Why it was made

What started it?

The start was a wish to use CAD skill for students, and then meeting generative AI.

How was it built?

Long experience as a CAD operator and instructor, plus generative AI, made a CAD system that a new user can operate.

What comes next

The hope is that students and beginners use it for learning. Comments and feedback are welcome.

Three features of Beginner CAD

Arrow keys and numbers

After the start point, an arrow key sets the direction and a number sets the length. Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and the width and height of a rectangle all use this input. Your hand stays off the mouse while you type the number.

Aids for an accurate drawing

A grid with a settable spacing, snap to endpoints and intersections, and draft lines that are not printed.

DXF and EPS export

Drawings can be exported so a laser cutter or another design program can read them.

Screens

Beginner CAD screen and Operation Assist

A clear screen and assist

Line, rectangle, and circle sit on the toolbar. Operation Assist follows the command you chose.

Length from the arrow keys

After the start point, arrow keys and a number set the direction and length. Your hand stays off the mouse while you type. Dimension lines still line up with existing geometry.

Snap and figure editing

Snap closes gaps at endpoints and intersections. Fillet rounds a corner where lines meet.

Group lines, then convert

Organize joins separate lines into one figure. The convert screen writes DXF or EPS.

Text and paper drawings become the same kind of figure

Text Outline

Open it from App on the Beginner CAD menu. A string is broken into small lines and placed on the canvas. A fitting font appears in the green box: a gothic face for Japanese, Roboto for letters and digits, and a gothic font on the PC when both are mixed.

Outlines are made in the browser, so localhost and this site match. WOFF2 and font collections (.ttc), including many Yu Gothic and Meiryo files, are left off the list. Usable files are TTF, OTF, and WOFF. Placed figures stay visible in Data Convert and the Digitizer.

Open Text Outline Text Outline manual

Digitizer

A photo of a shape on graph paper is corrected for scale and distortion, then traced into lines. Those lines, not the photo, can be passed to Beginner CAD. Figures from CAD or Text Outline stay visible when you open the Digitizer from App.

Open Digitizer User manual

Specifications

Where it runs, and the price	Runs in a web browser. No install. Free.
Drawing	Line, rectangle, and circle. After the start point, arrow keys and a number set the direction and length, and the mouse stays unused while you type. Fillet, and dimensions between elements
Drawing aids	Operation Assist, grid show/hide and spacing, snap to endpoints, intersections, and centers, horizontal and vertical draft lines
Editing	An element is one line. A figure is a group of lines. Organize, delete element, and delete figure.
Files	Export to DXF and EPS
Text Outline	Places a string as small lines and suggests a fitting font. The figure stays visible in Data Convert and the Digitizer. WOFF2 and font collections (.ttc) are left off the list.
Digitizer	Traces lines from a graph-paper photo and passes them to Beginner CAD. Switch from the App menu.

Start learning

No account is required. Open the browser and start.
The online manual explains the details.

▶ Launch the app 📖 Open the manual 💬 Official LINE page ✉️ Contact

A web app for learning CADBeginner CAD