Carl8b-Projects

If you are trying to view Carl Zurhorst's CAD for Architect's Projects, please go to Carl Z Architecure

O I was told that the centering block was the hardest assignment but I sped right through it. This drawing didn't involve anything different than the past several drawings, but it did incorporate all the skills from the past several drawings. The collaboration of several skills is important for creating 3-dimensional, multifaceted objects, both products in real life, or for this class on this program. I ran into one problemm, concerning cutting the 60 degree angle on the top of the centering block. But with a quick realization, I cut along the 60 degree line, as opposed to two separate "click 3 points" cutting planes. I felt successful because I completed this drawing swiftly and efficiently, with not even minor hang-ups. This will be essential for any CAD drawings I create in the future.



N For the Object and the Filler I completed for section 18 of the KeyCreator Cookbook, I learned the importance of not only using a line to cut a solid, but a three-dimensional plane. This skill can be used for future drawings so I can create angled surfaces not just at 90 degree angles. There are some drawings further along in the book that feature this. In the real world, not everything is cut at 30 degree angles. Ramps, for example, are cuts made at an angle on a cement solid. Cuts in diamonds are made by a similar process to this plane cutting skill. I ran into one problem with cutting along a plane, but then I realised that I needed to click the option "3 Point", one point for each of the x, y and z planes to create the new plane from. I was successful in creating both drawings within a timespan of 20 minutes. I'm getting good at this whole "speed thing". It'll help me in the future!

M For this dovetail finger I learned how to rotate a face to an angle. This will be great for the future of this course so I don't have to fumble with cutting objects in awkward ways. This skill of rotating faces could be used for drilling objects in real life. It can also be compared to a revolving door; by adjusting the angle of the face, openings are created, and areas are sealed, making a more energy efficient, and ergonomic door that keeps the indoor and outdoor temperature better managed. I had one issue this week. It was while I was working on dimensioning the angled cuts at the lower right end of the dovetail finger. After figuring out that you need to click on certain sides before others to change the plane that the dimension is on, I successfully dimensioned the "finger". Once again, I felt successful for solving my own problems and completing the drawing in about 10 minutes.



L With the link and the slide, I worked on more boolean operations, as well as learning how to cut. The skill of cutting seems as though it will be heavily used in my upcoming drawings. In the real world, the idea of cutting is used for machining, and creating holes in objects, as well as trimming edges. I ran into a problem this week with combining the circular sections of the link with the rectangular section, I solved this by going back to the book for reference. This week I felt successful because I successfully completed both drawings within a period of 6 minutes. I'll use this speed for accomplishing tasks in the future.



K This week with the double lock and offset guide, I learned and focused on boolean operations, creating holes and creating solid blocks. I learned the important skill of cutting and creating holes in solids, which I have I feeling I'll be using frequently for the rest of the semester and in future drawings. In the real world, this skill is essential for creating holes for screws in machined parts. I had one problem where I couldn't create holes in the solid, but I solved that issue after realizing that I had not clicked the "Ctr/Mid" button. I then clicked it, and the whole cut in the right location. I felt successful because I completed this drawings in very little time.



J This week with the Bowl and the Chess Piece, I learned the skill of rotation. I learned this skill by following the steps illustrated in the KeyCreator Cookbook. It will be a useful tool and skill for future drawings, should I want to make irregular cones or other rotated items. In the real world, potters use lathes to create shapes by rotating. By focusing on just one half, or one "edge" of the design, the affect the entire solid. Studying this same principal will help me understand this process. When it comes to machining, some metal and wood columns are made using the same computer programs I'm using. I ran into a single problem this week. The first time I tried rotating, I was only successful in rotating the edge I made 180 degrees. But after going back and looking through all the steps, I discovered I had entered the wrong instructions for the function. I felt extremely successful this week after creating the Chess piece. I was proud when I saw how realistic it looked. I'll try making everything else look "realistic" in the future.



I This past week worked on creating polygons based on angles and spaces. I extensively used the trim tool after creating borders and guidelines. I only used the mirror tool once, as opposed to rotate/replicate/reflect along an axis tool.I was also introduced to extrusion, or extending a two-dimensional object to become a three-dimensional object. These extrusion, trim, guideline and mirroring skills that I used this week can be utilized throughout the rest of the course, especially for rectangular shapes, unless I learn how to make solid blocks (you'd think that would be more efficient). As for the real world, you often create skyscrapers from the ground up, or by extruding the base plan. I ran into a few problems this week with sizing. I solved them by creating and recreating guidelines and redrawing boundries. I was successful because I finished the drawing, and then created an awesome 3D version.

H This week I learned how to use rotational symmetry to my advantage in creating drawings and designs. Using this idea of recreating a section and mirroring it around an axis point will be useful in future drawings that are rotationally symmetrical. As for the real world, this is how the designs of poker chips, helicopter wings, and rotors of all sorts are created. I ran into a problem this week where I recreated a line way too many times. But I solved the problem by deleting the large number of excess lines, which made dimensioning easier. I felt successful this week because I correctly dimensioned the drawing. It was a challenge, and I was triumphant! I'll use what I learned with dimensioning for future drawings.



G This week I worked on mirroring. This will be helpful when I create objects that are symmetrical. This will be useful for the rest of the year when I create objects that are made to be symmetrical. There are symmetrical qualities in almost every object created by human. In the real world, the idea of mirroring can be used in any manufacturing process, especially while making items tailored to the right and left sides of the human body. One problem I ran into this week involved accidentally making too many copies of a section, which cause overlapping sections which weren't detectable until you tried trimming lines. It took a very long time to get rid of some of these repetative lines. I was extremely successful with dimensioning. I will use similar techniques (pre-setting dimensioning settings) when I dimension future drawings. This week I was creative by changing the colors and boldness of lines and dimensioning.



F This week, I worked on auto-aligning techniques with Key Creator. I also focused on using direct entry of diameters and radius to form circles and semi-circles. I learned that lines can also automatically aline to tangents and segment ends of other "objects". Later on, I'll need to know this information because I'll be working with cirles and circular objects when creating holes, exteriors and other parts of objects I'll be creating. In the real world, people need to know how to create circles based off of diameters and radii to create lines on athletic fields and courts, along with laying track for rail systems and roads. I could have run into a problem with dimensioning and the sizes of arrows and text, but I solved this problem by adjusting the dimensioning settings prior to dimensioning. This week, I was creative in the order that I made the object. I made all the guiding lines first, and then decided to snap all the circles and circular surfaces, finalizing the drawing connecting the sections by straight lines.





E This past week I've been working on Tangrams, as opposed to real life objects. I've learned how to use polar offsetting to create objects in a string; like connecting the dots in a child's drawing book. As for real life, very similar skills are used in the sport of orienteering, and some drafting techniques require steps similar to polar offsetting. In an example, if one were to set up a ropes course, they would use skills similar to polar offsetting. I ran into several problems this week dealing with angles, and typing in the right angles. Angles are entered with perspective to the line as opposed to a definate plane. I was successful this week simply because I completed the drawings. Although the drawings may not look complicated, to a new student at cad, I found the creation of the objects stressful and intricate.



D This past week has been solely focused on learning the secrets behind detailing and dimensions. Through learning basically every aspect of the dimensioning process, I have become aware of processes that I will be extensively using in the future of this course, as well as with my future career, which will probably include CAD. I ran into several problems, one of them being that I couldn't measure angles accurately. I soon realized that I needed to make a reference lines. So I formatted these horizontal and vertical lines have dashes. Because of this, I felt as though i was successful because I solved this problem on my own. As for creativity, I creatively found some ways to make this drawing by drawing grids and using information I had learned in Algebra 2, Geometry and Calculus to create the shape without measuring.



C This week, I focused more directly on trimming, but along with an introduction of creating shapes based on angle and coordinates. I learned how to enter in dimensions of polygons and lines, and how to adjust other lines based on being parallel or perpendicular to others (or even at angles). By knowing these basic functions of the program, I have made more possibilities that I thought were previously unavailable on this program. In the future, I'll look for other functions in programs to see if I use the program to it's full potential, not just to what immediate reaction might elicit. One problem I ran into this week was accidentally trimming. I solved this problem by looking to a former CAD Drafting Student, Kyle Shover, for help. He helped me fully understand the processes involved with trimming, and what the different trimming options allowed you to do. Thanks Kyle! Once again, I felt successful when I completed the hardest extra credit challenge (as featured above) in the chapter. These two pentagons with interconnected vertexes. I think that in the future, I will always attempt the hardest extra credit challenge. I feel like this would improve my knowledge of the program and work the creative part of my brain harder, allowing for more fluid and contemporary work later on down the road.



B This past week I worked on accomplishing meshing of lines and other shapes. I even took on what seemed to be the toughest challenge the book offered, which is featured above. I did all of the work above without ever typing in coordinates or entering angles (mostly because I hadn't been instructed how to yet). This week, I further explored creative problem solving. But I also learned how to get around having to enter coordinates, or entering angles, and how to see other shapes hidden in others. For example; the Image you see above, is four rectangles put together, flipped and rotated, with all the vertexes inter connected. I then learned the skill of trimming, and how it could be used to your advantage. This skill could be used later on when I design products, and let's say I want a shape to be inferred, but by cutting off certain sections, I could create the imaginary boundary that would give the shape a presence that truly doesn't exist. One problem I ran into during this week had to deal with order of action. I discovered that if you go about creating shapes and diagrams with the wrong order, the final outcome can be varied. Because of this, I've decided to think as linearly, and in some cases, abstractly, allowing shapes and diagrams to come to life in ways that are more productive than even the book provides (there is no such thing as a problem, only an opportunity, and I discovered many other opportunities to create similar shapes in different ways). I felt successful when I completed the drawings, as completing things in the future will always bring about the feeling of success. Creativity this week also stemmed from trying new orders of arrangements and creation.



A I created this in our first week of CAD Drafting; It's a basic Bracket Shape. This week I just worked on turning on the grid and the snap to grid functions, while simultaneously learning shortcut keys for creating lines. This will help me for future projects. This week I learned several key skills; creating lines, creating shapes, and modifying them. I also took advantage of learning key shortcuts and solving problems without looking at distances, but instead by proportions. I will use these in the real world by searching and becoming familiar with keyboard shortcuts, as well as looking to see if there is more than one way to solve a problem. I only ran into a few problems this week. I had an issue turning the grid and snap on, but I soon figured out this issue (thank goodness for the help tab). I was successful in completing the drawings this week quickly and precisely, which I'll bring with me as a skill in the future. This week I got to be creative through problem solving. When I couldn't accomplish drawing a line from one place to another, I went about and tried to think outside of the box to accomplish the same goal.