Building Boundaries Using Surveyors’ Units in AutoCAD and NanoCAD

In the field of surveying, surveyors’ units—such as chains, rods, feet, and other measurements—are essential for defining property lines and creating accurate boundaries. Both AutoCAD and NanoCAD offer powerful tools to input and draw these boundaries efficiently. Here’s a guide to help you create boundaries using surveyors’ units in these two drafting programs.

1. Setting Up Surveyors’ Units

The first step in working with surveyors’ units is to ensure that your drawing settings reflect the correct units. Both AutoCAD and NanoCAD make this process straightforward.

• AutoCAD:
  1. Type UNITS in the command line and press Enter.
  2. In the Drawing Units dialog box, set the units to Feet or Survey Feet, depending on your requirements. You can also change the precision if needed.
  3. Once you set the units, AutoCAD will automatically convert distances based on your drawing scale, ensuring all measurements are in your chosen surveyor’s units.
• NanoCAD:
  1. Navigate to File > Drawing Settings.
  2. In the Units tab, select the appropriate unit system (e.g., Feet or Survey Feet).
  3. Like AutoCAD, ensure the precision is adjusted to meet your accuracy requirements for boundary drawing.

2. Entering Coordinates and Distances

Once your units are set up, you can start drawing your boundary. Survey boundaries often require the use of specific distances and angles.

• AutoCAD:
  • To create a straight boundary, use the LINE command. Type LINE into the command bar, then click your starting point.
  • For polar coordinates (distance and angle), type the command as: @distance<angle. For example, @500<45 would create a line 500 units long at a 45-degree angle.
  • For curved lines, use the ARC command and input the radius and angles directly, just like the straight lines.
• NanoCAD:
  • Use the LINE or PLINE command to draw your boundary. In NanoCAD, type in the distance and angle using the same polar notation as AutoCAD, such as @distance<angle.
  • To draw arcs or curves, use the ARC command. You can enter the radius and angle to achieve the proper curvature.

3. Using Directions and Angles

Survey boundaries are often described by angles relative to the cardinal directions (North, South, East, and West). These can be provided in either azimuth (0° to 360°) or bearings (N/S and angle).

• AutoCAD:
  • For bearings or directions, you can use the @distance<angle format. For instance, if the bearing is “North 45 degrees East,” input @500<45 to create a line 500 units long at a 45° angle to the East of North.
  • The DIST command can also be used to measure the distance between two points if you need verification or adjustment.
• NanoCAD:
  • NanoCAD supports similar functionality with polar coordinates. When working with bearings, use the same principles: @distance<angle will handle both azimuths and bearings.
  • You can also use the ANGLE command to adjust the direction of your boundary lines.

4. Placing Boundary Points Using Coordinates

Surveying often involves the use of station points or control points for accuracy. These points are usually defined with specific coordinates or distances.

• AutoCAD:
  • You can manually input surveyor points by using the POINT command and entering the X, Y (and optionally Z) coordinates.
  • Alternatively, you can use the POLYGON or RECTANGLE tools to create areas enclosed by boundaries.
• NanoCAD:
  • Just like in AutoCAD, use the POINT command to place specific coordinates.
  • NanoCAD also allows you to input coordinates directly into the LINE and POLYLINE tools, making it easy to draw boundaries to the exact specifications of your survey data.

5. Editing Boundaries

After creating your boundary, you might need to adjust it due to field data or corrections in the survey. Both AutoCAD and NanoCAD provide tools to edit your lines and shapes.

• AutoCAD:
  • Use the TRIM, EXTEND, or STRETCH commands to modify the shape and length of your boundary lines.
  • If you need to adjust the angles or distances of the boundary lines, the GRIP editing feature allows for intuitive drag-and-drop adjustments.
• NanoCAD:
  • Similar to AutoCAD, NanoCAD offers editing tools such as TRIM, EXTEND, and MOVE to adjust boundaries.
  • You can also use the GRIP tool in NanoCAD to stretch or reposition lines as needed.

Conclusion

Using surveyors’ units in AutoCAD and NanoCAD allows surveyors to draw precise boundaries with ease. By setting up your units, entering polar coordinates and bearings, and utilizing the available editing tools, you can ensure your survey boundaries are accurate and well-defined. Whether you’re working on a large project or a small lot, both AutoCAD and NanoCAD offer the flexibility and precision needed for effective land surveying.