ENGINEERING DRAWING

One of the best ways to communicate one's ideas is through some form of picture or drawing. This is especially true
for the engineer. The purpose of this guide is to give you the basics of engineering sketching and drawing.
We will treat "sketching" and "drawing" as one. "Sketching" generally means freehand drawing. "Drawing" usually
means using drawing instruments, from compasses to computers to bring precision to the drawings.
Engineering Drawing is the Language of Engineers. It is meant for communicating his/her ideas, thoughts and designs
to others. A drawing drawn by an Engineer, having Engineering knowledge, for the Engineering purposes is an
Engineering Drawing. Engineering Drawing is a starting point of all Engineering branches-Mechanical, Production,
Civil, Electrical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Chemical, Textile, Transportation, Metallurgical,
Instrumentation, Automobile, Architectural, Agricultural, Aeronautical, Marine, Mining Engineering etc.

It is the Universal Graphic Language of Engineers, spoken, read and written in its own way. Every language has its
own rules of grammar. Engineering drawing also has its grammar in the theory of projections, its idioms in
conventional practices, its punctuations in the types of lines, its abbreviations, symbols and its descriptions in the
constructions.

Students should not get confused Engineering Drawing with Artistic Drawing. The latter is commonly used by the
artists for commercial purposes, such as in painting, advertisement boards, etc.

TECHNICAL DRAWING INSTRUMENTS & THEIR USES

Technical drawing instruments are the tools used by professional and student drafters to render the precision
graphics needed to manufacture a product or structure. These instruments take many forms because of the variety
of lines and graphics needed for designs. Some instruments are manual, while others are computer-based. All
professional-quality drafting instruments are manufactured with precision because the drawings they're used to
make must be precise.
Drafting Tables

Draftsmen create technical drawings using a tilting table. Parallel rulers on each side of the drawing
surface align the drawing paper and provide horizontal and vertical guides for drawing.

T-squares

T-squares are used to draw straight lines. The head of the square, the cross member, is placed along the
left edge or the top of the drafting table, while the square's blade is laid across the table's top, over the
drawing paper. The drafter slides the square up, down or across on the tabletop, as required by a design,
always keeping the flat side of the square flush with the tabletop's edge. This action keeps the square's
blade parallel to the tabletop's edges. The drafter draws a horizontal line by resting the pencil's tip atop
the square's blade, then pulling the pen right while maintaining a slight pressure against the blade.

Drawing Pencils
Are a basic instrument for any graphics course. They are made of wood, they have the form of a cylinder;
hexagonal. Inside the pencil there is a fine graphite and clay bar called lead. We use the lead to mark with
the pencil. Leads are classified according to how hard they are. There are 18 different types of pencils,
depending on leads.

The soft lead type 2B is used to produce quick drawings and shading, but when we draw something more
precise, we use a 2H or a harder pencil, for example, a 4H is ideal. This type of pencil keeps its sharp edge
longer and produces very fine lines.

A refillable Pencil is very useful especially if you are constructing a drawing that needs a constant thick
line. You can get many different types of refills, and they can have a hard or soft lead. The problem is that
both refillable pencils and refills are relatively expensive. Also, the leads can break more easily.

Rubber/Eraser

We use the rubber to clean unnecessary marks or to correct our wrong drawings. Sometimes it is difficult
to rub certain marks, you must use your rubber as less as possible.
Pencil Sharpeners

Are essential for sharpening pencils. Your drawings cannot be precise if they are not sharp. However,
when shading, you need a blunt pencil.

Protractor

A protractor is used to measure angles. A typical protractor is a semi-circular piece of plastic with 180
degrees printed around its curve.

Compass

A compass is an absolute essential piece of equipment. We use the compass to draw circles and arcs, and
to transfer measures to drawings. It has got two articulated arms on the extremes. On one of the extremes
there is a graver. You fix it on the paper in the center of the arc that you want to draw, and on the other
extreme, you can have leads, pens to draw

It is better to buy a good set which includes at least two compasses for drawing small and large circles.
The opposite drawing is a “bow” compass, this is used for drawing small circles very precisely. Cheap
compasses usually slip on the paper and break quite easily. A good quality compass set will last a very long
time.
Ruler

A ruler is possible one of the most important pieces of the drawing equipment. You use the ruler to
measure lengths and to draw straight lines. The most common rulers are made of transparent plastic, but
here are wooden rulers too. They have got divisions into millimeters or half millimeters. There are large
and small rulers, but the normal is between 30cm and 1m.

Set Squares

Set squares are two triangular templates, there made of transparent plastic. The set square is similar to
an isosceles triangle, with two angles of 45degrees and one angle of 90degrees. The bevel square is a
triangle with angles of 30degrees, 60degrees and 90 degrees. The hypotenuse of the set square must be
the same as the larger leg of the bevel square. You can use the set square and the bevel square to draw
parallel or perpendicular lines, and to draw precise angles.

French Curves

You can buy French curves in sets of three or four. They are used to draw curves if you find the correct
section of the curve that matches the correct shape on the section of the curve.

Some French curves also have circles or ellipses of various sizes cut out. Their use is similar to circle or
ellipse templates.
Circular Temples

Circle Templates are very useful. They are plastic with a number of precise circles cut out. You use them
to draw circles of determinate diameters/sizes and are particularly useful when the circle is small. Small
circles are difficult to draw when you use a traditional compass because the compass can easily slip on
the paper. With a template, you select the circle diameter and use a sharp pencil to draw round the cutout
circle.

Ellipse templates are similar to circle templates and these are useful for drawing ellipse/oval shapes
precisely.

FREEHAND DRAWING

Free hand sketching in engineering graphics are a very critical part of any engineering project. It may be
used at any stage of a project’s life cycle, whether it is the planning, execution or even end phase of the
project, it is a way to convey critical information regarding certain aspects of the project.

What is a free hand sketch?

 A free hand sketch is a hand drawn sketch that convey information about the detail of a particular
part or section of a project or component
 It aids in eliminating errors on the drawings later on by having a clear understanding about the
details that must be drawn
 It is a “step” between the actual part that must be drawn and the completed drawing

Where and when are free hand sketches used?

 Free hand sketches are used during the beginning and early stages of a design when the designer
illustrates certain configurations or fits to the draftsman
 Modifications or alterations can be indicated with a free hand sketch during the drafting or even
manufacturing phase. Often times modifications are made and the modification is captured with
a free hand sketch that is later incorporated into the drawing
 Often times a draftsman would visit the client to measure and make free hand sketches of
equipment or components that must be drawn
 A sketch is made of what is required on a drawing
 The component may only be available for a short time, thus a free hand sketch needs to be made
to use for the creation of a drawing