Introduction to Technical and Engineering Drawing

Technical and Engineering Drawing

There are tons of similarities between technical and engineering drawing such that in some context, the two are used interchangeably, blurring the line that defficulties them as both are drawn using the same tools and techniques.
In this post, i will try to show the deffrence between technical drawing and engineering drawing. And will spend some time introducing you to some of the drawing tools, require that you pay attention to detail and accuracy. And both uses standardized symbols and notation systems to effectively communicate ideas.

Making abstract ideas visible to the eyes.

Technical drawing is that tool that helps in physically projecting a concived idea onto a drawing board for others to see, resonate, and interact with.
Engineering drawing, on the other hand, is graphical information showing how to transform the idea into a real-life model.

Key differences

The scope of technical drawing is broader compared to engineering drawing, which is more specialized.
In terms of purpose, technical drawing is focused on visualization, whereas engineering drawing prioritizes manufacturing and functionality, and the level of details in engineering drawing requires more precise dimensions and some amout of tolerances.

Area of application and discipline

Software Used

The basic tools used today for both Technical and Engineering Drawing are software with common examples listed below:

1. AutoCAD
2. SolidWorks
3. CATIA
4. Revit
5. Creo Parametric

Some tools I used during my training

Besides a drawing board and a comfortable table, I had to get used to my T-Square for obtaining mostly horizontal lines and guides our pencil for straight lines. They also function as a support for the set squares when drawing angles.

Mechanical pencils like the one illustrated here are an indispensable tool. They were used for lettering, and its verious sizes created different line widths.

A pair of drafting compasses was an essential tool for drawing arcs and circles of diffrent radios. The compass is expected to help you have a uniform redios round the circle. this type of compass is more precise. It has a locking mechanism that keeps the radios fixed.

A pair of compasses like this one can draw circles with a bigger circumference and have an attachment for even bigger circles. They are also used for drawing elliptical shapes.

A good divider like this one will help copy distances between points and transfed dimentions. In the hands of an advanced user, it can copy angles and scale a diagram.

For ease of drawing angles 30 and 60, you will need a set square like the one below. They are very useful when making isometric projections.

For angles 45 and 90, you will need this set square when making orthographic projections.

After drowing or bisecting an angle, you will need a protractor to measure and confirm your angles. Below is an example of a protractor

When it is time to draw a straight line or to set the radios of a circle on a compass or measure a line, you will need the services of a ruler like the one shown below.

Conclusion

These old tools did shape my learning curve. It gave me an edge in mathematics and physics, confirming the saying that there is no knowledge that is not power.

All pictures are my pictures, captured with Galaxy-A15 and edited with PhotoStudio App.