Datasheet

belongs). They could drag the value right or left so it could be seen in one of the viewports.
(See Figure 1.1.) The entire part is shown at the bottom, with the conventional break cre-
ated with two floating viewports above.
Draw Existing Features “as Built”
This tip probably seems obvious, but I’ve been asked more than once what I recommend
when designing for renovations or additions to existing structures. The question is usually
in this form: “I have the original drawings of the building. Should I use them to create an
AutoCAD drawing of the existing structure, or should I create the AutoCAD geometry
‘as-built’?”
Clearly, creating geometry “as built” rather than “as designed” permits you to solve
problems in the software instead of in the field, because few actual structures didn’t change
in some way from the original plans. You can use the original plans to create a base draw-
ing and then check key locations and dimensions for changes. This is one of the great ben-
efits of using such a precise design system. You can reduce what some builders call on-site
engineering by drawing everything as accurately as you possibly can. That way, the results
are much more likely to match the plans. Who knows: Someday “as built” and “as
designed” may become the same thing.
Draw Mechanical Parts at MMC
My advice to draw mechanical parts at Maximum Material Condition (MMC) may be less
obvious than my “as-built” advice, because mechanical parts always have a specified
Figure 1.1
Conventional break
for long part
design standards ■ 3
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