How Do I Print to Scale in AutoCAD?

Understanding Print Scaling in AutoCAD

Printing to scale in AutoCAD is essential for ensuring that your drawings are accurately represented on paper. This guide will walk you through the steps required to achieve accurate scaling when printing your designs.

Setting Up Your Drawing

1. Start with the Correct Units: Before working on your drawing, ensure you are using the correct units by setting the DWGUNITS. This is crucial for scaling your drawing objects accurately.

2. Check Your Drawing Limits: Set the drawing limits to match the paper size you intend to print on. Use the LIMITS command and define the area to avoid content being cut off during printing.

3. Organize Layouts: Switch to your layout tab, where you will prepare your drawing for printing. Make sure your drawing fits within the defined margins and borders of the paper size you selected.

Scaling Your Drawing

Using the Scale Command

1. Select the Scale Command: Type SCALE in the command line and press Enter.

2. Choose a Base Point: Click to select a base point for scaling; this is usually a corner of your drawing or a specific object.

3. Define the Scale Factor: Enter the scale factor by dividing the intended length by the actual length of the object. For example, if the actual measurement is 5 units and you want it to be represented as 10 units, your scale factor will be 2 (10/5 = 2).

4. Select Objects: Choose the objects you want to scale and press Enter. The selected objects will adjust according to the scale factor you entered.

Configuring Print Settings

1. Open the Print Dialog: Type PLOT in the command line and hit Enter. This opens the print configuration dialog where you can set printing options.

2. Select Printer/Plotter: Choose the printer or plotter you intend to use. Make sure it supports the paper size you’ve prepared.

3. Setting Paper Size: In the printer properties, select the correct paper size that matches your layout settings. This ensures that the drawing will be printed to the right dimensions.

4. Adjust Plot Scale: In the plot options, you will see settings for scale. Set the scale to “1:1” for actual size, or to another ratio if you want to print it larger or smaller than its drawn dimensions.

Finalizing the Print

1. Preview Your Print: Before printing, use the preview option to verify that your drawing appears as intended on the selected paper size.

2. Check Margins and Page Setup: Ensure that the margins and page setup align with the layout you prepared. If any content is cut off in the preview, return to the layout tab to adjust the drawing.

3. Print the Drawing: Once satisfied with the preview, click on the “OK” or “Print” button to print your drawing to scale.

FAQ

How can I verify that my print is accurate?

After printing, measure a known dimension in the drawing with a ruler. Compare this measurement to the printed result to verify accuracy.

What should I do if my drawing is too large for the paper?

Consider scaling down your drawing by setting a scale ratio less than 1:1 in the plot settings, or modify your drawing to fit within the paper size constraints.

Can I scale annotations and dimensions separately?

Yes, AutoCAD allows for annotation scaling, which means you can adjust dimensions and annotations so they are displayed correctly on the printed outcome, regardless of the main drawing’s scale. To utilize this, ensure you set an appropriate annotation scale in your model space.