Scaling Drawings in AutoCAD Without Using Paperspace

[Anonymous]

Hello, I work for a company that does not use paperspace whatsoever. All drawings must be drawn 1:1 in modelspace, and we use preset titleblocks that already have the layers/standards set in them.

What I am wondering is how to scale my drawings so that they fit inside my titleblock. I am confused as to how to set a scale for my drawings when they are drawn 1:1 and must fit within the titleblock border so that I can make PDF's by zooming the extents, as dictated in our drawing standard.

[dmfrazier · Accepted solution]

Scale up your titleblock so that it fits around your drawing objects. (Do not scale the objects.)

Dim style scale then matches the scale factor of your titleblock.

[cadffm]

>>What I am wondering is how to scale my drawings so that they fit inside my titleblock."

Wrong direction

You have to scale your border&Titleblock, then use the correct Plotscale!

But: Why do you ask us instead of your co-workers ??

>>I am confused as to how to set a scale for my drawings when they are drawn 1:1 and must fit within the titleblock border so that I can make PDF's by zooming the extents, as dictated in our drawing standard.

Draw a square, 150x150(mm)

Draw the border 297x210mm = Plot 1:1 => Result is 1:1

Draw the border 594x420mm = Plot 1:2 => Result is 1:2

1mm, Plotscale 1:1 = 1mm     (1mm * 1 = 1mm)

1mm, Plotscale 1:2 = 0.5mm (0.5mm * 2 = 1mm)

Draw a square, 15x15(m)

Draw the border 29.7x21.0m = Plot 1:0.1 => Result is 1:100

Draw the border 59.4x42.0m = Plot 1:0.2 => Result is 1:200

1m, Plotscale 1:0.1 = 10mm (10mm * 100 = 1000mm = 1m)

1m, Plotscale 1:0.2 = 5mm  (5mm * 200 = 1000m = 1m)

[imadHabash]

Hi,

>> What I am wondering is how to scale my drawings so that they fit inside my titleblock.

just keep your drawing as it's and scale your title block . if do you want it at 1/200 scale , scale your title block with scale factor = 2 and don't forget to watch and modify your text and dimstyle . also scale 1/50 with scale factor = 0.50 . 

[dmfrazier · Accepted solution]

"if do you want it at 1/200 scale , scale your title block with scale factor = 2 and don't forget to watch and modify your text and dimstyle . also scale 1/50 with scale factor = 0.50 ."

@Anonymous 

Just to clarify, for the OP: If you want a scale factor of "X", scale the border by the inverse of "X" (1/X). So, for example, if you want 1" = 10'-0" (or 1:120, or 0.008333X), then scale your titleblock/border up 120X.

Of course, everything (border and the stuff within it) gets scaled back down when the drawing is printed to fit on a page size represented by your titleblock/border. (But I think you already understand that.)

[Anonymous]

I am the only person who does this work. The person who invented this standard system/rules retired and I am his replacement. 

[dmfrazier]

While it is probably prudent of you to conform to this "standard", at least for the time-being, I (and most others here) would recommend that you teach yourself (assuming you haven't already) about paper space and work toward replacing the standard. This method works, and it's good to be familiar with it, but it has serious drawbacks that use of Paperspace effectively eliminates (which is why it was invented).

[Anonymous]

While I agree completely, (I only learned plotting/titleblocks in paperspace while in school, never used modelspace for this purpose), the reason we don't utilize paperspace is because we consult most of our engineering work out as it is less liability; therefore not all consultants are up to date on paperspace standards and how we would like our drawings set up. While this makes no sense to me because that is exactly what paperspace is for, I don't believe we will ever use that until all of the older generation of CAD users are no longer working. Lol

[dmfrazier]

"...until all of the older generation of CAD users are no longer working. Lol"

Be careful, there... you might be corresponding with one of them. 😉

[Anonymous]

No hate lol... I appreciate the wealth of knowledge.😆