Creating a Revision Cloud in AutoCAD
Revision clouds are an essential feature in AutoCAD that allow you to highlight and emphasize areas of your drawing that have been revised or modified. They provide a visual representation of changes made to the design, making it easier for others to identify and understand the revisions. In this tutorial, we will explore the step-by-step process of creating a revision cloud in AutoCAD.
Step 1: Accessing the Revision Cloud Tool
To begin creating a revision cloud, you need to access the Revision Cloud tool. There are several ways to do this:
- From the Home tab in the Ribbon, navigate to the Draw panel. Click on the “Cloud” drop-down button, and select “Revision Cloud”.
- You can also type “REVCLOUD” in the command line and press Enter.
- Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “RC” followed by Enter.
Choose whichever method is most convenient for you.
Step 2: Specifying the Shape of the Revision Cloud
Once you have accessed the Revision Cloud tool, it’s time to specify the shape of your revision cloud. AutoCAD offers three different options:
- Polygonal: This option allows you to create a revision cloud with straight segments by clicking multiple points along its perimeter.
- Spline: This option enables you to create a freehand revision cloud by dragging your cursor along its desired shape.
- Arc: This option lets you create a revision cloud using arcs by specifying three points – start point, endpoint, and center point.
Select one of these options based on your preference and the shape you want to achieve.
Step 3: Adjusting the Revision Cloud Parameters
After specifying the shape, you can adjust various parameters of the revision cloud, such as:
- Radius: This parameter determines the size of the arcs in an arc-shaped revision cloud.
- Bulge: This parameter controls the convexity or concavity of each segment in a polygonal revision cloud.
- Style: AutoCAD provides different revision cloud styles to choose from. Experiment with these styles to find one that suits your drawing best.
Make any necessary adjustments to these parameters until you are satisfied with the appearance of your revision cloud.
Step 4: Placing and Modifying the Revision Cloud
Now that you have specified the shape and adjusted the parameters, it’s time to place your revision cloud in the drawing. Follow these steps:
- Select a point in your drawing where you want to place the center of your revision cloud.
- If needed, click additional points or drag your cursor to define the desired shape more precisely.
- To complete the creation process, press Enter or right-click and select “Close” from the context menu.
You can also modify an existing revision cloud by selecting it and using AutoCAD’s grip editing functionality. Simply click on a grip point and drag it to resize or reshape the revision cloud as required.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we explored how to create a revision cloud in AutoCAD. Remember that revision clouds are incredibly useful for highlighting design changes and modifications. By following these steps, you can effectively incorporate this feature into your drawings, making them more organized and visually engaging.