Chapter 2 Print Reading
Virtually everything that is manufactured in a factory or made by an artisan at home is drawn first. The drawing may be a hand sketch or what is called a mechanical drawing Drawing that accurately communicates a designer's ideas and includes all information required by the people who will manufacture a part or assembly.. Today, mechanical drawings are most often produced on a computer, although they can still be produced using traditional drafting instruments. By making a drawing, the designer can see what the object will look like. All parts can be checked to see if they fit properly. Measurements of rotating or sliding parts can be checked to make certain that they properly clear all other parts. Drawings also serve to accurately communicate a designer's ideas to the people who will manufacture the part or assembly.
All information required to produce the parts is included on the mechanical drawing, so that the parts will be made according to the exact design specifications. Persons using the drawings must be able to read them properly, so that they can accurately create the parts shown. The sizes of the various features of the part are given on the drawing as dimensions. Besides the part itself, mechanical drawings also include detailed technical information regarding the tools, machinery, processes, and specific materials to be used in manufacturing the parts, along with any special notes.
Learning ObjectivesAfter studying this chapter, you will be able to:
- Identify the various views on a mechanical drawing or sketch and understand the concept of orthographic projection.
- Demonstrate the ability to find various types of lines in each view of the drawing.
- Demonstrate the ability to obtain needed information from the title block of the drawing.
- Demonstrate the ability to obtain needed dimensions from a drawing or sketch.
- Compute sizes of parts when those sizes are not provided directly.
