AutoCAD Fundamentals

AutoCAD is the world's most widely-used 2D and 3D engineering drafting software — used by Sri Lankan architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers and university engineering students daily. Our 10-week AutoCAD Fundamentals course is the ideal head-start for Sri Lankan Grade 9–13 students considering engineering, architecture or design at university — locally (Moratuwa, Peradeniya, SLIIT, NSBM, NIBM) or abroad.

Students learn the AutoCAD interface, drawing setup (units, scales, layers — critical for proper engineering drawings), 2D drafting with lines, polylines, arcs and circles, modifying tools (trim, extend, fillet, mirror, array), text and dimensions following Sri Lankan standards, hatching and patterns, blocks and attributes, and finally an introduction to 3D modelling with extrusion, revolve and union/subtract.

Real student projects mirror what working engineers draw: a simple house floor plan (mirroring O/L Technology coursework), an electrical wiring layout, a mechanical part drawing with full dimensioning, and a final 3D house model rendered as a presentation. All drawings are reviewed individually by Iresha using professional review marks.

Students can use AutoCAD free under Autodesk's Education licence (we walk students through getting it). Required: a laptop with at least 8 GB RAM and a real mouse (laptop trackpads are painful for CAD work). This course pairs beautifully with our STEM Innovation course for students preparing for engineering competitions and A/L Engineering Technology.

Course Outline

• Weeks 1–2: AutoCAD interface + drawing setup
• Weeks 3–4: 2D drafting fundamentals
• Week 5: Modifying + organising drawings
• Week 6: Text + dimensioning
• Week 7: Blocks + attributes
• Weeks 8–9: 3D modelling intro
• Week 10: Final house project + presentation