What is engineering drawing?
An engineering drawing is a kind of technical drawing, and acts as a template for the construction of engineered objects, it is also known as a blueprint. This could be a part for a bridge, an engine, or even a vacuum cleaner!
Engineering drawings have to be understood by lots of different people, including other engineers and the people who make and manufacture the objects. To make sure all engineers produce drawings in the same way, there are certain standards to be followed.
Think first
Can you think of any problems that might be caused by engineers using different standards? Make some notes in the box below and discuss with a friend if you like!
Basically, if all the engineers used different standards, it would make it really hard for them to understand one another!
Click on the timeline below to learn about the development of engineering standards.
In 1927, the British Standards Institute (BSI) formally set standards for engineering drawing.
In the year 2000, working alongside the International Standards Organisation (ISO), the BSI updated the drawing standards, to help make things more consistent across different countries.
Today, these same standards for engineering drawing are still in place. There are lots of books that will help you learn more if you are interested. Ask your teacher about this one if you’d like more information!
In 1973, the Metric system was introduced in the United Kingdom.
Now let’s move on to page 3 to learn about the common systems of measurement that are used in engineering drawing!