The Agriculture Department at SFA offers several courses per semester the introduce students to Computer Aided Design and Drafting. These classes are taught by a "hands-on" method of teaching, and each student is seated at a computer during class time.

The Agriculture Department’s Computer Drafting Lab is known as one of the best at a university in Texas. All classes use AutoDesk’s AutoCAD Release 13 running in Windows 95.

In the AGM and HRT 325 (CAD I) classes, students from a variety of disciplines including horticulture, forestry, interior design, art, geography, and geology, learn the basic AutoCAD R13 commands. The students’ progress is measured with both written and skills tests. A final project is assigned at the end of the semester which demonstrates the student’s use of AutoCAD commands. This project, a culmination of the semester’s assignments, is geared toward each individual’s area of interest.

In the AGM and HRT 326 (CAD 2) classes, students expand their knowledge into 3-D modeling with AutoCAD R13. They also use other software packages that run with AutoCAD such as Eagle Point LandCADD, AutoArchitect, 3-D Studio, and ArcCAD. Students can render their models to create a more realistic solid, create 3-D walk-throughs, or animate their drawings. AutoVision, a package included with AutoCAD R13, can be used to apply different textures to rendered objects such as wood, stone, or glass. AutoVision is also used to create different lighting effects and to change the reflective properties and transparency of surface materials. As in the 325 courses, students are tested with both written and skill exams and specialized final projects are assigned for each student.

Each student in the AutoCAD classes is assigned a computer to use during the semester. In the lab, there are three P5-133 Gateway 2000’s with 32 MB RAM and sixteen 486-33 Gateway 2000’s with 16 MB RAM. 12" x 12" digitizing pads are available for those students wishing to digitize maps and drawings.

For plotting, students have a choice of three 8 pen CalComp plotters, one HP Laser Jet printer, and one HP DeskJet 820Cxi color printer.

Use of the CAD Lab by anyone other than AGM /HRT 325 and 326 and HMS 414 students must be authorized by the Lab Coordinator. Plotter fees will be charged to anyone who is not currently enrolled in one of the above listed courses.

Sample Drawings

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