Advanced CAD – Technical

Course Description

TDR0356C – Advanced CAD – Technical is a combined lecture/laboratory course in the Engineering Technologies > Technical Drafting taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course provides advanced instruction in Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) software, building upon foundational CAD skills to develop proficiency in complex 2D drafting, advanced 3D modeling, and discipline-specific technical drawing production. Students apply industry-standard tools and techniques to produce drawings that meet national engineering and drafting standards. This course is offered at Florida vocational-technical colleges and state colleges, including FSCJ and Eastern Florida State College, as part of certificate and A.S. degree programs in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design.

The "C" lab indicator designates this as a combined lecture and laboratory course, meaning students receive hands-on, computer-lab instruction integrated with technical concept instruction throughout the course. Contact hours (120) reflect the intensive, clock-hour structure typical of Florida career/technical education courses at the zero-level.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply advanced CAD commands and operations to produce precise 2D and 3D technical drawings using industry-standard software (e.g., AutoCAD).
• Create and manage layers, blocks, attributes, and external references (XREFs) to organize complex drawing files.
• Produce complete technical drawings with correct dimensioning, annotation, tolerancing, and title block information conforming to ANSI/ASME drafting standards.
• Generate and interpret multi-view orthographic drawings, including section views, auxiliary views, and detail views.
• Construct advanced 3D solid and surface models using features such as extrude, revolve, sweep, loft, and Boolean operations.
• Configure and use paper space and model space, including layout tabs, viewports, and plotting/printing settings for professional output.
• Read and interpret engineering and technical drawings from multiple disciplines (architectural, mechanical, civil) and extrapolate 2D data into 3D models.
• Demonstrate proper file management practices, including drawing templates, file naming conventions, and project folder organization.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on institutional focus and available resources, students may also:

• Produce discipline-specific drawings in architectural, mechanical, or civil drafting applications.
• Customize the CAD software user interface (UI), including tool palettes, custom macros, script files, and menu customization to improve workflow efficiency.
• Create assembly drawings with parts lists, bill of materials (BOM), and exploded views.
• Apply parametric constraints and design intent principles using feature-based modeling tools.
• Introduce Building Information Modeling (BIM) concepts using software such as Revit or equivalent platform.
• Demonstrate basic CAD/CAM integration by importing 3D models into machining or simulation environments.
• Prepare for the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) or Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) credentialing exams.

Major Topics

Required Topics

1. Advanced 2D Drafting Techniques
   • Precision geometry creation and editing
   • Advanced dimensioning: baseline, ordinate, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) symbols
   • Multiline and spline tools; polyline editing
   • Hatching patterns and region fills for section views
2. Drawing Organization and File Management
   • Layer management: color, linetype, lineweight, plot styles
   • Block creation, insertion, and attribute definition
   • External references (XREFs): attaching, clipping, binding
   • Drawing templates (.DWT) and standards setup
3. Orthographic and Descriptive Geometry
   • Multi-view drawings: front, top, right-side view alignment
   • Section views: full, half, offset, broken-out, and revolved
   • Auxiliary views and true-shape construction
   • Isometric and pictorial sketching for 3D visualization
4. Paper Space, Layouts, and Plotting
   • Model space vs. paper space workflow
   • Creating and configuring layout viewports
   • Annotative scales for text and dimensions
   • Plot/print configuration, pen settings, and PDF output
5. Advanced 3D Solid Modeling
   • Solid primitives: box, cylinder, sphere, wedge, torus
   • Feature-based operations: extrude, revolve, sweep, loft
   • Boolean operations: union, subtract, intersect
   • Editing 3D solids: fillet, chamfer, shell, slice
   • 3D orbit, visual styles, and rendering basics
6. Technical Drawing Standards and Conventions
   • ANSI/ASME Y14.5 dimensioning and tolerancing standards
   • Title blocks, revision blocks, and drawing notes
   • Line types, line weights, and drafting conventions
   • Engineering drawing interpretation across disciplines

Optional Topics

1. Discipline-Specific Applications
   • Architectural: floor plans, elevations, sections, site plans using CAD
   • Mechanical: detail drawings, assembly drawings, tolerance stacks
   • Civil: site grading, land development drawings, survey data import
2. CAD Customization
   • Custom tool palettes and workspace configuration
   • Script files and command macros for repetitive tasks
   • Dynamic blocks with parameters and actions
3. Parametric and Constraint-Based Design
   • Geometric and dimensional constraints in 2D sketches
   • Design intent and parametric updating
4. Introduction to BIM / Specialty Software
   • Overview of Revit or SolidWorks interface and workflow
   • Comparison of direct modeling vs. parametric modeling
5. Presentation and Rendering
   • Materials, lighting, and camera setup in 3D views
   • Rendering output for client presentations

Resources & Tools

• Primary Software: AutoCAD (Autodesk) — current version; student licenses available through Autodesk Education Community
• Supplementary Software: Revit, SolidWorks, or Civil 3D (as available by institution)
• Hardware: CAD-capable workstations with dedicated GPU, large-format plotter/printer access
• Standards References: ANSI/ASME Y14.5 (Dimensioning and Tolerancing), ANSI/ASME Y14.3 (Orthographic and Pictorial Views)
• Learning Platforms: Autodesk Learn (learn.autodesk.com), LinkedIn Learning (AutoCAD courses), Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) library resources
• Textbooks: Industry-standard CAD drafting texts aligned to AutoCAD and technical drawing (e.g., Giesecke's Technical Drawing with Engineering Graphics or Bethune's Engineering Design and Graphics with AutoCAD)

Career Pathways

Completion of TDR0356C prepares students for entry-level and advanced technician roles in fields that rely on technical drawing and CAD production. Florida career pathways include:

• CAD Operator / CAD Technician — Produce technical drawings for engineering and design firms
• Drafting Technician / Design Drafter — Support architects, civil engineers, and mechanical engineers in engineering and architectural services firms
• Architectural Drafter — Prepare construction documents and building drawings for architectural offices
• Mechanical Drafter — Create detailed part and assembly drawings for manufacturing and product design
• Civil Drafter — Produce site plans, survey maps, and infrastructure drawings for civil engineering projects
• Structural Drafter / Electrical Drafter — Specialize in structural steel, concrete, or electrical/electronic layout drawings

Students may continue their education by applying credits toward an A.S. in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design or an A.S. in Architectural Design and Construction Technology at participating Florida state colleges.

Special Information

Certification Preparation

This course provides preparation for industry-recognized credentials valuable to Florida employers:

• Autodesk Certified User (ACU) – AutoCAD: Entry-level credential validating foundational and advanced AutoCAD competencies. Recommended for students completing this course.
• Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) – AutoCAD: Advanced credential recognizing expert-level AutoCAD skill. Autodesk Certified Professionals often qualify for higher rates of pay and more complex design responsibilities.
• Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Industry Certifications: Students at Florida technical colleges may be eligible to sit for approved state and/or nationally recognized industry certification or licensure exams tied to their program of study.

Program Articulation

TDR0356C is a zero-level (vocational preparatory / career-technical) course in the SCNS taxonomy. Credits or clock hours earned may articulate into college-credit certificate or A.S. degree programs in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design or Engineering Technology at Florida state colleges, subject to receiving institution policies. Students planning to continue into a degree program should consult with an academic advisor regarding course equivalency and transcript evaluation.

Florida Workforce Context

Drafting employment in Florida spans engineering and architectural services, manufacturing, and construction sectors. Technical drafters and CAD specialists are integral to Florida's growing aerospace, defense, civil infrastructure, and building industries, making this credential directly relevant to the state's high-demand workforce needs.