Engineering Tasmania Tips & Tricks

Engineering Tips

AutoCAD 2004

How to easily increase your screen drawing area?
Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+0 and AutoCAD temporarily switches off all toolbars, panels and windows - so will get all screen area for your drawing only. The next Ctrl-0 will get you back again to the previously displayed toolbars and menus.

Can I convert a .PDF file to the DWF format?
You can print your PDF file from "Adobe Acrobat Reader" to a Windows DWF pseudo-printer Autodesk DWFwriter (see/download on www.autodesk.com/dwfwriter) to convert it to .DWF format file, more suitable for drawings.Install the "DWF Writer" Windows driver, display your PDF file in Acrobat Reader and print it to the DWFwriter "printer" - this pseudoprinter will produce a DWF output file.

Can I draw a circle with a given circumference or area?
Draw a circle with any radius. Select it, start the Object Properties window (Ctrl+1) and in the Circumference or Area fields enter the requested numerical value. Circle radius will adjust to this change.

Can I draw a "zigzag" line in AutoCAD?
To draw zig-zag lines, polylines, circles, etc. you can use the predefined linetype "ZIGZAG".Load this linetype using the _LINETYPE command, make it current and draw entities. You can influence the size of "teeth" by LTSCALE - e.g. in the Properties window (OPM) change the Linetype scale for an entity to 2.

Have an autoCad tip you'd like to share? Email us

Next week...CNC Machining Tips

Engineering Tasmania

Acme Engineering Tasmania are industry leaders in Precision, General and Specialised Engineering. Here you will find a stable, dedicated workforce capable of handling the most intricate job. Over the years Acme Engineering Tasmania has produced components and tooling for the manufacturing, packaging, printing, mining, power generation and scientific industries.


Acme has had vast experience in the manufacture of prototypes. With our extensive and unusual machine base we are able to provide our customers with most forms of machining applications.

Acme can help in the development process firstly in the preliminary design, secondly in research and market opportunities and finally to marketing of the finished product.

Currently Acme is working in partnership with other Research & Development companies developing apparatus for military applications.

We have designed our own CNC machine tool prototype and we are currently negotiating marketing opportunities for its sale both in Australia and Overseas.
Watch this space for more information