SendCutSend Education

Lesson 1.3

How to Navigate the CAD Workspace: Origins, Axes, and Planes Explained

This series was filmed and edited by Keaton Bowlby

The first step to success in CAD is learning your workspace. In this chapter 1 lesson 3, we’ll walk through everything you see when you first open CAD and explain the core concepts that guide every design.

You’ll learn how the origin acts as your home base in 3D space, how axes (X, Y, Z) define direction, and how planes (XY, XZ, YZ) give you the surfaces to start sketching on. We’ll also explore practical tools like the view cube, pan, zoom, rotate, and home view so you can navigate your workspace with confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • What the origin, axes, and planes are in CAD
  • How to show and hide workspace features
  • Using the view cube to orient your part
  • How to pan, zoom, and rotate your design
  • Resetting your view with the home button

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