How to Use CAD Programs
CAD programs (computer aided design) are widely used by industry, science and entertainment to produce 3D representations of something you either can't build, are about to build or hope to build. There are many types of CAD programs (also known as 3D modelers). They range from the simple and cheap to the complex and quite expensive, but they all have certain common characteristics and functions.
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Instructions
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Open the program. You will see a menu either at the top, or on the side, through which the major functions of the program can be accessed. Sometimes, an unseen menu can be accessed by right-clicking on the screen.
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Go to the modeling tools. Use the primitives to create a rough outline of the object you want to create, or use tools such as the line tool to slowly create a detailed outline of the shape of your object. Remember to work in all three dimensions when doing this.
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Use the Boolean functions of your program to subtract away the bits of your primitives that you don't need for the shape you are making. Or, if you have gone the lines route, use the lofting or bridging functions to create surface polygons connecting the lines together into the shape of your object.
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Use the UV mapping function of your program to map the surface of your object. You will need to select edges which define the seams along which the program will divide the object for mapping.
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Save your work, and export the object in whatever format you need. Wavefront OBJ files are the most commonly used format.
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