#mechanical computer-aided-design drafting

What is Technical Drawing?

Ever looked at a building and wondered how it came to life from paper to a real structure? That’s the magic of technical drawing — a precise, visual language used to communicate design intent, structure, and specifications of everything from buildings to mechanical components.

Importance of Technical Drawing in Modern Industries

Whether you’re into architecture, engineering, manufacturing, or construction, types of technical drawing is the foundation. They eliminate ambiguity and serve as a universal guide that ensures every bolt, beam, or brick fits perfectly.

1. Architectural Drawings

Overview of Architectural Drawings

These are the blueprints of creativity. Architectural drawings translate imaginative concepts into practical realities for builders and stakeholders.

Floor Plans

A top-down view of any structure, showing wall layouts, room sizes, and door/window placements.

Elevations

These depict the front, side, and rear views — showing how the building will look from different angles.

Sections

Cut-through views that show internal components, like ceiling heights, floor levels, and hidden elements.

Why It’s Essential in Building Design & Drawing

Architectural drawings provide a complete visual breakdown of how a building should be constructed, ensuring safety, function, and aesthetics are aligned.

2. Engineering Drawings

What Makes Engineering Drawings Unique?

While architecture focuses on form and space, engineering drawings dive deep into function and technical precision.

Mechanical Drawings

Showcase machine parts, assemblies, materials, and dimensions — down to the last bolt.

Electrical Schematics

Highlight wiring, circuits, and power flow, ensuring everything lights up and runs as it should.

Civil Engineering Blueprints

Used for roads, bridges, drainage systems, and more. These often include contour lines, cross-sections, and grading details.

How Engineers Use These for Precision and Safety

Engineers rely on these drawings for accurate measurements and reliable designs, avoiding catastrophic design failures.

3. Structural Drawings

Understanding Structural Load & Design

Think of this as the skeleton of any project. Structural drawings ensure that a building stands tall and strong, regardless of environmental challenges.

Reinforcement Details

Details on where and how much steel rebar goes into concrete slabs, beams, and columns.

Foundation and Column Layouts

These ensure load distribution is even and safe, especially in multi-story buildings.

Key Role in Building Design & Drawing Accuracy

Without proper structural drawings, even the most beautiful building design could crumble like a house of cards.

4. Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID)

What is a P&ID Drawing?

These are life support systems for plants and industries. P&IDs show how pipelines, valves, tanks, and instruments connect in a process system.

Valve Symbols, Flow Lines & Instrument Tags

Each element is represented by a unique symbol or code, making it easy to understand even complex processes.

Applications in Plant and Process Design

Used extensively in chemical plants, oil refineries, HVAC systems, and water treatment facilities.

5. CAD (Computer-Aided Design) Drawings

Evolution from Manual Drafting to CAD

Gone are the days of drafting tables and T-squares. Today, CAD software brings designs to life faster, more accurately, and in 3D.

2D vs 3D CAD

2D CAD is ideal for flat, simple layouts like floor plans.

3D CAD allows for realistic visualization, essential for mechanical assemblies and building walkthroughs.

How CAD is Revolutionizing Building Design & Drawing

With features like real-time editing, layering, and simulation, CAD has become the backbone of modern design and drafting.

Choosing the Right Type of Technical Drawing

Based on Industry Use-Cases

Architects go for floor plans and elevations.

Mechanical engineers need section views and assembly drawings.

Civil engineers rely on site and structural layouts.

Role of Project Scope and Objectives

The type of drawing depends on the end goal — whether it’s visualising a concept, instructing construction teams, or submitting permits.

Software Used in Technical Drawings

AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit & More

Each type of technical drawing has its own preferred tools:

AutoCAD – Universal for 2D/3D drafting

SolidWorks – Mechanical design

Revit – BIM and architectural modeling

SketchUp – Conceptual 3D modeling

Industry Preferences for Building Design & Drawing

Most architecture firms and civil companies prefer Revit or AutoCAD, while manufacturing teams lean on SolidWorks or CATIA.

Best Practices in Creating Technical Drawings

Accuracy and Detailing

A small error can lead to a big mess. Ensure units, scales, and dimensions are precise.

Use of Standards and Symbols

Follow global standards like ISO, ANSI, or BIS to maintain consistency across drawings.

Future of Technical Drawing

BIM Integration

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a combination of architecture, structure, and services into a single collaborative platform.

AI-Assisted Drafting Tools

AI can now suggest corrections, detect clashes, and automate repetitive tasks, making technical drawing smarter and faster.

Conclusion

Technical drawings are more than just lines on paper — they are the visual DNA of every successful project. Whether you’re designing a skyscraper, assembling a machine, or planning a chemical plant, understanding the types of technical drawing is essential for clarity, precision, and collaboration.

Raye Jean Montague (January 21, 1935 – October 10, 2018) was a naval engineer credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a US naval ship. She was the first female program manager of ships in the Navy.

She was born to Rayford Jordan and Flossie Graves Jordan in Little Rock. She was inspired to pursue engineering after seeing a “midget” submarine, possibly the HA. 19, as a traveling exhibit that came to Little Rock.

She recalled, “My grandfather took me downtown to see that submarine and I was able to go down a little ladder into that sub. It was like a tin can. That was my first introduction to ships. You just never know what inspires a person.”

She graduated from Merrill High School. She graduated from Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College and graduated with a BS in Business. The engineering program at the University of Arkansas did not admit African American students.

She joined the Navy in 1956 in DC as a clerk typist. She sat next to a 1950s UNIVAC I computer, watching the engineers operate it until one day when all the engineers were sick, she jumped in to run the machine. She took computer programming at night school while continuing to work and learn the job. She was appointed as a computer systems analyst at the Naval Ship Engineering Center and served as the program director for the Naval Sea Systems Command Integrated Design, Manufacturing, and Maintenance Program, the division head for the Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing Program, and deputy program manager of the Navy’s Information Systems Improvement Program.

1.21.20

Today was the first day of the spring semester 🌸 I only had two of my classes, but it was enough to get me back into the groove! My courses this semester are:

Mechanics of solids

Elementary mechanics of fluids

Architecture and society

Engineering communication

Computer-aided graphics and design

ou may not be the biggest or the strongest, but you don't have the plague. Yet. Do you have what it takes to survive?

Download the Beta from DriveThruRPG for free during this campaign.

                                      About Survival of the Able

The Black Death has come to your village. Everywhere around you people are succumbing to the plague. Quarantines are doing little to stem the tide of decay that is coming your way. Worst of all, you and the others in your almshouse have been left to fend for yourselves.

Oh, and did we mention plague victims are rising as zombies?

In Survival of the Able you’re a person with a disability living in a European almshouse when the Black Death arrives. Little is known about where the plague originated or how to stop it, but those who die from it are rising again—and they’re hungry for flesh. Since everyone else has succumbed to the plague, it’s up to a handful of you to make your way out of town and away to safety. You may not be the biggest, the strongest, or the fittest, but you're determined to survive.

                      With no other choice, Agnus faces a zombie.

In this game, you will:

Play a character with a disability who lives in Medieval Western Europe.

Encounter challenges such as disease, zombies, burning buildings, terrible weather, fatigue, and stress.

Experience discrimination based on your disability, fears that you might have the plague, or both.

Overcome incredible challenges against all odds, despite your disability. You probably won’t get much credit for your achievements, but at least you won’t be dead.

Unless you do die, in which case you may turn into a zombie and try to eat your friends.

                                              Setting and Tone

We set this game in Western Europe circa A.D. 1347 because we wanted to put you into a world where people with disabilities (PWDs) have few protections. There are no civil rights laws to ensure equal rights and fair treatment for PWDs, and most people perceived PWDs to be weak, if not helpless.

Many PWDs were sent to live in almshouses, which are church-run facilities where PWDs could be taken care of (as if they weren’t capable of taking care of themselves). The perception of PWDs was poor overall, and even people whose lives were devoted to their care didn’t often see them as fully capable human beings.

As a person with a disability in this setting, you will be challenged to overcome peoples’ fears and judgements. You will have no choice but to survive during a zombie apocalypse. The only non-disabled people you know will be unable to care for you, so you must either overcome the stigma of your disability or join everyone else in a mass grave.

Meanwhile, you do not have the luxury of adaptive aids or accommodations that we might take for granted today. Braille and Sign Language have yet to be invented, let alone wheelchairs, elevators, talking computers, etc. You cannot simply rely on technology to overcome the challenges presented by your disability, so you must use your other skills to survive.

As if all that weren’t enough, you’ll be faced with surviving the Black Plague, armed with next to no knowledge of its symptoms or effects. You don’t have history books or lessons to tell you what to expect. You’ll need to rely on your own observations, wits, and teamwork to figure out the best way to avoid plague-ridden areas and how to kill zombies so they don’t come back.

If this all seems overwhelming, then you’re on the right track. This game should challenge your perceptions, your wits, and your courage. It may not be easy, it may even be uncomfortable at times, but you’ll come out a stronger person if you’re able to survive.

Survival of the Able is based on the Fudge RPG System, but it was written 100% from the ground up to deliver a specific experience.

Players familiar with Fudge will instantly recognize Fudge Dice, the Trait Ladder, and Fudge / Fate Points. Newcomers may appreciate the simple and accessible game mechanics. Whether you're new or experienced, the game mechanics are easy to pick up and play. You can download the Beta draft for free to see what we mean.

Even if you're an experienced Fudge player, one of the first things we ask you to do is forget what you know about the system. Although it will seem familiar, we've designed a lot of new features which set the experience apart from other Fudge games you may have played. We recognize that the spirit of Fudge is to tweak the rules and make things your own, but we encourage you to try the game as it's written at least once so you can understand its intention.

So What Sets Survival of the Able Apart From Other Games?

Briefly put: there are no physical attributes in this game. Instead, we use the sliding scale of Fudge to illustrate how disability is a spectrum. At the heart of this system are the five Senses: Hear, Smell, See, Taste, and Touch. Each ranges from Non-Existent to Good (+2).

Using blindness as an example, we recognize not every blind person has a See Trait of Non-Existent. Instead, there are people with Terrible(-3) sight who can See to a degree, but not very well. Others might have Mediocre (-1) sight, which may represent typical near-sightedness or simply a lack of awareness of their surroundings.

Other character Traits include: Qualities (which represent personality and worldview), Skills (what a person can do), and Anxieties / Assurances (situations which cause or relieve Stress). Everything is designed to help you get a sense of who your character is, rather than how strong or tough they are.

In fact, your characters aren't designed to be strong or tough. In this game, you're not playing a heroic adventurer or a stout warrior. You're just an average person with a will to survive.

For more about the game mechanics:

read the glossary of terms.

listen to our podcast appearances.

download the Beta.

                                             Why This Game?

If Survival of the Able sounds a bit unconventional, then we're doing our job. This game is designed to test your fortitude by plunging you into a setting where you will be ridiculed, demeaned, and patronized just for being yourself.

Our goal is to help teach people empathy for people with disabilities. You'll have fun fighting zombies, but hopefully you'll learn a thing or two about yourself and the people around you along the way.

To be clear, we're not out to teach people what it is like to have a disability. The only way to truly understand that is to live it. Instead, our aim is to help you learn to empathize--to feel anger toward injustice, to feel frustration over inaccessibility, and to feel the joy of overcoming adversity.

We believe that when we understand each other, we communicate more openly and clearly. We can help one another thrive, rather than tear each other down. Most of all, we can shatter our assumptions and reconsider the way we've treated each other in the past.

This game isn't just about overcoming the Black Plague in the 14th Century. It's also about overcoming the plagues of misunderstanding and indifference in the 21st Century.

                                          Why This Campaign?

Survival of the Able is completely written. In fact, you can download a complete first draft of the manuscript from our website.

We're raising money to pay for art, editing, and layout. It's important to us that this game be well-presented, because the uncomfortable reality is that people judge books by their covers. If we want to get this book into as many hands and onto as many tables as possible, it needs to look great. After blowing down that barrier, we know the game will stand for itself and touch a lot of lives.

That's why we have selected some incredible talent to work on this project. We're working with several disabled and underrepresented illustrators, as well as a layout professional whose award-winning game, High Plains Samurai, is the most accessible RPG PDF to date.

All that talent comes with a price. We at Accessible Games are committed to paying fair wages to professionals, because another uncomfortable truth is that people who work in the RPG industry are ludicrously underpaid. We've built fair wages into the campaign's funding goal, but our first stretch goal is also a raise for our team. More on other stretch goals in a bit.

Finally, the campaign is here to start a dialog. Accessibility in tabletop games is something we've been advocating for since 2010, and we've seen huge growth in the 9+ years we've been doing this. We hope that by running a successful and high profile campaign, we can bring awareness of accessibility to the hearts and minds of people who perhaps hadn't considered it before.

                                         What's Included?

Survival of the Able is a complete RPG. Its rules are based on the Fudge system, but everything you need to know is in this single book.

We're producing the game in a 6"x9" format with full color illustrations. Both hardcover and paperback options will be available via DriveThruRPG.

Todd Crapper is handling layout for this project, and he's committed to accessible PDF design. He has experience using layers to create various low-vision and color blind-friendly versions within a single file, and he'll be giving that treatment to Survival of the Able.

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Kickstarter campaign ends: Tue, November 19 2019 3:00 AM UTC +00:00

1. Computer-aided Design (CAD) - also known as Computer-aided Drafting. It is the use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design.

      ex. In grade 10, we practice creating technical drawing using CAD or Auto-cad in our computer system.

 2.  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work.

      ex. Construction workers are advice to wear PPE for their own safety.

3. Dimensioning - process placing measurements in a drawing in the metric or english system.

      ex. A floor plan should have a proper dimensioning so it will be more clear and precise.

4.  Infrastructure - basic physical and organizational structures, like buildings and roads, needed for society.

      ex.  After the typhoon, the engineering firm helped rebuild the plumbing and road infrastructure around the devastated community

5.  Blueprint - a diagram or technical drawing,  a plan for a building or machine that explains how to do or develop something.

      ex.  I looked at the blueprint to figure out the exact dimensions of the building.

References : 

Computer-Aided Design. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/skyrocker0004/technical-drafting-learning-module-v20

Personal Protective Equipment. Retrieved from http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/ppe.htm

Dimensioning. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/kenjoyb/k-to-12-mechanical-drafting-learning-module, 68.

Infrastracture. Retrieved from https://voxy.com/blog/2016/08/10-words-civil-engineering/

Blueprint. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/blueprint

CRAFT AS DESIGN

by Alexander Freeling

How do buildings resist gravity? Or, for that matter, strong winds, weathering, tectonic shudders, and the seasonal heat and ice? The modern answer has two parts: a science of architecture and a craft of building. On one side, years studying drafting, structural theory, conservation science, and computer-aided design. On the other, years learning and refining the techniques of masonry or carpentry, plumbing or fitting.

Hey, I’m really sorry to hear that you’re in this situation. The world is a hard enough place at the best of times, but being out on your own at 18 with no help is daunting. It’s hard to know what you really want to do at that age, or to know what kinds of options you have available. The good news, though, is that it can be done - even without parental support, it’s possible to achieve your goals and live a good life. 

You say that your only “approved” choices are a 4-year university or going into Americorp - I’m assuming that these are the only options that your parents or guardians approve of. The truth of the matter is, though, that if your parents/guardians aren’t financing your life path, they aren’t entitled to any say in what you do. There are a lot more options in life than just a four-year liberal arts degree or earning a small stipend for AmeriCorps service. Some of the options you have available to you include:

Take out loans or financial aid to cover your tuition and costs of living while you finish your associate’s degree, and supplement your income with a part-time job, or full-time work in the summer term. Even if you need to go into a small amount of debt to finish your community college degree, it’s okay - community colleges actually provide excellent value for the cost, and it gives you a credential under your belt. Plus, many of those credits can likely be transferred to a four-year degree if you ever do decide to get your degree later in life, and you’re paying a lot less for those credits at community college than you would at a university. Talk to the financial aid or student services office at your college - they will be able to help you figure out this situation and point you toward financial resources that you can take advantage of. 

Trade school. People who look down on electricians, plumbers, heating and cooling technicians, pipefitters and mechanics are snobs and fools - those are professions that have excellent pay and often have great benefits, and involve going into little or no debt for your education. Trades allow you to work and learn your skills on-the-job as you get certified, so you are able to support yourself while you learn. Lifetime earnings for most trades are higher than earnings for a bachelor’s degree, but without the student loans, and going into a trade would allow you to quickly gain financial independence and then some. 

Tech or vocational school. Community college, university and trade school are not the only options - many young people seem to overlook technical and vocational schools, where you can learn highly employable skills and certifications in one- or two-year programs. This includes a lot of medical certifications, such as ultrasound tech, medical transcription, medical laboratory technician, licensed practical nurse, or respiratory tech. You can also earn certifications in IT and computer skills, industrial design and drafting, construction equipment operating, special needs education and assisting, safety inspection, and so much more. Two of my close friends went this route after dropping out of college - one became a medical lab technician, and the other went into industrial drawing (not a fine arts degree - he makes 3D computer models of engineering equipment for a living). Both completed their certifications in two years, both were hired immediately out of school, and both were able to purchase their first homes by themselves in their mid-twenties. This is a path that can also quickly lead to financial independence. 

Join the military. The military is definitely not for everyone, and not everyone can pass the strict medical requirements for joining. If you are willing to consider it, though, and you score reasonably well on the military aptitude test, you can have several options available to you within the military, with all your training provided and paid for. The pay is not great, especially in the beginning, but you will be looked after, and if you decide not to re-enlist after your first stint is up, you can come out of the military in your early 20s and get your university education paid for by the GI bill. I’ve met several people who went this route since moving to the USA, and many of them are now coming out of graduate school debt-free in their late 20s. Again, it’s not for everyone, but it’s an option. 

Give university a try as cheaply as possible. You don’t want to end up 50k in debt for a useless degree, and that’s fair - but if you’re careful and make some smart decisions, It’s possible to earn a university degree and not end up in that situation. Do your first two years cheaply at community college, and then transfer to an in-state public university. You could also look into doing your final two years at a more obscure, less “prestigious” school that might be willing to offer you a more generous financial aid or scholarship package - schools in “flyover” states or small towns will sometimes offer more generous financial aid in order to attract students. Plus, if you’re transferring in at age 20 and living alone, you may qualify for more generous financial aid since you don’t have any assistance from your parents. Do some research into degree programs - it’s true that a degree in English or Sociology might not get you very far, but degrees in computer science, nursing, engineering, accounting, business and mathematics are generally a good financial choice with high employability in their chosen field. My brother is about to finish his engineering degree in a specialized field next year, and he already has a six-figure job offer on the table. Speak to some advisers at local universities - they will be able to talk to you about transferring your community college credits, financial aid packages and programs available at these universities. 

Work for a bit. I grew up and did my undergraduate degree in Canada, so Americorps was not an option, but from what I understand, Americorps volunteers earn very little compared to other types of full-time employment. If you don’t feel ready to decide what you want to do with your life, it’s okay to take some time off, work full-time somewhere, and just get used to living on your own and managing your own money before you make any big decisions. I knew plenty of people who took a gap year or two off after high school, earned some money, lived with roommates, and then went back into education when they felt ready to do so, or found jobs that would advance them up the career ladder. There are still a handful of career paths out there where you can earn decent money without any formal post-secondary education, or where your employer will cover the cost of your education - air traffic control, rail traffic control, banking and insurance come to mine. I know people who went into all four of those professions and now earn comfortable salaries without having completed a degree. 

It can be daunting to try to figure out what you want to do with your life, so I recommend that you start by thinking about what kind of life you would like to lead, and work backwards to figure out what you need to do in order to get there. Do you want to work with your hands, or at a desk? Do you want to work indoors or outside? Do you want to wear dress clothes to work, or would you rather have a job where you can show up in jeans? How much money do you think you need to make in order to be comfortable? Would you rather earn more money and work longer hours, or earn less money and have more free time? Do you want to live in a big city, a small town, or a rural area? Are you willing to spend more years in school to earn more money, or would you rather earn less money and be done school faster? What do you want your average day or week to look like? It’s also important to remember that you are allowed to change your mind. You are not married to the first career path that you choose at the age of 19. You are allowed to try something, decide that you don’t like it, and try something else. You can always go back to school, switch your program, or explore another career - it doesn’t matter if you’re 23, 32 or 48 years old, those options will always be there. Life without a safety net is difficult, but it’s not impossible, and student loans are not the end of the world - it’s okay to go into a bit of debt if it will get you closer to where you want to be.