How to Make 3D Objects in Autocad LT
By Darrin Koltow
Updated February 10, 2017
Making 3-D objects with AutoCAD LT is not the intuitive task that it is in other computer-aided design (CAD) programs. The reason for this is that AutoCAD LT's 3-D tools are limited, compared to those of its parent program, AutoCAD. The skills you need to make 3-D objects with AutoCAD LT include navigation of 2-D and 3-D space, and creation of 3-D primitives, which are basic forms such as boxes, cylinders or spheres. You can create these primitives from 2-D shapes by adjusting one of the properties associated with 2-D shapes.
Open AutoCAD LT and draw a rectangle, which you'll convert to a 3-D box. Click the "Home" tab, then click the "Rectangle" tool in the "Draw" panel. (You can locate this tool by its icon, which displays a rectangle whose top-right and bottom -eft corners have tiny circles.)
Click anywhere in the drawing window to plot the rectangle's first point, then drag to grow the rectangle to any size you want. Click again to end the rectangle-creation mode.
Add thickness to the rectangle, which will expand it into 3-D space. Click any part of the rectangle to select it, then hover your mouse pointer over any of the rectangle's blue handles. Jot down either the height or width dimension that appears. You'll use this number to set the thickness of the box you make from the rectangle.
Right-click any part of the rectangle and choose "Properties" from the pop-up menu.
Scroll through the properties window until you locate the "General" tab, then look for the "Thickness" property under this tab.
Change the number in the "Thickness" text box to the number you jotted down in Step 3. Although you can't see it from your current viewpoint (the top view), you've just converted the rectangle to a box.
Change to a 3-D view so that you can see the box: Click the "View" tab, then locate the "Views" panel. Scroll through the list of views (e.g., "Top," "Left" or "Right") until you see the views labeled "Isometric." (Isometric views are 3-D views that show an object's parallel lines as parallel, in contrast to the realistically converging lines shown by perspective views.)
Click any of the "Isometric" views (e.g., "SE Isometric," "NE Isometric" or "NW Isometric"). Notice that the viewpoint has changed to display a 3-D view of the rectangle that you converted to a box.
References
- "AutoCAD 2010 and AutoCAD LT 2010 Bible"; Ellen Finkelstein; 2009
Writer Bio
Darrin Koltow wrote about computer software until graphics programs reawakened his lifelong passion of becoming a master designer and draftsman. He has now committed to acquiring the training for a position designing characters, creatures and environments for video games, movies and other entertainment media.