Lesson Six - Creating an Assembly Drawing

This is one of several tutorials that give step-by-step examples of the various approaches to creating a drawing. Experiment with all methods to see what best suites your type of work.

In this session you will use the HARDWARE command to add items to the flange drawing from Lesson Three. You can also create the hardware as wire frame views. This session uses the pull-down menus primarily. Optionally, you can type the commands at the Command: prompt.

  1. Start SI Mechanical (see Starting SI Mechanical in the Getting Started section of this manual).
  2. Open the flange drawing from Lesson Three.

Add Solid Hardware

You will be using SI Mechanical to add additional items to the assembly drawing. They will be placed in the drawing to create an exploded view of the assembly.
  1. You will now use the HARDWARE command to add fasteners to the drawing.
    1. Select the pull-down menu labeled SI-MECH.
    2. Select the Symbols - Parts item in the menu.
    3. Select the Hardware Options... item in the Symbols submenu.
  2. The first item will have these parameters: Standard: is ISO, Category: is SOCKET RECESS, Type is SCH CAP SCR, ISO 4762, Size is M6 X 1, Length: is 25.0, Orientation is Front. Set all options in the dialogue box to specify the hardware according to the following figure:

    HARDWARE dialogue box

  3. Use the Modes... button to set the Model type to Solid.
  4. Pick the OK button to continue with the hole insertion.
  5. This is a solid model of a socket head cap screw. Enter the insert point:

    Solid, Front, ISO 4762, M6 X 1
    Insert point <options>: 190,195,40

  6. Add another item except set the Category: to NUT, Type: to HEX NUT, ISO 4034. Size: to M6 X 1. Enter the insert point:

    Solid, Front, ISO 4034, M6 X 1
    Insert point <options>: 190,195,-150

  7. Add another item except set the Category: to WASHER, Type to PLAIN WSHR, ISO 7089, Size: to M6.4. Enter the insert point:

    Solid, Front, ISO 7089, M6.4
    Insert point <options>: 190,195,-135

  8. Use the AutoCAD ARRAY command to create a polar array of the nut, screw, and washer items:

    Command: array
    Select objects: Select the three items.
    Rectangular or Polar array (R/P) <default>: P
    Center point of array: 210,160
    Number of items: 6
    Angle to fill (+=ccw, -=cw) h: [Enter]
    Rotate objects as they are copied <Y>: [Enter]

  9. Setup a drawing with these parameters: MM units, ASME-MM standard, Standard format, A3 size, Horizontal, Face sheet, 1:1 scale, check Pspace.

    MM unit 1.0 scale, ASME-MM standard, ASM000A3 format
    Insert point <options>: 0,0

    You can fill in the title block now or use the the SYMCHG command to set the attributes later.

  10. Use the MVIEW command to create a view of the assembly:

    Command: mview
    ON/OFF/Hideplot/Fit/2/3/4/Restore/<First point>: 30,40
    Other corner: 170,260
    Command: ms
    Command: ucs
    Origin/ZAxis/3point/OBject/View/X/Y/Z/Prev/Restore/Save/Del/?/: v
    Command: zoom
    All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Left/Previous/Vmax/Window/Scale(X/XP): w
    First corner: -100,-300
    Other corner: 45,-80
    Command: ps

Add Balloon Tags

You will now use SI Mechanical to add several tags to the drawing.
  1. Run the TAG command to label the holes.
    1. Select the pull-down menu labeled SI-MECH.
    2. Select the Leader Tags item in the menu.
    3. Select the Balloon item in the Leader Tags submenu.
    4. Finish the prompt sequence to draw a leader pointing to the flange.

      Leader start: Pick point.
      To point: Pick point.
      To point: [Enter]
      Select entity <none>: Pick flange.
      Select entity <none>: [Enter]

    5. Repeat the previous four steps for the nut, screw, and washer. Enter 6 for the Quantity required attribute for each hardware item.

Generate Parts List

You will now use SI Mechanical to generate a parts list on the drawing.
  1. Run the APTLST command to generate the parts list.
    1. Select the pull-down menu labeled SI-MECH.
    2. Select the Formats item in the menu.
    3. Select the Aptlst item in the Leader Tags submenu.

      Balloons to process...
      Select objects: Pick all balloons.

      Use the AutoCAD SOLPROF command to generate profiles of the solids and turn off any unwanted layers before plotting.

      Completed assembly drawing

There are several ways to create this assembly drawing. This same drawing could be created as a 2D drawing in model space using North Iso view. The hardware items can be assembled directly in the SHAFT dialogue box using Hardware Pattern on the same segment as the Hole Pattern. Or, the 2D parts could be modeled individually and separated far enough so that they do not overlap, otherwise the underlying parts would have to be manually trimmed.