Technical Drawing

Designing things on paper

Conceptual Sketches
When you first get an idea for something you want to build you may draw it roughly, without using instruments or accurate scales. This is called a conceptual sketch.

Types of Drawings
All Drawings

Artistic

Technical

Sketches
(conceptual)

Diagrams (design & technical)

Drawings
(technical/engineering)
simulated

perspective

Diagram
(design plan)

Diagram
(technical)

Oblique
projection

Isometric
projection

Multi view
orthographic

Less technical

More technical

 A conceptual sketch
Allows an idea to be expressed quickly in graphic form Is prepared free-hand (without drawing instruments) Is not done to scale, but it respects the rules of technical drawing as much as possible, and is made roughly proportional to the object represented.

Technical Drawings
Serve as a reference to workers, architects or machinists. When you are ready to design the details, you make a technical drawing, done with more detail and more accuracy.

Difference:
Sketch: made without drafting tools... Just pencil and paper. Scale is approximate, not accurate, but the sketch should still look like the object. Drawing: made with drafting tools... Ruler, set squares, protractor and compass. Scale should be accurate and the drawing carefully made.

A technical drawing

Presents all the information necessary for the objects construction. Is made with great precision, Requires the use of rulers, compass and protractor or drafting software. Is done to scale, and respects the proportions of the object represented. Respects conventions in the mode of the representation.

Basic Lines (part 1)

Visible
(Object) Line

Represents the outline Shows hidden details

Thick Medium dashed Fine Fine,

with arrows 8cm

Draw the visible object edges with these lines Draw hidden edges with these Faint lines, sometimes coloured Dimension & extension lines go together!
8 cm

Hidden Line

Construction Used during Line drafting Dimension Line Used to indicate a dimension

Extension Line
Center (Axial) Line

Used with a dimension line

Shows center or symmetry

Fine
Near arrows

Fine
With dash in middle

Basic Lines (part 1)

Ghost Line Cutting plane line Hatched Lines Long Break Short break (cutaway) Leader Line Shows possible movement Position of a cross-section Surface of a cross-section Shows that a line is shortened
Object shortened or cut away

Fine
dashed

Sometimes in other color Used only if you plan to draw a cross section Show where it is solid (section view only!!) Used only for large objects

Thick
With arrows

Fine Fine
With zig-zag

Medium
With curve

Points to something

Fine
With bent arrow

Attaches a comment or angle or dimension to an object.

Technical Drawing of Fighter Plane

(Isometric Projection, exploded view)

Technical drawings can represent things

as simple as a spoon, or

Technical Drawing of a spoon Multi-view, Orthographic projection

 as complex as a space ship

Photograph of Mercury Spacecraft

Technical Drawing of Mercury Spacecraft, Top View, Orthographic Technical Drawing of Mercury Spacecraft, Isometric Projection

Projections
Perspective projections Multi-view projections Isometric projection Oblique projection

Vanishing Point

True Perspective
Objects drawn in true perspective look realistic. They have vanishing points where straight lines seem to Vanishing Points converge
They can have one, two or three vanishing points, depending on how much the artist wants to work.

But in true perspective, objects far away will be drawn smaller than nearby objects not a good idea in technical drawing!
Vanishing Points

More True Perspective Drawings

 Now that you have seen how nice perspective drawings can be...

FORGET ABOUT THEM!

We hardly ever use perspective projections when doing technical drawing. They are too much work, and they dont show all the details we may need to show. Also, they distort both angles and dimensions.

Leave them for ART class...

Isometric Projection
(a simulated perspective drawing style) Isometric (or simulated perspective) drawings look at first like perspective drawings But the lines dont converge. There are no vanishing points and distant objects are the same size as nearby ones. Right angles in isometric projections are usually represented by 60 or 120 angles.

60
Represents 90

Represents 90

More isometric drawings

Warning: Your workbook classifies isometric drawings as perspective drawings, but they are not true perspective. They resemble perspective drawings but in a true perspective drawing, distant objects are drawn smaller. In isometric drawing, distant objects are not smaller..

Oblique Projection
another simulated perspective

Similar to isometric projection, it is also a simulated perspective In oblique projections, the side of the object facing you is drawn square and accurate (that is with right angles at 90 and its measurements proportional) The sides not facing you are distorted
Warning: Your workbook calls this oblique perspective, but it is not a true perspective.

This side is not!

This side is accurate

90
=60

90

Orthographic Projections
Orthographic projections flatten one view of the object onto a sheet of paper, while retaining the correct proportions (angles and dimensions) Maps are an example of orthographic projection (a top view) The trouble with orthographic projections is that one view usually isnt enough.
Maps and floor-plans are exceptions, where one top-view is often enough.

Orthographic Projection
(Multi-view)
Draws an object as it would be seen from several different directions The views are flat, with all angles shown correctly and all measurements to scale.

Comparing Projections
Perspective drawings look nicer when used by an artist, but Isometric, oblique and multi-view drawings give more accurate information when used in technical drawing. Isometric drawings show accurate dimensions, but distorted angles. Oblique drawings give accurate dimensions for one side only. Orthographic (multi-view) are the best choice for most technical drawing.

Oblique

Orthographic (multi-view)

Comparison of Projections
Projection Orthographic
(top view)

Used for Drafting, maps, floor plans

Tested on Yes

Orthographic
(multi-view)

True Perspective
(one, two or three point)

Isometric
(simulated perspective)

Oblique
(simulated perspective)

Technical drawings, drafting, conceptual sketches (sometimes) Artistic drawing, conceptual sketches Conceptual sketches, technical drawings (sometimes) Conceptual sketches

Yes

No Yes

No

An Isometric Drawing

Scale
SCALE is the relationship between the measurement of an object drawn on a sheet of paper, and the measurements of the actual object. Often technical drawings are made a different size from the objects they represent. Scale-reduction is when the drawing is smaller than the actual object Scale-increase is when the drawing is larger than the actual object.

Dimensioning
When a drawing is done to scale, you should label it with its dimensions.
Use dimension lines to label each dimension, with extensions where necessary You should label just enough edges to show all the dimensions, but you dont need to repeat. In Australia dimensions are usually given in millimetres (mm). If you use different units (cm, in, feet etc.) you need to write the unit. You do not need to write mm if all of your dimensions are in millimetres. Angles can be shown in degrees (), diameter by , and radius by R

300 means 300mm

unless another unit is specified

Dimensioning

A Toy Truck
How to label an angle. means diameter (R would be radius)

How to label small dimensions.

Dimensioning
Dimensions can also be shown on isometric drawings, but you have to be a bit more careful. Also, you should only show the most important dimensions on an isometric drawing.

Diagrams
Diagrams are simplified versions of a drawing. Diagrams show how an object works, not necessarily how it looks. Diagrams often use abstract symbols rather than actual pictures to represent things.

A Circuit Diagram
Doesnt show what the circuit looks like, but tells a technician how its connected.

Diagram of Energy Conversion Unit

It doesnt show what the unit looks like, but rather, what it does or how it works.

Exploded Views
A diagram that shows an object taken apart is sometimes called an exploded view.