AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 is a powerful 3D Design and 2D Drafting tool specially designed for mechanical engineers and designers. It has new features and changes to improve the AutoCAD experience for AutoCAD users. Autodesk AutoCAD® Mechanical 2018 software includes significant performance, stability, and usability enhancements. It also offers support for 64-bit operating systems; advanced graphics capabilities; interoperability with other Autodesk products; and a collection of powerful tools that help you unleash your ideas more quickly.
Complete Overview of AutoCAD Mechanical 2018
AutoCAD Mechanical is an AutoCAD-based software application that was first available in AutoDesk’s AutoCAD R14 back in 1994. AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 latest version has been released just recently in October 2017 and it got over 2 additional new toolbars, some design wizards, and a powerful structure analysis tool named AutoDeflector which basically allows you to find all the loads that are acting on your 3D models.
AutoCAD Mechanical comes with a number of tutorials and video guides from AutoDesk and also we can check out our own training courses for AutoCAD Mechanical: Learn AutoCAD Mechanical Online. It offers new design wizards and team members as well as AutoLISP functions usable for AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 such as AutoLISP Proportional. It is based on AutoCAD software which means that most of AutoCAD commands and many AutoSketch commands can be used in it which makes it a really powerful application.
Utility tray added to the new AutoCAD tools toolbar: When you start any AutoDesk 3D Designing program like AutoCAD, AutoDesk Inventor, or even Autodesk Revit Architecture, they all will feature an additional utility tray on their ribbon which allows us to control our browsers, docking panels, and AutoCAD inbuilt tools. It is also similar, it features an AutoSketch tool that allows us to work on AutoCAD Mechanical in a 2D drafting environment by using AutoSketch commands like Line, Circle as well as Rectangle.
AutoCAD mechanical toolbar with AutoLISP Proportional added to it: AutoLISP Proportional is one of the new AutoLisp functions collected for AutoCAD Mechanical 2018. It is mainly used to describe any linear offset relation or ratio between two points such as distance/displacement, length/width, etc. This function will be really useful when we have some geometry linkages and need to describe the distances.
Mechanical Designs:
AutoCAD Mechanical AutoCAD 2018 makes CAD design more complete and evolves AutoCAD’s structure from 2D to 3D. AutoCAD Mechanical 2018, with new AutoLISP commands, keeps mechanical design up to date. AutoLISP allows users to write their own commands, functions, or procedures in the Lisp programming language.
Also, try AutoCAD Architecture 2020
Geometric Tolerancing
New AutoLISP commands have been added for geometric tolerancing that is appropriate for the DIN ISO/ASME Y14.5 standard as well as ANSI Y14.41 and ISO 12100 standards. The AutoLISP geometry editing tools include point filtering for isolating specific points on a model; automatically creating the associated datum features when needed by AutoCAD; AutoLISP point find for finding specific points on a model; AutoLISP get to lines and get curves to create tolerance zones around lines or curves.
AutoLISP Greate Circle Helper
It has added new AutoLISP helper commands including AutoLISP great circle helper which is used to help generate circles around any existing geometry that users want to center the circle on and AutoLISP ellipse helper, which assists users in generating ellipses around any existing geometry of their choice. These tools will greatly assist engineers with geometric tolerancing requirements during mechanical design while using it.
AutoCAD Mechanical AutoLISP commands have been enhanced to allow the user to force AutoCAD to AutoCAD create multiple copies of an entity at different positions using the AutoLISP copy command. AutoDesk has also added new functionality which allows users to search, replace and delete any text in any family or template.
Sheet Metal
Multiple improvements have been made in AutoCAD while working with sheet metal objects. Users can now split a single sheet of metal into multiple smaller sheets by specifying the distance between each individual sheet; AutoCAD creates openings for the splitting automatically. AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 is capable of creating custom rib templates when entering values for the bend radius and trimming off any excess material when bending it back.
Designing and modeling various mechanical parts
It allows users to design and model their own mechanical parts. It makes it possible to draw multiple objects in a single file, without the need of importing any other files or AutoCAD files into AutoCAD Mechanical 2018.
It also offers an Autosave mode which provides faster Auto saves compared to AutoCAD 2017. Auto saving is extremely helpful while designing at large scales since the Auto Save feature automates the process thus removing the need for manual Auto Saves every now and then.
Designing and Modeling a complete assembly or machines using parts that are drawn on separate sheets can be done within minutes, by just Dragging and dropping components from one sheet to another. AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 also removes the AutoCAD limits of showing only 180 components at a time. AutoCAD Mechanical 2018 allows users to view all the required components on one screen, which makes it easy for the user to modify and keep track of their drawings.
Auto Detect feature
The auto Detect feature enables users to switch between drawing sheets and AutoCAD files easily. The auto-detect option is also helpful in applying annotations to its designs.
It has an Auto-detect option which automatically detects and corrects minor errors in its files that were created using AutoCAD 2017 or 2014/2012. While working with Auto-detect enabled, It helps users to overcome issues like mislocated arrays, unsupported GSE codes, etc from older versions of AutoCAD while making sure that there are no changes in quality.
AutoSave feature
AutoSave feature and Auto Detect feature work together, both these features together make it easier for users to design and model their mechanical parts within this version.
AutoSave feature along with Auto Detect saves time that would have otherwise been spent on saving the drawings manually at various intervals of time while working with large scales.
The Auto Save mode protects against computer crashes or power outages by automatically saving frequently that too without any user input needed once the Auto Save function is enabled from the settings menu. While working on complex projects, this feature not only helps save time but also removes the risk of losing data due to unforeseen circumstances. Auto Save mode requires the Auto Detect feature to be enabled for the Autosave function to work, Auto Detect feature also informs the users about file type supportability as well as AutoCAD version compatibility which helps in correcting minor errors within its files when they are created using it.
New Features in Autocad Mechanical 2018
- New 3D Design tools.
- The user interface is friendly.
- Easy to use.
- Fully AutoCAD Compatible.
- New 3d design Tools have been added which allows user to work with more functionalities & easiness at a single time by using multiple tools at a single time in the drawing area.
- Design your shop floor easily with maximum designing objects such as pipes fittings, tubes, valves, etc.,
- General drafting functions such as dimensioning, and text editing.
- AutoCad mechanical supports more than 50 AutoLISP commands & 100+ AutoBatch macros, which enables users to automate the practice with the frequent operation of many drafting tasks.
- You will be able to create drawing faster as well as in a more productive manner.
- Drawing and Editing tools are almost the same just like AutoCAD software having complete AutoCAD functionality such as Editing Tools, Dimensioning tools, etc., supports the creation of 2D drawings from 3D models i/e (2D Drawing).
System Requirements for Autocad Mechanical 2018 Download:
What are the system requirements for Mechanical 2018?
Nowadays, most 3D design application software has a similar system requirement. Some basic components include:
- Operating System: Windows 7/8/8.1/10.
- Processor: Intel Dual Core processor or Core i3.
- Memory (RAM): 1GB of RAM is required.
- Hard Disk Space: 5 GB of free space required