What are the best practices for creating a mechanical drawing that is optimized for durability and longevity?

1 Choose the right format

The format of your mechanical drawing depends on the type, size, and complexity of the system or component you are designing. You should use the appropriate standard, such as ANSI, ISO, DIN, or JIS, for your industry and region. You should also consider the level of detail, scale, projection, and orientation of your drawing. For example, you may use a multiview drawing for a simple part, a sectional drawing for a complex part with internal features, or an exploded view drawing for an assembly with multiple components.

2 Use clear and consistent symbols

Symbols are the graphical elements that represent various aspects of your mechanical drawing, such as dimensions, tolerances, features, materials, surface finishes, and welding. You should use symbols that are widely recognized and understood by your intended audience, such as those specified by the standard you are following. You should also use symbols that are consistent and accurate throughout your drawing. For example, you should not mix metric and imperial units, or use different symbols for the same feature.

3 Follow the rules of dimensioning

Dimensioning is the process of adding numerical values to your mechanical drawing to indicate the size, shape, location, and orientation of the features. To ensure that your drawing is clear, concise, and complete, you should adhere to certain rules. These include using the minimum number of dimensions necessary to define the part or assembly, avoiding dimensioning to hidden or imaginary lines or points, placing dimensions outside the views (unless they are too small or crowded), aligning dimensions with the dimension lines, and using leader lines for notes and symbols. Additionally, you should use the same type and style of dimensioning throughout the drawing.

4 Apply appropriate tolerances

Tolerances are the allowable variations in the dimensions, shape, or position of a feature. They are essential for ensuring that your part or assembly fits and functions properly, as well as for controlling the cost and quality of manufacturing. You should apply appropriate tolerances to your mechanical drawing based on the function, fit, and form of the feature. You should also use the standard symbols and notation for tolerances, such as limits, fits, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), and surface finish.

5 Check for errors and ambiguities

Before finalizing your mechanical drawing, you should check for errors and ambiguities that can affect the durability and longevity of your design. You should verify that your drawing conforms to the standard, format, and style you have chosen. You should also review your drawing for any missing, incorrect, or redundant information, such as dimensions, symbols, notes, or labels. You should also ensure that your drawing is legible, neat, and organized. You can use software tools, such as CAD, to help you with checking and editing your mechanical drawing.

6 Get feedback and approval

The last step in creating a mechanical drawing that is optimized for durability and longevity is to get feedback and approval from the relevant stakeholders, such as your clients, colleagues, supervisors, or manufacturers. You should solicit feedback from different perspectives and expertise, and incorporate any suggestions or corrections that can improve your drawing. You should also obtain formal approval from the authorized parties, and document any changes or revisions that you have made. This will ensure that your mechanical drawing meets the expectations and requirements of your project.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?