Drafting is a "language" that precisely communicates information such as shape and size. The goal is a finished product that matches the design.
Introduction to Drafting
Look around you. Everything you see that is made by humans – buildings, furniture, the light switch on the wall, your computer, the cola can on your desk, the car on the road, and the road itself – and many things you can’t see – the memory chip inside your computer, the plumbing and wiring in the walls of your building, the machinery of the HVAC system – have one thing in common: they all started out as drawings.
An old adage says, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Nowhere is this truer than in manufacturing and construction. Product designers use mechanical drawings to communicate the details of their designs.
Architectural drafters convey exact specifications to builders using detailed drawings called blueprints. Transportation drafters use technical drawings to show the location and design of new roads.
Across cultures and language barriers, a detailed drawing communicates a designer's exact specifications to the skilled craftsmen who will build the product.
How Drafters Make their Drawings
For many years, drafters sat at drawing boards and used drafting tools such as pencils, pens, compasses, protractors, triangles, and T squares to prepare drawings. Most drafters now use Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) programs to produce their drawings. CAD speeds up the drawing process and permits drafters to change drawings quickly and easily. However, CAD is only a tool; people who produce technical drawings with CAD still need the knowledge of traditional drafters.
A draftsman at work.
Types of Drafting
Drafting work has many specialties. Here are some of them.
Aeronautical drafters prepare engineering drawings, detailing plans and specifications used in the manufacture of aircraft, missiles, and related parts.
Architectural drafters draw architectural and structural features of buildings and other structures. These workers may specialize in a type of structure, such as residential or commercial, or in a kind of material used, such as reinforced concrete, masonry, steel, or timber.
Civil drafters prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in major construction or civil engineering projects such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewage systems.
Electrical drafters prepare wiring and layout diagrams used by workers who erect, install, and repair electrical equipment and wiring in communication centers, power plants, electrical distribution systems, and buildings.
Electronics drafters draw wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, schematics, and layout drawings used in the manufacture, installation, and repair of electronic devices and components.
Mechanical drafters prepare drawings showing the detail and assembly of a wide variety of machinery and mechanical devices, indicating dimensions, fastening methods, and other requirements.
Process piping or pipeline drafters prepare drawings used in the layout, construction, and operation of oil and gas fields, refineries, chemical plants, and process piping systems.