TYPES OF VIEWS USED IN ENGINEERING DRAWING

CONCEPTS:

Pay attention that, in some cases, the translation reflects the similar concepts in
Romanian ( as used by engineers), so it is not a word-by-word translation
Length – lungime
Height – înălțime
Front view – perspectivă din față
Rear – perspectivă din spate
Top view – privire/perspectivă de sus asupra obiectului
Side view – perspectivă asupra părților laterale
Isometric projection – proiecție izometrică (perspectivă tridimensională asupra
obictului, acesta fiind reprezentat din perspectiva unui unghi)
Oblique projection – proiecție oblică (reprezentare tridimensională, care reflectă
partea superioară sau laterală a obiectului, dintr-un unghi de 45 de grade)
Two dimensional representations (reprezentări bidimensionale):
General arrangement – reprezentare de ansamblu
Elevation – reprezentare bidimensională a unei părți laterale a obiectului
Cross-section – secțiune transversală
Exploded view – desen descompus (părțile componente ale unui obiect nu sunt redate
ca un ansamblu, ci distanțat)

READING

A. Read the following text:

Engineers often have to communicate visually many details relating to the shape,
dimensions and structure of objects, using plane pieces of paper. In order to be able to give such
information as accurately as possible, they rely on standardized ways of projecting objects.
According to the way of rendering the image on the plane surface, the following types of
projections are common in engineering drawing1:
1. The orthographic projection (also called multi-view drawing or right angled
drawing) shows the aspect of the object from different sides, with the view of giving an image of
that object that is as accurate as possible.
The front view generally shows the most complicated part of the represented object2, but
only two dimensions of it: length and height. The object appears as if it would be placed in front
of the viewer. In relation to the front view, one can speak of the rear view, which is the opposite
of the front view, at the back of the object; the top view (which gives the length and breadth of the
object, but not its height); the bottom view; and the views from the sides (right/left).

1
Classification based on information available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_drawing, Mark Ibbotson,
op. cit., p. 9, http://www.educationportals.net/basic-engineering-drawing-projection.
2
Lia Dolga, Marian Dănăiaţă, Mihai Revencu, Desen tehnic pentru electrotehnică, Editura Politehnica, Timişoara,
2002, p. 25.
 Top view
Rear view

Side view
Front view

Bottom view

After the representation of faces is complete (done either in the classical way, or with the
help of computer-aided design techniques), the dimensions of the represented object are
given.
2. Pictorial projections are images that help viewers completely understand the aspect of the
object in one view, giving its general shape and details, though not its real dimensions or
sizes.3 Pictorial projections may be classified as follows:
a. The isometric projection is a three-dimensional view, with the corner of the object at
the front, which gives all dimensions along the three axes at their real size.
b. The oblique projection helps designers render objects in 3 dimensions, which show the
front, the top and one side of the object, drawn at a 45-degree angle.
c. Perspective drawing is a representation on a flat surface that only simulates the three-
dimensional aspect of objects. Though incomplete, such an image is very suggestive
and easy to understand. If entire devices are presented from above, at small scale, we
speak of a general arrangement. A two-dimensional representation of the sides of an
object is called elevation. A representation of the inside of an object, as if it is cut
through, is called section (the short form from cross-section). When the successive
stages in the assembly of a product are presented, or the components are spaced out,
we speak of an exploded view.

B. Based on the text, which of the following statements are true and which are false:

1. Pictorial projections:
a. offer a general idea about the shape of the designed part;
b. allow the observer to see three sides of the designed part;
c. give an exact description of shape.
2. Isometric projections
a. give more views of the object, seen in directions that make right angles;
b. give an accurate presentation of the object, as well as the true size of dimensions along
the axes;
c. give a two dimensional image of one side of an object.
3. In orthographic projections,
a. persons manufacturing a part have good visual image of how the object looks like;
b. viewers can see the object from different sides, as if the object would be rotated;
c. viewers can visualize only the top view of the object.

3
K. Venkata Reddy, op.cit., p. 106.
 4. The elevation shows
a. all the four sides of the device shown on the attached drawing;
b. the view from above device shown on the attached drawing;
c. the right and the left sides of the device shown on the attached drawing.

VOCABULARY

Complete the text below with words from the box:

1. specifications 2. symbols 3. elevation drawings

4. sections 5. details 6. general arrangements

(a) ……… present the general aspect of an object and, depending on the complexity of the
represented structure, may extend over several pages. If necessary, in order to make the image as
clear as possible, they may include (b) …………, i.e. imaginary representations of the inside of an
object, as if it were cut through, and (c) ………… drawings, i.e. views of the object seen from one
side.
Such representations are generally accompanied by additional information, such as (d)
………. and (e) ………. Explanations referring to (f) ………. should be present and in accordance
with international standards.