DraftingDefinitions
Introduction
You should understand the definitions of a few terms before continuing.
Definitions
Most drawings fall into one of six basic categories, which include
instrumental or mechanical drawings, computer-aided drafting or computer-
aided design and drafting, engineering drawings and engineering drafting,
engineering graphics or engineering design graphics, technical drawings, and
technical sketching.
INSTRUMENTAL OR MECHANICAL DRAWINGS: The category of
instrumental or mechanical drawings applies only to drawings made in whole
or in part with drawing instruments.
COMPUTER-AIDED DRAFTING (CAD) and COMPUTER-AIDED
DESIGN AND DRAFTING (CADD): Using computer techniques with the
aid of graphic data processing systems to graphically express or solve
technical equations is called CAD or CADD.
ENGINEERING DRAWINGS and ENGINEERING DRAFTING: Drawings
used in technical work or industrial production are referred to as engineering
drawings. The terms working drawings and machine drawings are also used
in reference to engineering drawings.
ENGINEERING GRAPHICS or ENGINEERING DESIGN GRAPHICS:
Engineering graphics or engineering design graphics refers to the design and
specifications for physical objects and data relationships as in engineering and
science.
TECHNICAL DRAWING: Any drawing that expresses technical ideas is a
technical drawing and may also be called working or machine drawings.
TECHNICAL SKETCHING: Technical sketching is freehand drawing.
Another term you should be familiar with is blueprint reading. Blueprint
reading is reading and interpreting a graphic language through symbology
used to express technical ideas or mechanical solutions.
Regardless of
whether the drawing is on paper, film, computer monitor, or a table napkin,
the graphic language should be the same.
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