geometry before the preview can be created. This may include confirming the geometry selections by clicking OK. If you do not see a preview, check to make sure that you have made all required selections, such as a start point.

The OK button in the Data Entry Manager serves a dual purpose: when the preview is visible, OK performs the function as shown. If no preview is shown, OK creates the preview.

Status Bar and Snap Increment

The Status Bar at the bottom of the user interface displays important information and provides prompts that guide you through the current task in the Data Entry Manager. Look to the status bar for help completing the current step.

The status bar also provides quick access to the snap increment button and snap increment distance value that is used with many CAD function to allow for accurate geometry creation when using mouse selection (also known as sketching). To learn more, view the Snap Increment topic.

The CAD Tree

The CAD Tree is a solid history tree that contains CAD Features for all solid and surface creation and modifications.

Creating Geometry in BobCAD-CAM

Home

Edit

Delete - The Delete command is used to eliminate or remove currently selected geometry from the graphics area. You must first enable selection mode.
Cut - The Cut command is used to remove selected geometry from the graphics area and add it to the clipboard (it can then be pasted). You must first enable selection mode.
Copy - The Copy command adds any selected geometry to the clipboard, which can then be pasted. You must first enable selection mode
Paste - The Paste command is used to place (paste) geometry from the clipboard into the active graphics area. This only works if you have Cut or Copied geometry into the clipboard first. The geometry is placed in the same location and position from which it was Cut or Copied, but it is placed on the currently Active CAD layer. You must first enable selection mode.

Selection

Select Mode - enables selection mode.
Select All - selects all visible entities.
Clear - removes all the current selections.
Add/Remove Toggle - sets the selection mode to add or remove entities. Click an entity once to select it, click it again to clear the selection.
Add to Selection- sets the selection mode to add selections only.
Remove from Selection - sets the selection mode to remove selections only.

Quick Selection

Pick By Layer - opens the Select Color dialog box. Select a color, and click OK to select all visible entities of the same color.
Pick By Color - opens the Select Layer dialog box. Select a layer, and click OK to select all visible entities in the layer.
Pick+Match Layer - is used to select an entity and have all of entities on the same layer automatically selected.
Pick+Match Color - is used to select an entity and have all of the same colored entities automatically selected.
Pick+Match Radius - is used to select an arc and have all entities of the same radius automatically selected.
Pick+Match Line Style - is used to select an entity and have all entities that have the same line style automatically selected.

Modify

There are numerous ways to modify geometry in the graphics area. This help topic explains the items that are available in the Modify group, of the Home ribbon. Most of these functions are not available until an entity is selected in the graphics area.

Entity - opens the Data Entry Manager so you can modify the parameters of the selected entity. You must select a single entity (whether or not it is a part of a contiguous entity chain), such as one line or one arc, or this function is unavailable. This option is used for wireframe entities, including text. To learn more, view How to Modify Wireframe Entities.
Modify Color - opens the Modify Color dialog box. Click the new color, and the selected entity is updated.
Modify to Current Color - changes the selected entities to the active color.
Modify Layer - opens the Select Layer dialog box. Click the layer to which the selected entity is moved, and click OK.
Modify to Current Layer - places the currently selected entities on the active layer.
Modify Line Style - opens the Line Style dialog box. Click the new line style to apply to the selected entity, and click OK.
Modify to Current Line Style - changes the selected entities to the active line style.
Modify Point Style - opens the Point Style dialog box. Click the new point style to apply to the selected entity, and click OK.
Modify to Current Point Style - changes the selected points to the current point style.
Change Style to Solid - converts selected entities to a solid line style.
Change Style to Dashed - converts selected entities to a dashed line style.

Selection Mask

The selection masks can be used to control what entity types can be selected in the graphics area. When you enable selection mode, you can click an icon to disable the ability to select that entity type.

All Mask - selects all selection masks so that all entity or dimension types can be selected.
No Mask - clears the selection of all selection masks so that no entity or dimension types can be selected.This makes it easier when you only want to turn on a small number of selection masks.
Point Mask - controls the ability to select point geometry.
Line Mask - controls the ability to select line geometry.
Arc Mask - controls the ability to select arc geometry.
Spline Mask - controls the ability to select spline geometry.
Solid Mask -controls the ability to select solid geometry.
Text Mask - controls the ability to select text geometry.
Pattern Mask - controls the ability to select point pattern geometry.
Contour Mask - controls the ability to select contour entities.
Dimension Mask - controls the ability to select linear dimensions.
Radius Dimension Mask - controls the ability to select radial dimensions.
Angle Dimension Mask - controls the ability to select angular dimensions.
Point Dimension Mask - controls the ability to select point dimensions.
Text Mask - controls the ability to select unvectorized text.

Coordinates

Turning Mode - changes the standard drawing mode to accommodate the drawing of lathe parts. The coordinate system indicator, shown in the bottom-left corner of the screen, changes the X-axis direction to the lathe Z-axis direction, (and the Y-axis direction becomes the lathe X-axis direction). This change is made in order to reflect the change that is made to the parameters of the CAD functions in the Data Entry Manager. If the function normally lists an X, Y, and Z value from the top down, after you enable Turning Mode, the same function lists the values from the top down as Z, X, and Y.

Create 2D

Entity

Point

Point - creates a point using the screen position of the mouse pointer in empty space or snap points on existing geometry. Coordinates can also be entered to define the location using data entry.
Point from Entities - creates points in the graphics area using the specified snap points or intersections of geometry selected by the user.
Incremental - creates a point at an incremental distance from a reference point, which can be a point or the snap point of a wireframe entity.
On Entity - creates a point on a wireframe entity at a specified location using on of three methods: Percentage, Distance, or Angle (for arcs only).
Perpendicular - creates a point at a right angle to a reference point and a wireframe entity.

Line

Line - creates a line by clicking in the graphics area once to define the start point, and clicking a second time to define the end point of the line. Coordinates can also be entered to define the location using data entry.
Continuous - creates lines by clicking in the graphics area once to define the start point and clicking a second time to define the end point of the line. After creating the first line, the end point of the previous line becomes the start point of the next line so that you can create a continuous chain of line entities. Coordinates can also be entered to define the location using data entry.
Tangent - creates lines that are tangent to an arc. Selecting two arcs will create a line tangent to both.
Parallel - creates a line that is parallel to a selected entity.
Angle - creates a line at a specified angle from a selected entity.

Arc

Arc Center - create arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining the origin of the arc.
Arc 2 Points - Center - creates arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining the origin of the arc, and its radius by selecting two points in the graphics area.
Arc 2 Points - Diameter - creates arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining two points in the graphics area which will become the full diameter of the arc.
Arc 3 Points - Center / Endpoints - creates arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining three points in the graphics area. The first assigns the center point, the second defines the start angle and the radius of the arc, and the third sets the end angle or the arc.
Arc 3 Points - Endpoints / Radius - creates arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining three points in the graphics area. The first point sets the one of the start/end points. The second point sets the other start/end point. The last point defines the radius of the arc. which will become the full diameter of the arc.
Arc 3 Entities - creates arcs by selecting 3 entities in the graphics area which will create an arc tangent to each. This can be accomplished by picking three entities in the graphics area.
Fit Arcs - converts a selected geometry curve into arc segments using a defined tolerance value.

Spline - Splines are designed to produce a smooth curve between a set of selected points. Spline creation can be accomplished by selecting snap points or coordinates using the mouse position when the Sketch/Single Picking mode is used, or by selecting multiple entities at once with the Multi-Picking mode.

Shapes

Rectangle - creates rectangles using sketching, data entry, or both.
- Rectangle Center - creates rectangles by sketching a point, or using data entry. The point sets the Base Point of the rectangle. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 2 Points - Center - creates rectangles by sketching two points. The first point sets the center, which is the Base Point, the next sets a corner to specify length and width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 2 Points - Corners - create rectangles by sketching two points. The first point sets one corner, the next sets the opposing corner to specify length and width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 3 Points - Corners - create rectangles by sketching three points. The first point sets one corner as the Base Point, the next sets the perpendicular corner to specify length, and the last sets the corner opposite of the first to set the width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 3 Points - Center/Corners - create rectangles by sketching three points. The first point sets the center of the rectangle as the Base Point, the next sets the length, which is the middle of the line which will define the width, and the last sets the corner to define the width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
Ellipse - create ellipses using sketching, data entry, or a combination of both.
Spiral - creates a spiral or a helix based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry manager.
Shape Library - contains predetermined wireframe geometry shapes that are provided to assist in creating standard shapes faster and easier.
Gear - creates a gear based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager.
Sprocket - creates a sprocket based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager.
Roller CAM - creates a roller cam based on the parameters that you define it the Data Entry Manager.

Pattern

Hole Pattern - creates a circular, or grid, hole pattern based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager.
Point Pattern - is used to group a set of points or arcs so that they can be selected as a single entity (point pattern), usually for machining purposes.

Corner

Fillet - creates an arc, of a defined radius value, tangent to two selected entities.
Chamfer - creates a line between two entities using an angle and/or distance.

Boolean

2D Boolean - launches the 2D Boolean dialog in the Data Entry Manager, with the Add Type selected. This also gives you access to the following types:
- Add - combines the two groups of wireframe chains leaving the remaining (outer) boundary of the two groups.
- Subtract - differences the two groups of wireframe chains leaving the remaining boundary of the two groups.
- Intersect - eliminates all but the overlapping areas of the two groups of chains.

Text

Text - create alpha-numeric characters in the graphics area.
Fit Text to Curve - is used to move existing text to a defined position along a selected curve.

Utilities

Offset - creates a curve that is equidistant to a selected profile curve.
Extract Edges - opens the function Extract Edges, but gives you the ability to select the Pick Whole Solid option.

Extract Edges - allows you select one or more individual solid faces, surfaces, or surface edges to extract and create wireframe curves. Single doesn't refer to a single edge, but rather single selection instead of whole solid selection.
Extract Edges from Solid - allows you to select one or more solids or surfaces to extract the edges and create wireframe curves. This function uses whole solid picking and extracts all edges of the selected solids or surfaces.

Project Curves to Surface - is used to project wireframe curves onto a selected surface.
Section View - create a sectional view of solid geometry in the graphics area. This also includes the ability to create wireframe geometry by extracting the edges currently visible in the section view.
Spun Profile - is used to pull an overall profile from a surface or solid that is revolved around a particular axis.
Unwrap - unwraps cylindrical geometry to create groups of 2D geometric entities.
Contour - groups connected entities together as a single entity with a defined direction.
Continuous Sketch - create a continuous chain of lines, arcs, or a combination of the two.

Create 3D

Primitives

Cube - creates solid cube primitives.
Cylinder - creates solid cylinder primitives.
Sphere - creates solid sphere primitives.
Cone - creates solid cone primitives.
Torus - creates solid torus primitives.

Extrude

Extrude Boss - creates solid bodies by extruding closed wireframe chains or planar surface geometry and automatically joins the intersecting surfaces and solids into a single solid.
Extrude Cut - removes material from solid bodies by extruding closed wireframe chains or planar surface geometry to the specified distance and subtracts the result from any intersecting solid or surface bodies.
Extrude Curve - creates a solid or surface shell by extruding open or closed wireframe curves to a specified distance.
Extrude Surface - creates a solid or surface shell by extruding surface geometry.
Imprint - extrudes a curve, and subtract an existing CAD model from that extrusion, while keeping the original model and the newly created imprint.

Solid Boolean

Boolean - Opens the Boolean function with the Add Type selected, and gives you access to the following types:
- Add - joins two or more solids or surfaces together.
- Subtract - removes the intersecting area of one solid or surface from another.
- Intersect - keeps only the overlapping portion of all the selected entities as a single solid.

Surfaces

Planar - creates a planar surface from a closed 2D geometry chain.

Planar - creates a planar surface from a closed 2D geometry chain.
Rectangular Plane - opens the Rectangular Plane function with the following creation options. The Rectangle Center option is selected by default.
- Rectangle Center - creates rectangular planes by sketching a point, or using data entry. The point sets the Base Point of the rectangle. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 2 Points - Center - creates rectangular planes by sketching two points. The first point sets the center, which is the Base Point, the next sets a corner to specify length and width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 2 Points - Corners - create rectangular planes by sketching two points. The first point sets one corner, the next sets the opposing corner to specify length and width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 3 Points - Corners - create rectangular planes by sketching three points. The first point sets one corner as the Base Point, the next sets the perpendicular corner to specify length, and the last sets the corner opposite of the first to set the width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
- Rectangle 3 Points - Center/Corners - create rectangular planes by sketching three points. The first point sets the center of the rectangle as the Base Point, the next sets the length, which is the middle of the line which will define the width, and the last sets the corner to define the width. Adjustments using data entry can also be utilized.
Circular Plane - opens the Circular Plane function with the following creation options. The Arc Center option is selected by default.
- Arc Center - create planar arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining the origin of the arc.
- Arc 2 Points - Center - creates planar arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining the origin of the arc, and its radius by selecting two points in the graphics area.
- Arc 2 Points - Diameter - creates planar arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining two points in the graphics area which will become the full diameter of the arc.
- Arc 3 Points - Center / Endpoints - creates planar arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining three points in the graphics area. The first assigns the center point, the second defines the start angle and the radius of the arc, and the third sets the end angle or the arc.
- Arc 3 Points - Endpoints / Radius - creates planar arcs of a specified radius, and start and end angles, by defining three points in the graphics area. The first point sets the one of the start/end points. The second point sets the other start/end point. The last point defines the radius of the arc. which will become the full diameter of the arc.

Revolve - creates a revolved surface from a 2D geometry chain based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager.
Sweep - creates a surface by sweeping a wireframe chain (profile curve) along another wireframe chain (sweep path).
Cross Section - creates a surface from a group of wireframe curves that are roughly parallel.
3 Edges - creates a 3-dimensional surface using 3 connected edge curves.
4 Edges - creates a 3-dimensional surface using 4 connected edge curves.
Multisided Patch - creates a 3-dimensional surface from a closed chain that consists of 3 or more edge curves.

Advanced Surfaces

Skin - creates a surface using two or more wireframe chains as cross sections and two or more wireframe chains as rails.
Offset - creates an additional surface from an existing surface using the offset value as the distance between the two.
Ruled - creates surfaces using the selection of two wireframe chains with a linear blending between the entities of each chain.
Swung - create surfaces using two wireframe chains: the path (trajectory curve) and the profile. The profile is swung along the path using the Z-axis of the Active UCS as the revolution axis for the function. The geometry selection requires that the path is selected in the XY plane, and the profile is selected in the XZ plane of the Active UCS.

Corners

Solid Fillet - creates fillets for surfaces and solids based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager and the geometry that you select in the graphics area.
Solid Chamfer - creates chamfers for surfaces and solids based on the settings that you define in the Data Entry Manager and the geometry that you select in the graphics area.
Surface Fillet - is used to join two separate surfaces with a defined radius between them using one of five trimming options.

Modify

Stitch Surfaces to Solid -

Stitch Surfaces to Solid - combines separate surfaces or solids into a single entity.
Unstitch Solid to Surfaces - separates the surfaces of a solid, or connected surfaces, into multiple selectable entities.
Unstitch Surface from Solid - separates one surface of a solid, or connected surfaces, into a separate selectable entity.

Extend - extends a surface along one edge at a time by the specified distance.
Split - separates a solid body using a splitting surface.
Shell - remove one or more faces of a solid body and recreate the solid with the specified wall thickness for the remaining surfaces.
Untrim Surface - returns a surface back to its natural boundary and removes any holes.
Break Surface - is used to modify or break a surface, using a wireframe curve that is on the surface.
Intersection Curves - is used to extract the curves formed by the intersection of two solids or surfaces.

Utilities

Move

Translate - is used to move geometry.
Rotate - launches the Rotate dialog in the Data Entry Manager with the Type set to Rotate. In the dialog, it is also possible to switch to the Rotate 3D type.

Rotate - rotates geometry around a defined axis.
Rotate 3D - rotates geometry around any axis (user-defined line).

Mirror - creates an inverted version of selected geometry.
Scale - is used to scale (resize) wireframe or solid entities with separate scaling factors for each of the three coordinate axes.

Trim Extend

Quick Trim - trims selected entities to an intersection point with another entity.
Trim One Entity - is used to trim or extend a single entity from, or to, another entity.
Trim 2 Entities - is used to trim or extend two entities so they end at a common intersection.
Trim Modal - is used to trim multiple entities to a common intersection entity.
Trim Strings - is used to trim or extend multiple entities to create one contiguous curve.
Trim Screen - is used to trim or extend a single entity perpendicular to any point or snap point of another entity.

Break

Break Many - separates entities at the intersection of other entities.
Break Entity - separates an entity at the intersection of another entity.
Break Screen - separates an entity at, or perpendicular to, an arbitrary location.
Break Divide - separates wireframe entities into multiple equal segments.
Break Angle - breaks arcs at the defined angle of rotation from the zero degree position (the 3 o'clock position).

Adjust

Stretch - is used to modify geometry chains by selecting one or more entities and then moving them, thus stretching the connected entities.
Drag Corner - is used to stretch multiple intersecting wireframe entities or the end of a single entity.
Deform - is used to bend or manipulate an entity by dragging.
Equalize - breaks multiple groups of entity chains into an equal number of entities of a maximum size.

Reorganize

Cleanup / Optimize - reduces the number of entities within a drawing by joining contiguous curve segments and eliminating any duplicated geometric entities.
Explode - converts geometric entities into only lines or arcs.
Erase Doubles - eliminates duplicate entities.
Make Arcs Tangential - corrects the tangency of arc segments.

Reverse

Reverse Surface Normal - changes the normal direction of a selected surface.
Reverse Contour - changes the direction of a previously defined contour.

Evaluate

Dimension

Auto - is designed to replace all other dimension creation options in the Dimension group with the exception of Chain, and Reference.
Radius - allows you to select a radius to create a dimension on it.
Angle - allows you to select two non-parallel lines to create an angle dimension on.
Horizontal - allows you to select two points to create a dimension representing the distance in X.
Vertical - allows you to select two points to create a dimension representing the distance in Y.
Other Distance - allows you to select two points to create a dimension representing the distance in X, Y, and Z.
Point - allows you to select a point to create a dimension representing its location in X, Y, and Z.
X-Ordinate - dimensions a distance along the X-axis, and places the text parallel to the Y-axis.
Y-Ordinate - dimensions a distance along the Y-axis, and places the text parallel to the X-axis.
Chain - uses the end of an existing dimension as the reference for the next dimension.
Reference - uses the start of an existing dimension as the reference for the next dimension.

Annotation

Note - is used to create text that is placed in the graphics area along with a leader, or multiple leaders, ending in a terminator for the purpose of drawing attention to something in the drawing.
Cross Hatch - is used to fill a contour, or closed chain of entities, with repeating line segments.

Modify Dimensions

Move - is used to manually adjust the position of existing dimensions.
Align Horizontal - is used to adjust the vertical position of existing dimensions in order to align their values horizontally with another dimension.
Align Vertical - is used to adjust the horizontal position of existing dimensions in order to align their values vertically with another dimension.

Measure

Measure One - measures various dimensions of a single entity.
Measure Two - measures various dimensions of, or spaces between, two selected entities.

The CAD Tree

The CAD Tree is a solid history tree that contains CAD Features for all solid and surface creation and modifications.