How to Thicken a Circle in AutoCAD (Step by Step)

Thickening a circle in AutoCAD can be useful for a variety of reasons, such as enhancing visibility in technical drawings or emphasizing certain aspects of your design. AutoCAD offers several methods for thickening a circle, depending on the desired outcome. In this guide, we will explore three main methods for thickening a circle, including adjusting lineweight, using the Donut command, and converting the circle to a polyline.

How to Thicken a Circle in AutoCAD (3 Methods)

Method 1: Adjust the Lineweight of a Circle

This method is straightforward and adjusts the visual thickness of the circle without altering its geometry. The lineweight setting controls how thick the lines appear both on the screen and when printed.

Steps:

1. Select the Circle: Click on the circle you want to thicken.
2. Open the Properties Palette: If the palette is not already open, you can display it by typing PROPERTIES into the command line and pressing Enter, or by navigating to View > Palettes > Properties.
3. Adjust Lineweight: In the Properties window, under the General section, find the Lineweight option. Choose a thicker lineweight from the drop-down list (e.g., 0.50mm, 1.00mm).
4. Display Lineweight: Make sure the Lineweight display is turned on. This option is available at the bottom-right of the screen, represented by an icon showing a thin and thick line.

Tip: Changing the lineweight affects only the visual appearance and printing of the circle; it does not alter its physical properties.

Method 2: Use the Donut Command

The Donut command is a powerful tool for creating circles with a specific thickness. It allows you to create either a filled circle or a wide ring, giving you more control over the appearance of the circle.

Steps:

1. Activate the Donut Command: Type DONUT into the command line and press Enter.
2. Set Diameters:
   • Inside Diameter: Specify the inside diameter (set to 0 for a filled circle).
   • Outside Diameter: Specify the outside diameter.
3. Place the Donut: After defining the diameters, click on the drawing area where you want to place the donut (circle). The difference between the inside and outside diameters determines the thickness of the circle.

This method is particularly useful when you want a circle with a filled interior or when you need a precise thickness for the ring.

Method 3: Convert the Circle to a Polyline

For more flexibility, you can convert the circle into a polyline and adjust its thickness using the polyline editing tools. This method is ideal if you need a specific width for the circle or want to modify it further.

Steps:

1. Convert Circle to Polyline:
   • Type PE (Polyline Edit) in the command line and press Enter.
   • Select the circle. AutoCAD will ask you to convert it to a polyline—type Y and press Enter.
2. Set Polyline Width:
   • Type PEDIT in the command line and press Enter.
   • Select the polyline.
   • Type W for Width and press Enter.
   • Enter the desired width (e.g., 2.0) and press Enter.

This method gives you the ability to control the thickness of the circle in a more geometric manner, making the circle a truly thick object, not just visually thickened.

Alternative Approach: Use a Layer with Heavier Lineweight

Another simple approach is to assign the circle to a layer that has a pre-set, heavier lineweight.

Steps:

1. Create or Select a Layer: Open the Layer Properties Manager and either create a new layer or select an existing one.
2. Assign Lineweight: In the Layer Properties Manager, under the Lineweight column, assign a thicker lineweight to the layer.
3. Move the Circle to the Layer: Select the circle, then go to the Properties palette and assign it to the new layer with the thicker lineweight.

This method allows for easy management of objects by layer, particularly when working with larger, complex drawings where several objects need to have uniform thickness.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a simple way to thicken a circle visually or need precise control over its geometry, AutoCAD offers several methods to achieve this. Adjusting the lineweight is quick and easy for visual thickening, while the Donut and Polyline methods offer more flexibility and control over the actual thickness of the circle. Choose the method that best suits your project needs, and remember that each approach can be tailored to achieve different results in your design.

Key Terms:

• Lineweight: The thickness of a line in a drawing.
• Polyline: A continuous line composed of one or more line segments.
• Donut Command: A command used to create a filled circle or ring.
• PEDIT: Polyline editing command to modify a polyline’s width and shape.