Online AutoCad training

[rockman7892]

I am an engineer and would consider myself to have intermediate AutoCad skills. I want to become more knowledgable and advance my AutoCad skills.

Are there any good online AutoCad courses anyone would recommend taking to enhance my CAD skills?

 

[MechEng2005]

Instead of online courses, I'd recommend just checking bookstores (online, big-box, local, library, college, etc) for books with tutorials or problem sets. I have found most instructors just pick-up a book and read it to you anyways, but you have to pay them for it. Also, this will allow you to look through the book and make sure it is appropriate for your current skill level, which could be an issue with an online course being too simple or advanced (often discovered after you have paid).

However, I did have a professor in college for FEA that did very well in teaching software, but that was more because he taught the theory of what the software was doing. Not sure that applies to AutoCad.

-- MechEng2005

 

[rockman7892]

Thanks for the advice. Are you familiar with any of the books off the top of you head that you would recommend for this?

 

[ctopher]

Also check out YouTube. Do a search there for AutoCAD.
One of the best ways to learn is to play with it and see what all commands will do for you.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[230jhp]

A year and a half ago I took an Autocad course at a training school. I didn't need it because I had already been working in AutoCad for many years. I originally went to there for a job teaching Autocad. However I was unemployed at the time and unemployment would pay for the course. I still wouldn't have taken it, but the guy at the school told me he would throw in the SolidWorks course if I took the Autocad course.

The Autocad course was very good and I even learned a few things in spite of the fact that I was way ahead of the other students. I learned a lot in the Solidworks class also. Unfortunatly I got a real job at a place that still uses Autocad. So I forgot most of the Solidworks.

I recommend finding a school like this if you want to learn Autocad. I further recommend , if you are a mechanical design guy, to forget Autocad and go with Solidworks or Pro-E. Very few places involved in mechanical design do it in 2-D anymore. AutoCad is now-a-days an archetectual program.

 

[230jhp]

After posting I noticed that the thread originator is an electrical guy. Autocad is very useful for generating wiring diagrams.