Chapter 1
Drawing office management and
organization
Every article used in our day-to-day lives will probably 7 Dimension figures
have been produced as a result of solutions to a sequence 8 Relative importance of dimensions
of operations and considerations, namely: 9 Indication of materials on drawings
10 Various degrees of finish
1 Conception 11 Screw threads
2 Design and analysis 12 Flats and squares
3 Manufacture 13 Tapers
4 Verification 14 Abbreviations for drawings.
5 Disposal.
There were also five figures illustrating:
The initial stage will commence when an original
marketable idea is seen to have a possible course of 1 Method of projection
development. The concept will probably be viewed 2 Types of line
from an artistic and a technological perspective. 3 Views and sections
The appearance and visual aspects of a product are 4 Screw threads
very important in creating an acceptable good first 5 Tapers.
impression.
The technologist faces the problem of producing First angle projection was used for the illustrations
a sound, practical, safe design, which complies with and the publication was printed on A5 sheets of paper.
the initial specification and can be produced at an During the early days of the industrial revolution
economical cost. manufacturers simply compared and copied component
During every stage of development there are many dimensions to match those used on the prototype.
progress records to be maintained and kept up to date However, with the introduction of quantity production
so that reference to the complete history is available to where components were required to be made at different
responsible employees. factory sites, measurement by more precise means was
For many years various types of drawings, sketches essential. Individual manufacturers developed their own
and paintings have been used to convey ideas and standard methods. Clearly, for the benefit of industry
information. A good recognizable picture will often in general a National Standard was vital. Later the
remove ambiguity when discussing a project and assist more comprehensive British Standard of Limits and
in overcoming a possible language barrier. Fits was introduced. There are two clear aspects, which
British Standards are listed in the British Standards are necessary to be considered in the specification of
Catalogue and the earliest relevant Engineering component drawings:
Standards date back to 1903. Standards were developed
to establish suitable dimensions for a range of sizes of 1 The drawing shows the dimensions for the
metal bars, sheets, nuts, bolts, flanges, etc. following component in three planes. Dimensions of the
the Industrial Revolution and used by the Engineering manufactured component need to be verified because
Industry. The first British Standard for Engineering some variation of size in each of the three planes
Drawing Office Practice published in September 1927 (length, breadth and thickness) will be unavoidable.
only contained 14 clauses as follows: The Designers contribution is to provide a
Characteristics Specification, which in current jargon
1 Sizes of drawings and tracings, and widths of is defined as the ‘Design Intent Measurand’.
tracing cloth and paper 2 The metrologist produces a ‘Characteristics
2 Position of drawing number, date and name Evaluation’ which is simply the Measured Value.
3 Indication of scale
4 Method of projection The drawing office is generally regarded as the heart
5 Types of line and writing of any manufacturing organization. Products,
6 Colour of lines components, ideas, layouts, or schemes which may be
